Foundation Repair for Saint Francis homes
Saint Francis is a small city right on the shore of Lake Michigan, and a lot of its houses went up in the years after the war. Many of those basements were finished long ago, with paneling or drywall covering the walls. That finish can hide a crack for years. We hear from Saint Francis owners when a baseboard swells, a musty smell won't go away, or a stain creeps across the carpet.
Living next to the lake means big weather. Storms roll in off the water, and the wind and cold pull frost deep into the ground in winter. The clay under these homes swells when it's wet and heaves when it freezes. After seventy-odd years of that, postwar walls often have cracks, and some have started to push in. With the finish in place, the first real sign is usually water, long after the wall began to move.
When we visit, we look for clues on the finished side first, then open only as much wall as we need to see the foundation behind it. Cracks get sealed with hydraulic cement or structural sealant. Early bowing gets carbon fiber straps, and a wall that has moved further gets steel I-beams anchored to the floor and joists. You'll get a written quote. When the City of Saint Francis requires a permit, we pull it.
