Below is a short list of issues you might encounter related to foundation movement and drainage (keep in mind size, type, and the number of signs, potentially point to different issues and will be carefully considered by the evaluator and thoroughly explained to you.)
CRACKS IN WALLS
Cracks may appear in the sheet rock (both compression and separation fractures – depending on how the house is moving). Wrinkles can also form in the wallpaper and gaps may appear at the moldings or in corners.
UNEVEN DOORS
As the foundation shifts, the walls and roof lines will shift as well, causing doors to stick or separate around the seams. Fixing the problem will often correct this unevenness or displacement.
SLOPING FLOORS
Once the problem increases in severity, a noticeable sloping occurs as well as visible cracks in the concrete and “bouncy” or “soft” floors in a pier and beam home.
WINDOWS THAT STICK
As the frame of the home shifts with the settling foundation, the windows may become difficult to open, stick, or develop separations around the framing.
FRIEZE BOARDS/FASCIA BOARDS
Since the roof line is directly affected by the settling of the foundation, frieze boards may separate in the corners and fascia boards will pull away due to pressure from the brick.
CRACKS, SEPARATION AND/OR SETTLING OF SIDEWALKS, PORCHES, AND PATIOS
Most sidewalks, porches, and patios are poured without as much steel as the house foundation and lack supports, so they tend to show signs of a possible foundation problem first; and are an indication of how much clay is in the surrounding soils.