Typical cost in Burien
Burien Foundation Repair starts crack repair by working out what kind of crack it is. A hairline in a basement or stem wall and a crack that keeps widening are different problems, and the right repair for one is wrong for the other.
Burien, SeaTac and Normandy Park are covered. With two-thirds of Burien homes predating 1980, and about 21 percent predating 1950, there are plenty of older foundation walls where a crack is something to look at.
A hairline crack that is not changing may call only for a dated mark and a recheck. HUD’s inspection guide rates shrinkage cracking as rarely serious, which is why a hairline crack is often only watched. If it is sealed later, that is a decision made with the cause known.
Injection sends a sealing material into the crack from ports along its face, with the surface sealed first. Epoxy and polyurethane are the two materials people ask about. Which suits a given crack depends on its cause and on whether it is moving, and that is decided when the crack is looked at.
Coating the wall with waterproofing can hide a small crack. HUD’s rehab guide says such coatings are made to span nonstructural cracks of up to 1/16 inch. A crack that is moving is a different question.
Two HUD points frame this. Shrinkage cracks are rarely serious, and minor settlement cracks do harm only when moisture keeps leaking through them. On the other side, a crack wider at one end can mean differential settlement, and a sweeping or horizontal crack in a block or brick wall may be caused by improper backfilling, vibration from heavy equipment or vehicles close to the wall, or swelling or freezing of saturated soil beside it.
A moving crack needs its cause found before it is sealed, or the seal may simply break again. We do not promise that any sealed crack will stay dry or stay closed.
The order is to look at the crack, find out whether water is coming through, and check the ground and gutters outside. If the wall is leaking because water is pooling at the foundation, sealing the crack without addressing the water treats the symptom.
A university extension page from Minnesota notes that concrete and block foundations tend to crack somewhat and that walls move more when joists are not tied to them. It is background and not a Burien finding.
Burien homeowners with a crack to explain have HUD’s advice: for the cause of settlement, consult a structural or geotechnical engineer. A sticking door nearby, a horizontal or stair-step pattern, a wide crack or one that keeps growing are all worth putting to one. This is federal guidance, not a Burien permit rule.
If you hire us for a crack that looks like it is moving, expect us to suggest an engineer’s view before any sealing. In Burien the building official can also require a registered design professional when documents must be prepared by one.
Crack repair is priced from the wall and the crack. The factors:
A repair to a foundation wall is an alteration or repair of a building, which Burien’s code says needs a permit unless an exemption applies, and exemptions do not apply on critical areas, steep slopes or landslide hazard areas. Ask the permit center whether sealing a crack needs a permit.
Burien’s hazard chapter covers landslide and seismic hazard areas. City code can change, so confirm the current text and your lot’s mapping with the city.
A hairline that stays put is one thing. A crack that tapers, runs horizontally, steps through block or keeps lengthening is another, and the second kind deserves a look.
It depends on the crack and on where the water is coming from. We look at the drainage outside before recommending where to work.
No promise. If the wall is still shifting or water keeps collecting against it, a seal can open again, which is why we look for the cause before sealing anything.
Wet walls point toward foundation drainage, while sloping floors point toward foundation settlement and piering. If the crack showed up after heavy rain, mention that when you write. You can see every other service on the Burien Foundation Repair home page.
How wide is the crack, where is it and which way does it run? Let us know if it has grown since you noticed it and whether water comes through. We'll get back to you soon with an estimate or any questions we have. Estimates are free and there's no obligation.
Call (253) 352-3724