Guides
Foundation guides
Foundation types, which cracks matter and which don’t, bowing walls, and the wood where the house sits on the foundation. Structural information is reviewed by Daniel Mercer.
All 4 guides
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Start here
House foundation types: slab, crawl space, basement and pier and beam
The four main house foundation types, the problems each one tends to have, and how to tell which one your home sits on, from block to poured concrete.
Read the guide: House foundation types: slab, crawl space, basement and pier and beam -
Foundation cracks: types and when to worry
How to read a foundation crack by direction, shape and movement, how to monitor it, and the signs that mean it’s time to call a structural engineer.
Read the guide: Foundation cracks: types and when to worry -
Horizontal cracks and bowing basement walls
Why basement walls bow, how to measure and document the movement, the repair options and their limits, and what each one costs in 2026.
Read the guide: Horizontal cracks and bowing basement walls -
Sill plates and rim joists: what they are and how they fail
What sill plates and rim joists are, what Virginia’s code requires for anchor bolts and sealing, how they rot or get termites, and what a repair costs.
Read the guide: Sill plates and rim joists: what they are and how they fail
