Expansive Soil Continues to be a Problem for Foundations Under California Properties
In a typical year in California, expansive soils cause damage to more homes than earthquakes and floods combined. For year ending 2022, It was no different.
Expansive soil is a very common issue that can cause substantial damage to a home or property. Unfortunately, homeowners insurance usually doesn’t cover foundation damage caused by expansive soil. However, if the problem resulted from a natural disaster like a flood, and your home has flood insurance, it might. Check with your insurance agent to be sure.
However, when the issue arises due to the negligence of your home’s builder, our firm has handled numerous cases dealing with expansive soil. It is key that you are aware of what are the common signs that can lead to this issue. They are:
- Cracked or bowed concrete foundation walls.
- Cracks in plaster walls, particularly in corners.
- Doors and windows that stick.
- Cracks in the concrete driveway or garage slab.
- Brick veneer that cracks or separates.
- Basement water seepage.
- Soil pulling away from foundation walls.
- Just to name a few
So What Is Expansive Soil?
The term “expansive soil” refers to a type of soil that has a lot of clay. It’s common in the southeast and in Southern California. During rainy seasons, the soil will expand and contract, which can affect the foundations and slabs. Doing so correctly can prevent these problems from happening.
How Do Builders & Developers Prevent Expansive Soil From Damaging Your Home?
Before a project begins, a geotechnical engineer will carry out a site assessment to find out what kinds of changes will affect the foundation and footings of the project. The developer can either remove the top 3 feet of soil from the site, or he or she can replace it with low-expanding soil. If the developer does not follow the recommendations of the engineer, significant damage can happen. The soil expansion and contraction will continue, and this can cause the house to deteriorate permanently. One solution is to build a cutoff wall, which is an underground structure that measures four to six feet deep.
Are You Experiencing Any Of These Issues Or Concerns?
If the answer is YES, then do not hesitate to call our law firm immediately. We have successfully recovered millions of dollars in monetary damages for our clients with expansive soils issues. We retain a team of geotechnical experts with decades of experience diagnosing and resolving these types problems.
Once you contact our firm, we can send our team to your property for a free inspection. Many times, our team can recognize a serious soil issue from the first inspection. If structural or foundational issues are not resolved, expansive soils will continue to cause serious damage.
The Naumann Law Firm represents homeowner associations, high/mid-rise condominium and condominium conversion associations, single and multifamily residential homes and commercial property owners in construction defect litigation. The Naumann Law Firm has over 35 years of experience handling significant construction defect cases with complex issues. Call us to set up a consultation.
If you need more information on construction defects, visit our construction defect litigation page. To contact us, call 844-492-7474 or visit our San Diego construction defect contact page.