Hi everyone! I'm in the process of buying my first home and we recently had an inspection. The inspector found some cracked cinder blocks in the foundation, and I'm really worried about it. We sent a picture to a structural engineer who advised that they need to be replaced. However, two different foundation companies suggested that they would just reinforce the existing blocks instead of replacing them. I'm confused since the engineer seemed concerned about replacements. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this because I really want to make an informed decision and avoid making any costly mistakes!
1 Answer
Both options are valid! The best approach is to get the contractors' recommendations and share that with the engineer. I’d suggest getting quotes for both replacement and reinforcement. Just so you know, replacing those blocks can be much more expensive (like 3-4 times) because you'll need to reinforce the house during the process. Properly done, reinforcement can totally handle the issue!
Thanks for clarifying that! I feel a lot better now. I had no idea replacing could involve so many risks. It sounds like the reinforcement might be the way to go!