Foundation

 
Homeowner Use and Maintenance Guidelines

We install the foundation of your home according to the recommendations of our consulting engineer. The walls of the foundation are poured concrete with steel reinforcing rods.

To protect your home's foundation, follow guidelines for installation and maintenance of landscaping and drainage in this manual.

 
Cracks

Even though an engineer designed the foundation and we constructed it according to engineering requirements, surface cracks can still develop in the wall. Surface cracks are not detrimental to the structural integrity of your home. If a crack develops in a foundation wall that allows water to come through, follow the procedures for submitting a warranty claim.

 
Dampness

Due to the amount of water in concrete, basements may be damp. Condensation can form on water lines and drip onto the floor.

 
Future Construction in Basement

If you decide to perform additional construction in the basement, obtain guidelines from a licensed engineer, obtain a building permit, and comply with all codes and safety requirements. GOODIER BUILDERS does not warrant that you will be able to obtain such a permit because of the possibility that building codes may change.

 
GOODIER BUILDERS Limited Warranty

The foundation of your home has been designed and installed according to the recommendations of an engineer. The walls of the foundation are poured concrete with steel reinforcing rods.

 
Bowed or Plumb Walls

Bows in concrete walls which exceed 1 inch in 8 feet, when measured from the base to the top of the wall, shall be corrected. Walls that are out of plumb greater that 1½ inches in 8 feet, when measured from the base to the top of the wall, shall be corrected. In either case, if the wall is to remain unfinished per contract, and the wall otherwise meets building codes as evidenced by passed inspections, then no corrective action is required.

 
Cracks

Shrinkage or backfill cracks are not unusual in foundation walls, especially at the corners of basement windows. Cracks may be vertical, diagonal, or horizontal. The only cracks considered under warranty claims are cracks that permit water penetration or horizontal cracks that cause a bow in the wall. GOODIER BUILDERS will seal cracks that exceed ¼ inch in width.

 
Cosmetic Imperfections

Slight cosmetic imperfections in foundation walls, such as a visible seam where two pours meet or slight honeycombing (aggregate visible), are possible and require no repair unless they permit water to enter.

 
Holes

Holes larger than 1 inch in diameter or 1 inch in depth on exposed concrete walls are unacceptable and shall be repaired.

 
Leaks

GOODIER BUILDERS will correct conditions that permit actual trickling of water to enter the basement, provided you have complied with the drainage, landscaping, and maintenance guidelines.

 
Levelness

As measured at the top of the foundation wall, no point shall be more than ½ inch higher or lower than any point within 20 feet. Deviations from this guideline will be corrected by leveling the sills with shims, mortar, or appropriate fillers.

 
Squareness

Squareness is primarily an aesthetic consideration, as measured at the top of the foundation wall, the diagonal of a triangle with sides of 12 feet and 16 feet shall be not more than 1 inch more or less than 20 feet. If the measurement deviates from this guideline, modifications to the foundation will be made to compensate. The corrective measure emphasizes the primarily aesthetic nature of squareness and makes the criteria for a correction "a satisfactory appearance."