How to Check Your Home for Foundation Issues Before You Sell

As you’re getting ready to selling your home, it important to do your checks and balances on the status of your home so you’re not surprised when you go to get a home inspection. One of the issues that comes up time and time again is foundation issues. There are signs that you can look for to help you determine if your foundation may be comprised. Be on the look-out for these:

Sloping/Uneven Floors

Sloping, sagging or uneven floors might be a warning sign that you have a foundation issue. If you’re not sure, try placing a tennis ball throughout your home. If it moves or rolls, that may be an indication that you have a foundation issue.

Space Between Wall and Ceiling or Floor

A common cause of spaces between the wall and ceiling is linked back to foundation issues, like sinking or settling of the foundation. If not addressed, these spaces could multiply, causing much bigger issues.

Cracks in Interior or Exterior

Visible cracks in your walls and ceiling especially over windows or doorways is a big sign that there is something bigger happening.

If you have a brick home specifically, you can often check both inside and outside the house, checking for any cracks in the bricks.

Breaks in Tile or Flooring

If you spot cracks in your title flooring or gaps in your wood flooring, it may be a warning sign of structural issues or it could be something more simple like it was improperly installed or was damaged by a heavy load. Either way it would be safest to get a professional to diagnose the issue.

Shifting Doors or Windows

Are you doors fitting tighter or looser than they used to? This may be (but isn't always) a warning sign of issues down under. Whatever the cause, it’s important to get it inspected before it turns into a bigger, long term issue.

Call in a professional

To save you from headaches when you go to sell your home, it would serve you best to get a home inspector out to your home to be sure that there aren’t any issues that need to be addressed with the foundation. This will prevent any surprises from arising when your buyer goes to do a home inspection before they purchase.

Some flexing will happen depending on the temperature but any major changes is a sign that you should get your foundation checked.