I can't tell you how amazing it was to see the cracks close up and the doors work properly after the foundation leveling. In the master bedroom I hadn't been able to close the closet door for a long, long time. The best I could do was to slam it as hard as I could to lodge it in the space and keep the cats out. The frame around the door was actually slipping off the sheetrock and the crack was making its way across the wall. There was such a gap between the frame and the door on entry to the master bedroom, that I had to shim out the strike plate with cardboard, nuts and washers just to keep the door latched. For the hall bath there was the same problem as the closet door. Also in the hall, the doors to the A/C unit and the hot water heater would open at will. There was a space under the wall between the garage and the house that got to be at least 1" and it ran from the master bedroom, thru the laundry area and into the kitchen. The walls above the door to the garage and the entry from the dining area to the kitchen were separating from the ceiling. The front door was sticking and there were assorted cracks everywhere.
In the small amount of time that it took to actually jack up the foundation, the vast marjority of those problems either disappeared or diminished. You have to see it so I'm posting some before and after pics. I hope that helps you to see what a difference this dusty, dirty, noisy process made.
BEFORE
Above the door from the kitchen to the garage. See the space at the top and the crack from the corner of the door?
This is the door from the dining area to the kitchen seen from the dining area side.
This is the infamous closet door. That's as closed as it would get. Look at the crack - there was a matching one on the other side and you could see the light through it.
AFTER
Look, ma!! No more space above the wall!
The most amazing transformation of all - the closet door!
There are still a lot of cracks to patch, but they are closed cracks. I've been told to wait about 60 days to do any patching which is fine with me. It will be cool weather and much better for patching and painting.
I hope everyone has learned something about foundation problems in Houston and the great work that can be done to fix them.
I know you are so glad to have this over with. Now just a little patch here and there and you should be as good as new.
ReplyDeleteok, I waited until the whole story was here to come look. It's truly OMG amazing. I can't imagine seeing a jackhammer in my kitchen!
ReplyDeleteThe way the house is all whole again is really great! Glad you & all the cats survived the ordeal