Repairing a sinking cement slab in Pierrefonds, QC
Challenge
Our clients moved into their beautiful 1960s house in Pierrefonds in 2009. They had done all the required foundation inspections, but unfortunately, 4 years later, problems started to manifest.
It started with small barely seen cracks in the Gyprock of some of their inside walls, and soon enough these cracks became wider and went all the way up to the second floor!
The problem was getting worse and they had to call a professional company to fix this issue permanently.
Our specialist Peter Romaniuk visited the clients and after asking them a long list of questions to understand the issue well, he did a full and thorough inspection, on the inside and outside of the property, the Foundation Supportworks way.
Peter traced the problem to a party wall and noticed the gaps between that wall and the slab under it or the ceiling, depending on where he was looking. It was obvious as such that the cement slab was sinking, resulting in all of these damages.
It needed to be fixed, permanently.
Solution
The problem with a sinking slab is that, in most cases, the settlement is caused by movement in the soil under it when soil conditions change. If the layers in the soil below move, the slab needs to be held by something stable, namely bedrock or thick soil that prevents further settlement or movement.
Peter recommended the installation of seventeen (17) Foundation Supportworks slab piers to cover the whole slab area that supports the party wall. This was what was necessary to stabilize that wall permanently. Slab piers are pushed all the way down to the bedrock or thick soil and the weight of the slab is transferred to competent strata, allowing for a permanent stabilization of the basement slab.
Results: The section of the slab supporting the party wall was permanently stabilized, and as such the wall itself was permanently stabilized which stopped further settlement and damages to the house.
Project Summary
System Design Specialist: Peter Romaniuk
Foreman: Petru Rotaru
Co-Forman: Yury Melnik
Product installed:: (17) 288 Foundation Supportworks Slab Piers
Product installed:: Super Sump sump pump
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