How long after a sewer leak is fixed can the foundation be repaired?
We have a sewer line leak under the slab foundation. The foundation company said that they would have to wait 6 to 9 months for the soil to dry out before they could do warranty work on the house. Is that a normal timeframe or are they just trying to get out of doing work for free?
Public Comments
- No. 6-9 months is ridiculous! 24 hrs maybe. Just think about the logic, would that location ever get completely dry? would it get wet again when rain as it is underground? There are always WAYS to get something repaired in construction. Be persistent and follow up on your request. That's how I deal with my builder!
- The contractor might be correct in what he told you because of water that leaked from your sewer pipe and stagnant in the ground which makes it difficult to repair the foundation. If you are concerned on the long time frame, perhaps you may want to hold back a certain amount of retention sum from the works and only release to them 6 - 9 months later. This is provided that the current situation of the foundation will not affect the stability on the other structures. As it is a ground foundation, it is advisable to engage a qualified structural engineer to ascertain the condition of the affect foundation. At the same time, seek structual engineer's recommendations/s on appropriate methods of repairing the foundation without having to wait for 6 - 9 months later.
- If you want it done properly this is how long you must wait to achieve proper soil compaction it seems. No foundation company could warranty a job without waiting. Your other option is to remove the contaminated back fill and replace with new, dry material. But this is no easy job. Or hire a soil compaction tester to test your foundation and submit the results to the contractor and your lawyer.
