Foundation Repair
If you need foundation repair services in Kauai, Oahu, Maui, or the Big Island, contact Foundation Systems Hawaii at 808.833.7173 for reliable, affordable service
For all your foundational repair needs, look no further than Foundation Systems Hawaii for expert services backed by over 60 years of combined experience. A strong foundation provides stability and safety to the building above it, but various issues can compromise the structural integrity of your foundation. Natural occurrences like soil movement, water damage, and natural settling — as well as more major events like seismic activity and lava tube collapse — cause problems for foundations that, if left unaddressed, lead to more severe structural damage and reduced property value.
Foundation issues affect both homes and businesses throughout the islands, and that’s where we come in. Whether you need residential or commercial foundation services, our licensed engineers are ready to address your concerns. We offer a full range of services to repair foundation damage, strengthen its structure, and prevent further damage for years to come. Your peace of mind is our top priority, so whether you need a small crack filled or a more intensive solution, Foundation Systems Hawaii is your go-to team of experienced engineers.
Reach out online or call us at 808.833.7173 for expert foundation services.
Foundation Problem Signs
Your property sends clear signs in the event of foundation issues and it’s important for you to recognize the signals of potential problems. Contact us if you see any of the common symptoms of a compromised foundation, including:
- Interior Wall Cracks: Cracks in your drywall mean problems behind the scenes, including a shifting floor or foundation. Wall cracks come in a variety of types — horizontal or vertical cracks appear along stair steps or the length of a wall, while diagonal cracks appear in corners around doors and windows, and all can point to a shifting floor or unstable foundation. Small cracks can be nothing but damaged drywall or paint. However, larger cracks, cracks that are wider on one end, or cracks that rapidly grow in length or width point to a more serious foundation problem.
- Foundation Cracks: Damage and cracks in your foundation is one of the clearest signs you need foundation repairs. As your foundation settles or the ground around it shifts, it puts pressure on your foundation that’s relieved through cracks and unintended movement. Similar to potential cracks in your walls, some foundation cracks are small, harmless, and require minimal or cosmetic fixes. Larger cracks, especially those that are vertical or exceed a quarter inch in width, require immediate attention.
- Floor Cracks: If your home’s concrete slab flooring develops a crack, it’s time to call for foundation help. In addition to creating a tripping hazard if wide or uneven enough, floor cracks point to an uneven foundation putting pressure on the slab. Shrinking soils, soil erosion, and poor compaction can all lead to your foundation slab sinking and settling.
- Brick Cracks: Foundations made of brick or brick exteriors send unique signals of potential foundation issues. The grout that binds bricks together also frequently serves as a weak point when pressure — such as a shifting foundation — is applied. Brick cracks often follow the stair-step nature of grout, separating the bricks and introducing vulnerabilities to the wall and foundation.
- Sloping or Warped Floors: Some signs of foundational distress are more subtle. Floors covered by laminate, hardwood, or other more flexible flooring are more resistant to cracks and instead exhibit distress in other ways — many homeowners don’t notice a sloping floor until something falls and rolls away on its own. If you notice a warp, slope, bulge, or sag in your flooring, it’s important to investigate.
- Stuck Doors and Windows: Door and window jams are often vulnerable points in your walls where signs of foundation problems can appear. In addition to cracks around the corners, shifts in your foundation can offset the angles of the window or door jam, resulting in the door or windowpane getting stuck or fitting too loosely in the jam.
- Gaps Between Structures: Foundation issues can also cause your walls to pull away from your windows, doors, cabinets, or counters, causing gaps. As your floor shifts and is no longer even with your walls, anything that is connected to the floor or walls detaches or cracks. These gaps not only signal potential foundation issues, but can also let in moisture, insects, and other pests that can cause further damage to your home.
- Leaning or Cracked Chimney: Chimneys are heavy fixtures in your home, making them susceptible to damage if your foundation shifts. Cracks in the material of your chimney or gaps between your chimney and home walls often point to foundation problems, as do leaning or crooked chimney structures.
- Protruding Nails: Though it sounds like an odd sign of foundation issues, nails working their way out of your walls can be just that. As your flooring and drywall shifts, the nails also move and can fall out. If you notice an increased frequency in fallen nails or damage around the nail, look for other signs of foundational distress.
If you notice any of these issues, don’t hesitate to schedule a free foundation inspection.
Causes of Foundation Problems
Several common issues contribute to foundation problems, especially in Hawaii. The team at Foundation Systems Hawaii has over 60 years of combined experience diagnosing and solving a wide variety of foundation and geostructural issues. From homes affected by wet soil conditions to steep slopes and sub-par building practices, we’ve seen it all.
- Water Damage: Heavy or consistent rains are a fact of life in Hawaii. If your foundation wasn’t waterproofed properly, water can seep through cracks in the floor or walls and expand inside the concrete, creating additional pressure and widening cracks. Those cracks are then more vulnerable to increased water damage during the next storm.
- Large Trees: Trees planted too close to your home pose a slow-but-steady threat to your foundation. Each spring, tiny new roots seeking nutrients work their way through anything in their path, including the concrete of your foundation, creating cracks that damage the foundation’s integrity. Mature roots also cause damage by expanding and contracting as they absorb nutrients and disrupt the soil around your foundation.
- Soil Characteristics: The Hawaiian Islands are home to diverse soil compositions, ranging from volcanic ask to lava rock. Soil expansion and contraction undermines your foundation’s solidity over the course of years, slowly shifting it out of its original shape. In Hawaii especially, the combination of loose, porous soil and constant water presence can lead to terrible pressure on your home’s foundation.
- Slope Creep: Hawaii’s soil composition often makes the landscape susceptible to falling slopes, especially after storms or periods of wet weather. Once a slope starts to fall, each subsequent storm leads to more soil falling down a hillside, taking whatever is on the surface with it.
- Other Factors: Your foundation also faces a variety of other threats, including improper site preparation, poor drainage, plumbing problems, shoddy construction, seismic activity, and more that detrimentally impact the health of your foundation.
Our engineers will help you understand what is causing your home’s foundation problems and — most importantly — help you understand the solutions. Call us today at 808.833.7173 or contact us online to get a free estimate on foundation repair throughout Kauai, Oahu, Maui, or the Big Island.
Service Types
Underpinning
This method of foundation repair strengthens and extends the foundation of your existing building. Contractors excavate beneath the building and install steel supports called piers or piles to better distribute the weight of the building onto more stable soil. Underpinning can be one of the more extensive and expensive solutions to a failing foundation but is also one of the longest lasting repair types. After underpinning your property, we always restore the excavated area to leave everything looking as good as new.
Drilled Piers
Constructed by drilling holes into the ground and filling them with concrete and steel reinforcements, drilled piers transfer structural loads to deep rock layers or load-bearing soil. Also called “bored piles” and “drilled caissons,” drilled piers are used in both new construction and as existing foundation repairs, and cause minimal disturbance to your property.
Concrete Crack Repairs
Cracks in your foundation only get worse, so we offer a variety of crack repair options designed to solve the severity of each type. For minor cracks, an epoxy or polyurethane solution is injected to seal and stabilize the crack. We also offer carbon fiber reinforcement and helical pile installation for more advanced cracks and foundation movement. Lastly, we recommend our waterproofing options to help prevent future cracks and damage caused by moisture infiltration.
Concrete Spalling
Hawaii’s high humidity and salty air causes extensive damage to exposed concrete over time. Spalling refers to the chipping, flaking, and peeling that occurs on concrete surfaces and its effects go beyond aesthetics. Concrete spalling poses a real threat to structures and we use the best materials and techniques in the industry to make our repairs. Not only do we match the texture and finish of the surrounding concrete, but we also apply proactive sealants to prevent future spalling.
Concrete & Foundation Leveling
We use a variety of techniques to level your foundation, which starts with the careful use of hydraulic jacks and other lifting equipment to slowly raise any portions of the property that have sunk. Our engineers then decide the best method of support between piles, piers, beams, and specialized fill material to ensure even support and prevent future settling.
Soil Treatment & Expansion
Due to the composition of Hawaii’s soil, some types expand significantly when it absorbs moisture from rain or groundwater. This soil expansion puts pressure on your foundation and causes many of the problems discussed above. We offer soil amendment and moisture management options to protect your foundation.
Void Filling
Voids, or empty spaces and gaps in the ground, around your foundation cause significant damage as your foundation adjusts to the loss in support. We return the support by filling the void with grout, foam, concrete, or aggregate mixtures and compacting it into a solid, stable base for your foundation.
Micropiles
Also called mini piles or pin piles, micropiles provide reinforced stability for your foundation with load-bearing pillars that transfer the structure’s weight to solid soil or rock layers deep underground. Micropiles are especially useful for projects where traditional foundation methods aren’t feasible.
Tieback Ground Anchors
While most foundations provide vertical support for the structure above, tieback ground anchors offer horizontal support to help your foundation resist lateral forces. These steel bars connect to the outside of a wall on one side, with the other end embedded into the ground.
For more information on any of our services, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with our contractors to learn what options are right for your property.
Free Foundation Inspections
Regardless of the symptoms, if you suspect your home’s foundation is shifting or in distress, we’re here to help! Each of our foundation solutions begins with a free, no-obligation inspection of your home, the foundation, and the ground around it. We share all our findings with you, including recommendations for next steps if necessary. You’re never pressured to book your next steps with us — our only goal is to help make your property as safe and structurally sound as possible.
Reach out online or call us at 808.833.7173 for expert foundation services.
Contact the Experts
For all your foundation and geostructural needs, put your trust in the experts at Foundation Systems Hawaii. Our services cover a wide variety of the foundation repair options you may need, depending on your property, budget, and region. We bring our team’s 60 years of combined experience to every project so you can rest assured your home’s foundation repair is handled with professionalism, integrity, and expertise. Contact us today to get started with a free foundation inspection.