HOUSTON – More homes are experiencing foundation problems due to the ongoing drought.
On a sun baked street in Pearland, Mike Ibarra said his home was coming apart at the seams.
“Doors won’t close right, and they stick,” Ibarra said.
Add to that the cracks in the walls.
The home has been in his family for three generations.
“It’s got a lot of history and good memories,” said Arturo Ibarra, Mike’s father.
Now the home has a lot of problems.
“It floods, and it dries out real bad,” said the senior Ibarra. “It’s a combination, I guess.”
It’s a combination that has resulted in a shifting foundation. Concrete pilings are now being driven 25 feet into the ground, and the house eventually will be lifted back into its original position. Ibarra booked the job way back in June.
“We’re almost embarrassed to say, if you call us today and ask us to look at the house, we’re several months away from being able to come out and look at it to give an estimate,” said Mike DeShazer, of Olshan Home Solutions.
He said his office has received a record number of calls: 300 last week alone. Business isn’t likely to slow down any time soon.
“Houston normally has 48 inches of rain a year,” said DeShazer. “We’re more than halfway through the year, and we’ve only had 11 inches.”
Foundation repairs can run anywhere from $2,500 to more than $50,000, but on average they run about $6,500. By the way, they are not covered by your insurance.
