Foundation Repair in Franklin, IN
Historic homes in a county seat, and a wall that's leaning
Franklin is the Johnson County seat and home to Franklin College, with a historic downtown around the courthouse and blocks of older homes nearby. Newer neighborhoods have spread out from the edges of town as the area has grown south of Indianapolis. The older houses stand on brick, stone and block foundations, and many have basements. The newer ones mostly have poured walls. All of them sit on the heavy glacial clay that underlies Johnson County. Some of the older homes have been added onto or remodeled several times, which can mean different foundation types under one roof. Older lots near the courthouse also tend to have mature trees whose roots pull moisture from the clay in dry summers.
Foundation Repair for Franklin homes
In Franklin that clay leads to foundation trouble in a couple of familiar ways. In older homes near downtown, block and brick basement walls bow inward and crack horizontally. Stone foundations lose mortar and corners settle. In newer subdivisions, poured walls crack and corners on fill soil drop. Throughout the house you may see sloping floors, drywall cracks, doors that rub and windows that stick. Many of these signs come and go with the seasons, which makes them easy to dismiss. A crack that gets wider each year, or a door that sticks more every summer, means the movement is ongoing. In older Franklin homes, uneven floors can also come from a sagging center beam.
We drive down from our shop on W 16th Street in Indianapolis, and the inspection is free. Our inspector measures walls and floors, checks drainage and explains what is moving and why. Bowing walls get wall anchors or carbon fiber straps. Settled corners and additions get footing piers driven to firmer soil. Our own crew does the work, and you get a written price for your Franklin home. We also explain drainage steps that help protect the repair, such as downspout extensions and regrading near the walls. If a Franklin house has more than one problem, we lay out which to handle first.
What foundation repair in Franklin involves
A foundation in Franklin moves for a reason, and the repair has to answer that reason. These are the four ways we stabilize it, chosen after the inspection.
Wall crack repair
Cracks are sealed from the inside to stop water, and structural cracks get reinforcement so they stay closed.
Bowing wall stabilization
Wall anchors or carbon fiber straps hold a wall that has been pushed inward, and can bring some walls back over time.
Footing piers for settling
Piers driven down to firm soil support a footing that has sunk, which is what sticking doors and sloping floors often point to.
Brick and drywall cracks
Stair-step cracks outside and cracks above door frames inside are traced back to the movement that caused them.
From the first call to a dry, solid house in Franklin
- 01
You call, we schedule
Someone at our Indianapolis office picks up and books your free inspection while you are on the phone.
- 02
Free on-site inspection
An inspector walks the Franklin property inside and out: basement or crawl space, grading, gutters and the lot. You see what they see.
- 03
A written price, explained
Scope, method and cost in writing, with financing options. Take the time you need to decide.
- 04
Our crew does the work
Michaelis employees do the job start to finish, clean up behind themselves and stay a phone call away afterward.
Foundation Repair questions from Franklin
Our historic home near downtown Franklin has a brick foundation with a bulge. Can it be stabilized?
Often yes. Depending on the condition, wall anchors can stabilize a bulging section, or it may need rebuilding. Our inspector will measure it and explain the options.
I'm near Franklin College and renting out a house with cracked basement walls. Should I get it checked?
Yes. A free inspection tells you whether the cracks are structural and gives you a written assessment for your records.
We live in a newer Franklin subdivision and our garage corner is cracking. Is the foundation settling?
Corners built on fill soil can settle in newer subdivisions. Our inspector will measure floors and check the footing to see if piers are needed.
My Franklin home's stone foundation is losing mortar. Is that just cosmetic?
Loose mortar lets stones shift and water get in. If the wall is still in place, repointing may be enough. If it has moved, structural support is needed.
Is Franklin close enough to Indianapolis for a quick inspection?
Yes. Franklin is a short drive from our shop, and the inspection is free.
The floors in my Franklin house slope toward the back. Can they be fixed?
If the back footing has settled, piers can support it and often bring it closer to level. We measure the slope to see what is possible.
Our Franklin basement wall cracks a little more every spring. Should we wait?
Cracks that grow each spring mean wet clay is pushing on the wall. Waiting usually makes the repair larger. Carbon fiber straps or wall anchors can stop the movement.
Can I fix my Franklin basement crack with hydraulic cement?
Hydraulic cement can plug a leak on a stable crack. It will not stop a wall from moving. Have it checked first so you know which you have.
We're selling our Franklin home. Will a foundation repair help or hurt the sale?
A completed repair with written documentation usually reassures buyers. An unexplained crack can raise questions.
Can we finance a foundation repair on our Franklin house?
Yes, financing is available. We go over the options with your written price.
More from Michaelis Foundation Solutions around Franklin
Other services in Franklin
Foundation Repair near Franklin
Every part of the job is explained on our foundation repair page, and the towns we cover are on the service areas page.