Foundation Repair in Unionville, IN
Wooded hills, limestone below, and a foundation in between
Unionville is a small community in northeastern Monroe County, in the wooded hills northeast of Bloomington near Lake Lemon. Homes here are spread out on rural lots and along winding roads, many built into the hillsides, some with walkout basements, others on crawl spaces or slabs. Underneath is limestone, the karst bedrock of this region. Water works its way into the rock and widens cracks over time, which can leave voids under the thin soil where a house sits. Many of these homes were built on cut-and-fill lots, where part of the house rests on undisturbed soil and part on fill that can settle.
Foundation Repair for Unionville homes
Around Unionville that shows up in two ways. Settlement can come on suddenly when soil drops into a gap below, opening a diagonal crack in a basement wall or leaving one corner of the house low. On sloped lots, the uphill wall collects runoff and can bow inward, while the downhill side creeps and settles. Inside, look for doors that stop latching, floors that slope toward one side, and drywall cracks spreading from window corners. Where a home was built partly on fill, that side often settles more, and the crack follows the line between the two kinds of ground.
We come out from our Indianapolis shop and charge nothing for the inspection or the drive. Our inspector checks how the lot drains, measures the walls and floors, and looks for depressions in the yard that hint at voids. Settled sections get footing piers driven to firm bearing. Bowed walls get wall anchors or carbon fiber straps. Our own crew does the work, and you get a written price for your Unionville home that explains each part. Financing is available. He will also point out where runoff from the slope or the driveway is reaching the foundation, since that water is often part of the cause.
What foundation repair in Unionville involves
A foundation in Unionville 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 Unionville
- 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 Unionville 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 Unionville
Our house near Lake Lemon in Unionville has a walkout basement and the uphill wall is cracking. Why that wall?
The uphill wall takes most of the runoff and soil pressure. Water collecting against it adds weight and can bow it inward. Wall anchors or carbon fiber straps can brace it.
I'm in Unionville and one corner of our house seemed to drop over a single wet season. Could limestone be the cause?
It could. In karst ground, water can open a void under the soil and let a footing settle quickly. The inspector will check the yard near that corner and measure how far it has dropped before recommending footing piers.
Can footing piers work on a hillside lot in Unionville?
Yes. Piers are driven down to firm bearing whatever the slope, and shallow rock often gives them a solid place to stop. The inspector plans their placement around how your house has moved.
Our Unionville cabin sits on a crawl space and the floors feel soft and uneven. What should we check?
Check the posts, beams and footings under the floor. Older or rotted supports can sag, and settling soil can make it worse. Our inspector looks at both and can replace failed supports with steel jacks.
Does Michaelis Foundation Solutions drive out to Unionville for inspections?
Yes. We come from our Indianapolis shop and there's no travel charge for the inspection.
We're buying a home in Unionville and the seller mentioned an old sinkhole on the property. Should we have the foundation checked?
Yes, it's a good idea. The inspector can look at how close it is to the house and check the foundation for any signs of settling. You'll have a clear picture before you close.
My Unionville driveway sends water toward the garage. Can that cause foundation problems?
Over time it can. Water that pools against a wall softens the soil and adds pressure, and in limestone country it can also carry soil away underground. The inspector will check the garage foundation and point out where water needs to go.
I've noticed new cracks in my Unionville home's drywall after a dry summer. Should I be concerned?
Dry spells can let soil shrink and the house shift a bit. A few new hairline cracks may be minor, but if they're widening or doors are binding too, schedule an inspection.
How much of my Unionville yard gets dug up for foundation repair?
Only the spots that need it. Piers need small excavations at the footings, and wall anchors need a small hole for each anchor. Carbon fiber straps are installed entirely from inside.
We're on a fixed income in Unionville. Can we spread out the cost of foundation repair?
Yes, financing is available. Your inspector can go over the options when he explains the written price.
More from Michaelis Foundation Solutions around Unionville
Other services in Unionville
Foundation Repair near Unionville
Every part of the job is explained on our foundation repair page, and the towns we cover are on the service areas page.