Toronto, Ontario -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/23/2012 -- As the US and Canada face a continued foreclosure crisis, the marketplace has become flooded with fixer upper homes and handyman specials for the intrepid buyer. According to home expert, Gundars Briedis of Stonehenge Foundations, there's a big difference between buying a home needing new paint and one with the many potentially disastrous structural issues that can go wrong.
According to Briedis, "Many of Toronto’s homes’ foundations are aging and deteriorating from decades of harsh weather. If the home you're considering has a crack or even a damp basement, it's important to get it repaired right off before it becomes an even larger, and more expensive, problem. Keep that in mind when considering the cost of the house." He continues, "Your house’s foundation is under a lot of stress and pressure from Ontario’s weather conditions. Foundation cracks and wall cracks are not that uncommon in aged Toronto homes."
Foundation issues are not the only problems to look for in foreclosed homes, as mold is a growing problem in many homes. Briedis says his company has received numerous calls for basement mould removal needing to be taken care of immediately. "The idea that a basement is damp or moudly is “OK because it’s a basement, after all” is not right. As homeowners make the rest of their homes more efficient and ‘tight’, the basement has nowhere to ventilate except into the rest of the house – making the air quality inside a house worse than outside. Ignoring the basement doesn't make it go away."
Briedis advices potential home buyers to have a basement and foundation checked out before buying. "A quality foundation repair company can find out if you have foundation problems, wet basements or leaks, wet crawlspaces or damp and mouldy basements. They will also check for foundation cracks, underpinning problems, window well issues as well as sump pump problems. It may be an issue of needing soil stabilization, waterproofing on the inside or outside, crack injections, surface drainage or restoration."
As a last piece of advice before buying, Briedis emphasizes, "The entire home or commercial building rests on its foundation. Problems with your foundation can affect any part of the building, causing structural problems, wall cracks and jamming doors and windows. Dampness can cause mold and lead to health issues. Putting off the repair of the foundation or basement cracks will only allow the problem to get worse."
About Stonehenge Foundations
In business for over 20 years in the Greater Toronto Area, Stonehenge Foundations is one of the leading foundation repair services in Toronto, as well as basement waterproofing companies. They strive for excellence and make an active effort to work in an environmentally responsible, green manner.