More information about cracked, leaking foundation.

Landslide: Concrete is not waterproof, it often cracks, and it should not be expected to be watertight. A quality waterproofing system on the outside of a foundation is what keeps out water, and that can include guttering and grading soils. There are many methods of waterproofing foundations, some are good, some not so good. Often contractors do not install quality waterproofing, or install protective insulation on the waterproofing, or design / install good foundation drainage, or backfill with good, drainable fill (gravel, sand) around foundations due to cost.

In the end, if the contractor gambled a bit, the owner maybe left to pay the bill. It is good practice to waterproof below grade living space walls, and your building Codes may require it. (You might have a damproof coating on the foundation wall, not waterproofing).

As for the foundation cracking, you should contact a structural engineer to evaluate the foundation for you. The contractor may or may not have had to have had an engineer, it is always a good idea, and is often required.

You can find registered waterproofing consultants (RWC's see RCI-online.org) to help you with the water issue.

Hope this helps.

There are so many variables, unless someone inspected the foundation and knew the area (hydrologically), you will be getting info which may be misleading. I suggest an architect that specializes in rehabilitation. But- don't dispair! There is a solution. It may be easier than you think... like where is the downspout water directed. Our worse project was for a fellow that had his place on top of a perched aquafier. His basement is now always dry.

You get my sympathy- How badly do the cracks leak? After the rain, are we talking buckets full or seepage? You say the "cracks that leak go all the way to the outside" and that all corners are cracked etc. leads me to wonder if there's any reinforcing rods in the walls- Moreover, with poured foundation, is the brick work also "cracked"- I sure as heck would not minimize this and I have the impression that your water table is NOT the problem, shoddy construction is. You may try an auger hole two feet from the foundation and see where the inground water level is - What climate zone are you in?

Landslide,

This is probably about the fourth post with concerns to a cracked garage floor or house foundations. Without really seeing the construction of your house and the actual damages, none of us can really give a accurate solution as there are so many variables and points of view on the subject. You need expert on site opinion if you are as concerned as you seem to be. You mentioned involving the insurance company before for the garage floor, I would suggest you see have a civil or in particular a foundations engineer to review it, a building survey would be able to tell you if there is a problem but you evidently know that already. Just remember you are in the residential sector, I am sure like myself most of the people commenting are involved in the more industrial sectors, so are initial review maybe over the top, because of what we are used to seeing on large scale projects. Many people have given you the same advice, to seek professional opinion, which is something that will cost money and will not stop at that in order to solve the problem. Houses are investments, they have risks involved, they cost a lot to build. If your house is only three years old I would think someone is probably still liable. Large contractors have insurance, and so do the other players involved.

It time to bite the bullet, somebody will end up paying, either you or the insurance. You are not the first go through this, many suggestions here are helpful and you would not lose anthing by trying them, just your time.

Continue to tread with caution as you have been doing here, by arming yourself with as much information as you can. But our advice has its limits.

How old is the house? Is it settling unevenly in the corners due to lack of a hyrological or geophysical survey prior to building? Were the footings laid on disturbed subsoil? Is there an underground stream flowing through the surrounding soil that may require the installation of a protective cofferdam? Do the basement foundation cracks extend upward into the brickwork? Are the foundation walls properly footed? If so, are the footings properly drained? Are the exterior foundation walls effectively waterproofed? Is the portion of the house resting on the foundation equally distributed over the foundation? Have the foundation walls become eroded? Is there an external influence providing shock impact on your foundation?

Hence the need for an on-site expert to advise you. And, from my own experience with clients, do NOT choose a "housing inspector" as your expert.

Mark