Foundations

Question: Good Morning: I would like to ask the inspector some information regarding my kitchen floor, which squeaks when walking. The house is about 25 years old. I would also like to know if this is something I can fix. Right now there is linoleum on the floor and I want to replace it with … [Read more...] about Squeaky Floor

Question: I hope you will be able to help with this question. My sister's sewer line collapsed somewhere outside her home. This was either at the junction of the inner/outer wall in the basement or further out under the front steps, depending on what the city's diagrams show. My question … [Read more...] about Sewer Collapse & Excavation

Question: I have a problem that has me stumped. I purchased my home, built in 1971, in South Winnipeg 10 years ago. It is a bungalow. The main floor, which is parquet, cracks and heaves in the winter, especially in the deep cold, like we have been experiencing this last while. Also, in the … [Read more...] about Seasonal Floor Movement

Question: Good morning. I read you column almost every Sunday. I have a question for you about a sinking garage. Our house, and probably the garage, was built in 1941. For some reason, they decided to build the garage floor out of wood. As you can imagine, it has rotted over the years and now … [Read more...] about Raising Garage

Question: Hi Ari, Recently I looked at a very old home with a stone foundation and what appeared to be stone supports around the exterior of a rear 2-story porch, which was not over the home's basement or foundation. The stone had crumbled away and it appeared that there were telepost type … [Read more...] about Porch Support

Question: Hi.  Thank you for your weekly informative column. We read it faithfully every Sunday.  We are planning on adding a sunroom to our forty-three year old bungalow.  The question is, how do we decide which type of sunroom is suitable for us. We have one sales rep … [Read more...] about Piles vs Floating Sunroom

Question: Dear Mr. Marantz: I hope you can shed some light on a puzzling problem that occurs in very cold weather. The roof on my older home gives off very loud cracks and some are as loud as the loudest slamming of a door! It’s worse at night when the temperature is at its lowest. It can be … [Read more...] about Noises in Attic

Question: Dear Mr. Marantz We are planning to renovate our basement and would like to know if it is possible to move a telepost? Any information you can give us would be helpful. Thank you. Answer: The first thing I would like to do is complement you on seeking advice before … [Read more...] about Moving Telepost

Question: Hello. I have a question about mould in our basement.  We live in a 25 year old home with a partially finished and insulated basement.  I have noticed that the person who did the work put the insulation bare against the foundation.  Right now there is frost forming on … [Read more...] about Mould in Basement

Question: I read with interest a column you wrote on moisture in basements, which prompts me to ask about the following problem. We recently purchased an older home, approximately 100 years old, with thick stone foundation walls that have been neglected.  While there is no sign of … [Read more...] about Mortar Repairs in Stone Foundation