The Importance of a Foundation Inspection— Even in Beverly Hills

Buying a home in Beverly Hills is always a luxurious experience. Houses in the area often sell for millions of dollars, and for good reason; one look at most of the properties will convince you that there’s no better place to live. With the selling prices being so high, buyer’s expect move-in-ready homes that are fit for royalty and free of problems, and most of the time, that’s exactly what they get.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should forego home inspections, especially when it comes to the foundation. There are several factors at play that make foundation repair in California relatively common. Below, foundation experts from Regional Foundation Repair will discuss some of the potential problems that might be discovered during a foundation inspection in Beverly Hills, as well as the most appropriate solutions.

Foundation Cracks

Some of the most common things discovered during a foundation inspection are cracks in the concrete. Small cracks that run along the surface of a slab foundation or vertically on your basement walls are both unavoidable and harmless. They develop as the concrete naturally settles into the earth after construction.

While these gaps don’t signify any major problems, most Beverly Hills residents take every precaution to prevent them from leaking water into their homes, especially during the wet winter months. A foundation repair company will be able to seal these cracks for you quickly and affordably.

Wider gaps in the slab or horizontal cracks in the foundation wall can be more severe, but again, most people who own multi-million-dollar homes in the Beverly Hills area have these issues sorted out before they become serious.

Foundation cracks over ⅛” wide should be dealt with swiftly to avoid the problem getting worse. They form most often because the soil in Southern California is clayey, absorbent, and expansive. If the ground gets saturated by precipitation in the winter months, it can push against the concrete and form cracks.

A simple stabilization job performed by a foundation repair specialist will have your foundation in perfect condition again in no time.

Under-Slab Plumbing Leaks

California residents experience earthquakes regularly because of the proximity to the San Andreas fault line and a series of other smaller fault lines along the west coast. Almost all shaking is too minimal even to be felt, but minor movement can still break plumbing pipes that run through your slab or concrete walls.

Luckily for homebuyers in Beverly Hills, any significant leak would be noticeable and very likely dealt with by the prior owner before the sale. A foundation inspection might, however, identify minor leaks that could become larger down the road.

When plumbing lines break or pipe fittings come loose, they can leak water into the soil around your home. Not only will you be paying higher utility bills, but you’ll also potentially cause further foundation problems by saturating the soil.

If any under-slab plumbing leaks are discovered during your foundation inspection, you can have a foundation specialist or a certified plumber come out to fix the leak for you. Chances are that the amount of water leaking from these small breaks will be insignificant, but with a home that’s worth millions of dollars, you can never be too safe.

Sinking Foundation

Finally, homes in Southern California are at moderate risk of sinking. Sinking foundations in Beverly Hills are usually caused by soil moisture fluctuations. Residents enjoy mostly sunny days with about a third of the national average rainfall per year. The majority of the rainfall occurs in the wetter winter months.

This precipitation pattern can lead to differential settlement, which occurs when the ground beneath a portion of your home gets more saturated than others. Since the soil in Beverly Hills is high in clay content and expansive, even slight differences in moisture can create variances in volume, leaving sections of your house to settle slightly more quickly than others.

The risk of foundation sinking is generally very minimal in the area, as contractors take great care to backfill and prep the soil adequately during construction. However, the value of your Beverly Hills home warrants the greatest care and attention, so a foundation inspection when you’re buying a home in the area is always worth the investment.

Wrapping Up: Why a Foundation Inspection Is Worth It

Buying a house in Beverly Hills almost always yields a beautiful new home with no issues for you and your family. Most homeowners in the area go to great lengths to ensure their home is well-cared for and maintained. In most cases, closing and moving in will be a seamless experience that instantly makes you feel at home.

With that being said, the small price you’ll pay for a foundation inspection before or immediately after closing is always worth it. Not only will it uncover any minor issues that you can have corrected before they get more serious, but the results will also give you and your family the peace of mind you deserve when purchasing a luxurious home like those in the Beverly Hills area.