Noticing that your building may be sinking is never a good feeling. Just the look of that asymmetry is enough to send shivers down your spine! The first question at the top of your mind is all about safety: is it safe to be inhabiting a building that’s sinking?
While the answer to this question is a simple ‘no’, there’s more to it than that; only a qualified professional like the foundation specialists at Techniblock can assess the safety of your home or building.
But we certainly can explain a few points about how the safety of your building is assessed. Keep on reading to find out!
Can a building sink and still be safe?
As soon as you notice that your foundation is sinking or moving, there’s always a safety concern, whether it’s a small one or a larger one. Sinking foundation, if left long enough, can lead to dilapidation of your home.
How much can a building sink and still be safe or liveable?
This is where the answer becomes a little tricky. The amount a building sinks isn’t as much of a problem as the differential settlement as, in this case, only certain parts of the building sink, creating cracks in the building. This means that even if your building sinks just a little bit, it could be a sign that there are far more serious problems to do with differential settlement that can’t be seen from the surface. Keep an eye out for stepped cracks in your brickwork which is the first sign of foundation distress.
The only way to assess the safety of your building is to contact an expert engineer for an inspection
There’s no way to truly assess the safety of a sinking building without performing a full-scale foundation safety inspection. Here, a specialist will arrive at your home and run a series of tests and level checks which inform them about the differential settlement below your home’s foundation. From there, they’ll know exactly what to do in order to stabilise the footings, creating extra underpinning and allowing your foundation to reach solid ground.
If your building is sinking, or you think it might be, consult an expert to assess the damage. Techniblock are Melbourne’s most reputable team for foundation construction, repairs, underpinning, basement retrofitting and more.