Photo Album: Settlement Repair in Bradenton, FL

Donald M. and his wife had been patching and painting the same cracks in their Bradenton, Florida home for years, but when the cracks started growing larger, so did their concerns about their foundation. They decided to call LRE Foundation Repair to get their home fixed permanently and to get the peace of mind they had been missing. LRE started the project off with a careful inspection of the inside and outside of the home. They found that large voids were present under the pool deck and loose, unstable soils caused the foundation to experience more movement than it should. To remedy these issues, LRE custom-designed a solution using helical piers and PolyLevel. Helical piers are galvanized steel piers drilled into the ground around the home and attached to the home's footer. These piers stabilize loose soils by compaction, allowing the weight of the home to rest on solid ground. PolyLevel, a polymer foam material, was installed next. PolyLevel expands on contact with the soil to fill the large voids and further lift areas of the foundation that are unlevel. Once the whole project was complete, these homeowners were finally relieved and happy to have a permanently stable home for years to come.

Stair-step Cracks in Stucco

These types of stair-step cracks are common in Florida homes experiencing foundation settlement.

Larger Cracks Allow Moisture Intrusion

Large cracks can expand and shrink due to soil conditions, and many can allow moisture to get inside of the home. If left untreated, significant damage can occur.

Voids Measured Under Home

This home not only had poor soil conditions, but also large voids under the home that caused the foundation to sink.

Re-patched Cracks in Deck

Another common ailment in Florida homes are cracks that have been patched and open back up, like the one shown in this photo. Typically this is a tell-tale sign of a foundation problem.

Helical Pier Installation

Helical piers were the first step to the remediation process of this home.

Helical Pier Driven Mechanically

These helical piers are made of galvanized steel and are driven mechanically into the ground until the desired pressure and soil compaction is achieved.

Helical Piers Buried

All piers and brackets are buried underground after they are attached to the home's footer, providing the solid foundation needed for years to come.

PolyLevel Void Fill

PolyLevel is an expanding foam-like material that is injected at certain points around the exterior of the home. This material is used to fill large voids and further stabilize the area.

PolyLevel Injected in Pool Deck

PolyLevel can also be injected through concrete, like this pool deck, to stabilize and lift sinking slabs.

PolyLevel Injection

The equipment used in the PolyLevel process is quite small and non-invasive to a home's smaller areas.

Bracket Attached to Helical Pier

Galvanized steel brackets are attached to each helical pier, which is then affixed to the home's foundation as part of the new, permanent foundation stabilization system.