What a foundation replacement involves for the homeowner

The house stays put. It is lifted just enough to take its weight off the old foundation and held on temporary supports. The old wall comes out. A new footing goes in below the frost line, a new wall is built on it with modern materials, and the house is set back down on the new foundation. Then the outside gets backfilled and the water problems that killed the old wall get sorted out.

Every house is a little different, so the details change. But that is the shape of it.

You will have the most to do in the weeks before. The basement or crawl space needs to be cleared along the walls being replaced, so shelves, storage and anything stacked against the foundation has to move. Things hanging from the floor joists near those walls may need to come down.

Outside, there needs to be room to dig along the walls. Think about bushes, flower beds, a deck, an air conditioner or a fence sitting close to the house. Some of that may need to be moved or protected.

• Clear storage away from the foundation walls
• Note what hangs from the joists near those walls
• Plan for plants, decks and fences near the house
• Ask the village or county about permits
• Talk to Brian about timing and weather

Water lines, sewer lines, gas lines and electrical service often come through the foundation. They all have to be worked around or temporarily dealt with, and some may need a plumber or electrician. A furnace, water heater or sump sitting close to a wall being replaced is part of the planning too.

This is a good conversation to have with Brian when he looks at the house, so nothing is a surprise.

Expect noise, digging and some disruption around the outside of the house. The yard along the work will be torn up until the backfill goes in. Inside, the basement or crawl space is a work site.

Staying in the house during the work depends on the house and how the work is done. Ask about that specifically for your house, because the answer is different for a small crawl space and a full basement under the whole house.

Concrete and mortar need the right conditions to cure properly. Mortar needs to stay above about 40 degrees while it cures, and freezing temperatures can damage fresh concrete and masonry. In an Illinois winter that limits outdoor foundation work, and a wet spell in spring can slow digging down.

None of that is a reason to wait on a wall that is failing fast. It is a reason to plan ahead and talk about timing early.

Most towns and counties want a permit for structural work on a house, and a foundation replacement is about as structural as it gets. Rules are different in Hoopeston than out in the county or in another town, so call your village hall or the county office early and ask what they need. Some jobs also call for a structural engineer to look at the house. Ask Brian what he usually sees on jobs like yours.

Once the house is back down and the dirt is back, the yard gets graded so water heads away from the new wall instead of toward it. Downspouts should run out away from the house. You may see some new small cracks in plaster upstairs as the house settles onto a solid foundation. That is common after a house has been sitting on a failing wall.

And then you have a basement or crawl space that is not falling apart. That is the whole point.