Oregon's Premier Foundation Repair Contractor

Millett Construction is a full service general contractor company. We started in 1975 as a new home and remodeling contractor. As time went on we realized there was a need for structural repairs on residential and commercial structures. Since that time we have evolved into a full service structural repair contractor.

Structural failures are due to different soils and the water content in these types of soils from rain and general ground water.

Foundation and structural problems occur when existing soils will not support the loads. This generally occurs when the soils are impacted by change in water hydration levels. Hydration levels in the supporting soils are changed from rain and the slopes the structure is sitting on.

In other words.....there is one main culprit of structural foundation problems and failure and that is WATER!

Foundation Replacement

Foundation replacements are generally needed when the structure is built on a post and beam exterior foundation system. This is commonly found in older homes. With the post and beam structural foundation, wood to ground contact leads to rot and deterioration of the existing foundation.

Replacement of concrete foundations are also typically needed when the foundation was installed without reinforcing steel (re-bar) on non-supporting soils, when there is water problems or a combination of both.

Foundation Replacement Procedures (General Outline)

• Excavate around structure.
• Cut sections of foundation out on 6 foot centers around the perimeter.
• Excavate for steel slide tubes.
• Set steel slide tubes.
• Remove remaining portion of existing foundation.
• Remove materials in crawl space so there is a minimum of 18 inches of clearance between the floor joists and the ground.
• Set forms and pour concrete for new foundation, footings and stem walls.
• Address under floor loads with strip footings and piers as needed.
•  Install all footing and down spout drainage systems as needed.
•  Backfill around home as contour conditions require.

Foundation Structural Failures

There is not any one solution to structural foundation problems.

There can be a couple of things happening in a building when there are structural problems.

There could be a change in elevation. In other words part of the foundation is either sinking or sliding down a hill. Sure signs of this happening in home or commercial building are uneven floors, cracked walls, cracked ceilings, doors that won't close and floor separation.

This problem can usually be solved by driving steel pile. Or drilling and then installing concrete caissons.

Structural "creep" which means that the home is moving horizontally, is due to non-supportive hydrated soils, usually down a sloped site.

There are a number of repair procedures to minimize this movement or creep, depending on the depth of bedrock and stable soils.

Retaining Wall Stabilization

We see many failing retaining walls as well. This can be due to an under sized concrete footing, lack of reinforcing steel, quality of concrete, or water problems which are impacting structural soils under the footing or causing pressure on the upper side of the wall.

Solutions to Failing Retaining Walls

• Total replacement.
• Excavation on upper side of wall.
• Extension of existing footing and the addition of reinforcing steel.
• Installation of drainage systems to relieve the water and soil pressures.

We often use the services of a geological engineer and structural design engineer along with our years of experience in design and our ability to problem solve to get the most cost effective solution.

There is not one component of any structural repair that will fix the problem. It is a combination of several steps and procedures that will produce the best results for a long lasting structural repair. Understanding the last two sentences will help you make the right decision when it comes time to find the right foundation repair contractor.