Bowed Basement Walls

Do-it-yourself repairs are a great way to save money and gain invaluable experience fixing things around the house. With increased access to instructional videos over the internet and on TV, more people are turning to the DIY route for most repairs within their home.

While DIY is a great idea for many projects, there must be a limit. For instance, there are some projects that you shouldn’t try on your own especially if you don’t have the professional training and experience to successfully carry them out. One such project is repairing bowed basement walls.

Basement Wall DIY repair is a bad idea

The introduction of foundation repair kits is quite misleading. Many people believe that they can carry out foundation repairs on their own. However, even the most skilled DIYer shouldn’t attempt to repair bowed basement walls for the following reasons:

Structural evaluation

When your basement walls are bowing or cracked, a structural evaluation of the walls is vital. This evaluation by a structural engineer tells you just how bad the situation is. It also tells you what’s causing the bowing and the best solution for your particular situation.

If you attempt to repair the walls on your own, you’re likely to skip this step. This means you’re not likely to apply the right or best solution.

Carbon fiber kits can’t fix everything

Carbon fiber kits are generally the go-to repair kits for DIYers intending to repair their basement walls on their own. However, these kits are not always the best solution. A professional will take accurate measurements and tell you just how much the wall has moved. In this case, it may have moved too much for you to apply a carbon fiber kit successfully.

You may skip some important steps

There are some vital steps that are not mentioned in many kits or shown on instructional videos. Professionals with the right training have the skills and experience to ensure that all crucial steps are applied in the repair of bowed basement walls.

You may have to spend more money to fix the problem

Many DIYers are motivated by the prospect of saving a lot of money by doing the repair themselves. However, in many cases, the problem worsens and requires even more intensive repair. By this time, it will cost much more to hire a professional to correct the mistakes made and repair the problem in the end. Therefore, it is advisable to consult a professional in the first place.

Your safety is at risk

There are various safety concerns when repairing bowed walls. You may put your life and the lives of those living in your home at risk by attempting to do it on your own. Rather, professionals will ensure safety precautions are taken into account and that the job is done correctly to ensure that your home is safe for the long term.