How can real estate construction damage your home

Real estate is one of the forces that helps the economy move. The whole real estate sector has a major chunk in any economy, but it does come with a cost, which is constructional damage.

Whenever a construction project starts in an urban environment, it risks structural damage to the surrounding infrastructure. Of course, this is only relevant when the construction involves heavy machinery, high-level vibration, noise, demolition or dewatering, etc.

What kind of damages can construction work cause?
Deep excavation is the major reason behind structural damage of nearby infrastructure. A new mid or high rise requires a deep digging around 4-5 stories to accommodate parking and mechanical systems. Because nearby construction isn’t that deep, the activities of deep excavation, heavy vibrations, and demolition can damage the infrastructure.

Construction vibration is another way from which nearby infrastructure can be damaged. The energy it creates in resonant structure response and densification of soils that support the infrastructure settlement can cause irreparable structural damage. The vibration causes can be blasting, pile driving, jackhammering, trenching activities, etc.

How to point out structural damage in your property?
You must look for damages whenever there’s construction nearby because what may seem minor or non-issue can turn into potentially a costly problem.

Cracks on the walls
Cracks on your walls, even smaller ones, can grow bigger over time. You can also look for sagging ceilings and cracks over the doorways in a step pattern. When these are present, it means the problems might be serious.  

Soil pulling away
Looking for soil pulling away from your house is a way to identify foundational damage. The soil shrinks and expands throughout the seasons, but if it moves away from your house, either the foundation wasn’t laid properly or damaged.

Uneven chimney
Another way to find structural damage is by looking at the chimney. If there are cracks on the bricks, it is a sign of your infrastructure leaving its foundation, resulting in excessive pressure on the bricks.

Doors and windows
Even before the walls, the first identification of structural damage is through doors and windows. You will notice uneven gaps or rigged opening and closing, won’t lock properly, and won’t stay closed.

How improper can construction create drainage problems?
We have seen how nearby construction can cause structural damage to your home, but what if the construction itself was substandard in certain areas? It will make your life miserable if not identified and resolved timely.

• Improperly installed downspouts and gutters can be problematic, particularly when gutters overflow and the water doesn’t move away because of leader pipes. If the water stays there, it will swamp the foundation and create structural problems.
• To resolve this problem, you need to downspout pipes pointing away and leading water far away, or you can also connect these pipes directly to the drainage system. Another better way is to install trenchless sewer pipes because of convenience and easy maintenance. If there’s any blockage, trenchless sewer repair is really easy.
• Another drainage problem you can face is due to improper grading. Often, grading isn’t perfect, and it can cause water to trap and flow toward your house's basement.
• You can install a new drainage system that collects water and takes it far away in the right direction to resolve the problem.
• Sometimes it’s the soil as well. You may not notice that the soil in your backyard or garden can cause drainage problems. Soil comes in different types,  sandy, silt and clay, and each has separate drainage capabilities. If you got the soil heavy in clay, there will be more drainage problems, with water flowing to the foundation.

To resolve the issue, you can dig a small hole, put water in it, and notice how long it takes to drain. If it takes longer than four hours, you need to improve your soil.

At the time of construction, you need to focus on these problems and use appropriate materials as per requirements.

Bottom line
Construction plays a vital role in society, but it comes with costs. Heavy drilling or excavation can damage nearby infrastructures. Also, construction can cause major structural damage if not done properly. It’s important to indulge all aspects and do due diligence to avoid problems in the future.