Photo Album: Somerville, MA, Settling Foundation and Uneven Floors

This home in Somerville, MA was built in the early 1900's. Home's in this location, near Harvard University and Davis Square, are highly valued. With a failing foundation stealing this home's value, the homeowner chose to make some much needed repairs. This foundation repair project involved stabilizing with Push Piers, casting a new concrete footing beneath the fieldstone walls, leveling floors with SmartJacks, and redoing some masonry work throughout the basement.

Old foundation walls

Stone foundation beneath and brick foundation above. Over time the wall has settled and cracked in various places.

Stone Foundation Wall Crack

View of foundation wall crack, from the stone all the way up through the brick.

Unstable Brick Columns

These columns have settled, causing uneven floors above in the home.

Foundation with no footing

Most foundations without proper footings will fail over time.

Push Piers and Steel Beams 1

Piers were installed along with steel I-beams beneath the stone foundation walls. The piers will permanently protect against any further settlement.

Push Piers and Steel Beams 2

Piers were installed along with steel I-beams beneath the stone foundation walls. The piers will permanently protect against any further settlement.

Preparing for new footing

Forms are placed around the base of the foundation walls to prepare for pouring concrete to create a new footing.

Preparing for new foundation footing

Another view of the push piers, forms in place to help create new foundation footing. The concrete will be poured inside the forms, helping to further connect the piers and steel to the stone foundation.