A foundation quote is the fastest way to lose a retail buyer.
The estimate arrives, the buyer reads the word structural, and they are gone. It happens even when the repair is routine and the engineer says the house is stable.
Sell without the repairWhy Kentucky ground moves
Much of Kentucky sits on limestone karst, which produces sinkholes and voids, particularly through the central and western parts of the state. Expansive clay soils elsewhere swell and shrink with moisture, which is what produces seasonal cracking.
Add poor drainage against a foundation wall, gutters that discharge at the base, and a century of freeze thaw cycles, and settling is close to normal in older Kentucky housing rather than exceptional.
Not all cracks mean the same thing
Hairline vertical cracks in a poured wall are usually shrinkage. Horizontal cracks with inward bowing indicate lateral pressure and are more serious. Stair step cracking in block, doors that no longer latch, and sloped floors point to differential settlement.
A structural engineer's letter costs a few hundred dollars and often reveals the problem is smaller than the foundation contractor's bid suggested. If you have one, send it, because it can raise our number.
What we do with it
We price the repair, whether that is piering, wall anchors, carbon fiber straps, drainage correction, or in serious cases partial rebuild, and we account for the possibility that opening it up reveals more.
You do not need to get bids, get an engineer, or complete any of the work. Houses with active settlement are a normal purchase for us.
Five questions. That is the whole thing.
We already know your situation from this page. Change it if it does not fit.
Question 1 of 5
What people ask about this
Should I get a foundation repair quote first?
Not for us. If you already have one, send it. An engineer's letter is more useful than a contractor bid, because contractors are quoting the work they sell.
The house is in a sinkhole area. Do you still buy?
Yes, though known karst activity affects the number and the insurability, which we factor in.
Will you buy a house that has already had piering done?
Yes, and prior repair usually helps. Send the paperwork and any warranty, because transferable warranties have value.
Often it is more than one thing at once
Sell without the repair.
No cost, no obligation, and nobody shows up at your door unless you ask them to.