Don is a general contractor with very specific expertise. He specializes in replacing concrete foundations as part of basement foundation services. The issue he deals with stems from a quarry in Wellington that used gravel mixed with cement, causing a chemical reaction.
Over time, the expanding concrete will push the house off the foundation until it collapses. It's difficult because the foundation looks fine one year, but then horizontal cracking starts to show up in a few more years.
For homeowners who believe they may have this issue, getting an engineer's report to confirm it is suggested. Once verified, the only way to fix it is by replacing the foundation, which involves removing everything down to the height of the house, lifting it up, removing the foundation, pouring a new one, and lowering the house back down.
The process takes around two to three weeks and up to another two months to get the utilities and furnishings back in order. Don also has a house for people to stay in while he works on their homes, and once he's done, the house is sellable again.
