Which foundation cracks are serious in a Colorado Springs home?

Many foundation cracks are normal, especially thin vertical cracks in poured concrete walls, which often come from the concrete shrinking as it cures. The ones that deserve a closer look are horizontal cracks, stair-step cracks in block walls, cracks wider than about a quarter inch, cracks where one side has shifted past the other, and cracks that keep growing. If your inspector flags one, I recommend a structural engineer's evaluation. Until then, most people looking at the crack aren't qualified to give the real conclusion.

Cracks that are usually normal

Concrete shrinks as it cures, so many foundations develop thin cracks within the first few years. Common examples:

• thin vertical or slightly diagonal cracks in a poured concrete wall;
• hairline cracks that are the same width from top to bottom;
• cracks that aren't letting water in and haven't changed over time.

These are often cosmetic. An inspector may still note them, and some get sealed to keep moisture out.

Cracks that deserve a closer look

• Horizontal cracks along a foundation wall, which can mean soil pressure is pushing on the wall.
• Stair-step cracks through the mortar joints of a block wall.
• Wide cracks, generally more than about a quarter inch, or cracks that are wider at one end than the other.
• Displacement, where one side of the crack sits in or out from the other, or the wall is bowing or leaning.
• Cracks that grow over time, or come with water coming in.
• Related signs inside the house: doors and windows that stick, drywall cracks above openings, or floors that slope.

In Colorado Springs, expansive clay soils and water are common reasons foundations move. What expansive soils are, and what to check explains the difference between the foundation and the concrete slabs around it.

Why the structural engineer's report matters

Your home inspector can identify a crack and flag it. But most people before the engineer step, whether that's the buyer, the agents, or the home inspector, aren't structural engineers and can't give the real conclusion. The structural engineer's report is the next best step after the inspection, and it's going to be critical to the negotiation, because that's what proves what's going on and what it would take to fix it.

A structural engineer typically looks at the crack pattern, measures how level the floors are, checks drainage and grading around the house, and writes a report with their opinion of the cause and a recommended repair, if one is needed. In Colorado, engineers are licensed through the state; you can confirm a license through the Division of Professional Licensing in DORA. Schedule the evaluation inside your inspection period, so you still have time to negotiate or walk away under the contract. What contingencies to consider covers those deadlines.

Ask the seller what they know

While you're arranging the engineer, I'd also ask the seller about the crack: whether they know about it, when it showed up, whether it has changed, and whether anything has been done. It gives the seller a heads-up about what may be coming, and their answers can help the engineer.

Colorado sellers are expected to disclose known structural problems and past repairs on the Seller's Property Disclosure. What disclosures Colorado sellers need to think about covers the form.

If the foundation was repaired before

A past repair isn't automatically a red flag. A documented repair, designed by an engineer, can be a good sign. Ask for:

• the engineer's report and repair design;
• the contractor's invoice and any transferable warranty;
• any permit records. The Pikes Peak Regional Building Department keeps permit records for Colorado Springs and the rest of El Paso County.

How it gets negotiated

Once the engineer's report is in, it becomes the basis for the conversation. Depending on what it says, the outcome might be:

• the seller completes the engineer's recommended repair before closing;
• a price reduction or credit based on a contractor's quote for that repair;
• no change, if the engineer finds the crack is normal and stable;
• or you terminate before the inspection deadline, if the repair is more than you're willing to take on.

What could change the answer

• What the structural engineer concludes about cause and stability.
• The type of foundation and the soils under the home.
• Drainage and grading that may be contributing.
• Documentation of any past repairs.
• How much time is left in your inspection period.

When to talk with a professional

Hire a licensed structural engineer for any crack your inspector flags as more than cosmetic, and get repair quotes from a foundation contractor based on the engineer's design. For drainage problems, a grading or landscaping contractor can help. Your real estate agent can help you ask the seller what they know and fit the engineer's visit inside your contract deadlines.

Sources

• Colorado Geological Survey, Expansive Soil: https://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/hazards/expansive-soil/
• Colorado Geological Survey, SP-43, A Guide to Swelling Soils for Colorado Homebuyers and Homeowners: https://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/publications/swelling-soils-guide-colorado-homebuyers-homeowners
• Colorado Division of Professional Licensing (DORA), Architects, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors, Licensing Services: https://dpo.colorado.gov/AES/LicensingServices
• Pikes Peak Regional Building Department: https://www.pprbd.org
• Colorado Division of Real Estate, Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate (Residential), CBS1, and Seller's Property Disclosure: https://dre.colorado.gov/real-estate-broker-contracts-and-forms