Home Foundations - Concrete vs. Wood

[IliketoPuck]

Looking to tap into the brain trust here.

Do any of you live in homes with a wooden foundation, or have you had experience with a home that has one?

What are the risks?

What are the advantages?

Would you buy a home built in 1985 with a wood foundation?

Any and all thoughts and advice are much appreciated.

[Regulator75]

Originally Posted by IliketoPuck

Would you buy a home built in 1985 with a wood foundation?

No I wouldn't.

[CaptainYooh]

No advantages whatsoever. It used to be cheaper but not anymore, since nobody does it.

Wooden foundations gradually rot from the moisture in the soil, unless they are built from cedar, which is highly unlikely (and almost impossible to check, really, unless you expose it). Pressure treated wood was/is also used but not sure if it was available in 1985.

[prarieboy]

The addition to my parents home. It has moved over time. I guess a concrete foundation could as well but I would pass on it if it was me. For the record it was built with pressure treated wood and has not rot.

[Fuzz]

I almost ended up buying a house with wood foundations, as it was advertised as concrete. In the basement you could look down the walls and see them bowing inwards. I bailed as soon as I saw that, despite vicious realtor pressure.

I wouldn't buy one.

[Northendzone]

wow, i did not even know you could build a home with a wooden foundation.

to me a wood foundation is fine for building a storage shed, but not a house.

i don't think I would buy a house with a wooden foundation.

[bizaro86]

The fact that you're on here asking to me means you shouldn't do it. If you want to sell, the place is still going to have a wooden foundation, and that will seriously limit your potential buyers at that time.

[Bill Bumface]

I've done a lot of research into them as a way to mitigate some potential concrete foundation issues we had.

You will see many posts like above saying they wouldn't do it without much information behind them.

The facts are, wood foundations can be just fine, and have some advantages over concrete in some cases.

The other fact, is they can be really screwed up if constructed by someone who doesn't know what they are doing.

Drainage is the biggest issue. A wood foundation without the proper drainage mechanisms will be at risk. Structurally, if they didn't properly secure against kick out forces, they can bow in and you can have a mess (as with concrete). If you use the wrong fasteners in treated wood, they will corrode and lose their holding strength.

For a place from 1985, it should be pretty obvious if they've had to brace it, or if it is bowing. If not, you're probably good. Pull some of the fasteners, ensure they are galvanized or stainless, and not a mixture of both.

There are wood foundations that have lasted hundreds of years. In some areas they are the majority of houses. There are failing concrete foundations all over the place. Either one will built does just fine.

[OMG!WTF!]

It's really hard getting insurance too. The only way I would do it is if it were structurally possible and a good enough deal to afford jacking it up and pouring concrete footings, pad and walls.

[Dynamic]

My brother in law has a wood foundation and I would never have one for myself, especially in our climate. His house is around the same age as yours and he is starting to have issues with rot and his house is perfectly graded with 2 foot overhang on his roof. Unless you get a steal of a deal and a detailed inspection of the foundation I would steer clear.

[calgarywinning]

Imagine the overwhelming negative response on here. Resale value will be dramatically impacted and finding a future buyer.

A wood foundation is not common even if built properly would be fine for the life of the home. Some climates, based on termites etc it's not even close to a good idea.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Originally Posted by IliketoPuck

Looking to tap into the brain trust here.

Do any of you live in homes with a wooden foundation, or have you had experience with a home that has one?

What are the risks?

What are the advantages?

Would you buy a home built in 1985 with a wood foundation?

Any and all thoughts and advice are much appreciated.

Do you want ants? Because that's how you get ants.

[corporatejay]

I think big time has a wood foundation and he was obliterated during the flood. Said the foundation took it like a champ. That being said, I wouldn't do it. It hurts resale too much.

[Street Pharmacist]

I didn't even know it was a thing

[Bunk]

We have a treated wood foundation - a 1993 infill. Looked extensively into it when we bought. Like anything (including concrete) it depends on the quality of the build. Besides inspections, we talked to people in the neighbourhood who had infills from the same builder, many of who had the same treated wood foundation type. We found nothing but positive reviews of the builder quality, or any issues with foundations over 20-25yrs so we went with it. In other words if you find the build quality of the rest of the home very, very high (as we did with ours) you can have a degree of confidence that the foundation was well built. In all honesty I'd rather have a home of any type built in 93 than say 2006 or 2007 in Calgary when the quality of the labour pool was extremely...thin.

One thing we did worry about was insurance, but that turned out to not be an issue at all. We're also in a highly sought after inner city neighbourhood, so are less worried about resale than if we were in a less desirable area.

One advantage is a warmer basement coated to concrete.

[IliketoPuck]

Thanks for all the responses everyone.

The wife and I looked at a place over the weekend that we really liked, and had actually started the process of putting the offer together when we found out that the home had a wood foundation.

At that point we decided to hold off and do some additional research. Subsequently we have decided to not go forward with the offer, just too many variables and risks. And the only fix to a rotten foundation would be jacking the house up and spending thousands.

Its a shame, as the home is in an amazing location in a neighborhood we really like.

[Looch City]

I'm curious what did the realtor say when you backed out?

[Ace]

Originally Posted by IliketoPuck

Thanks for all the responses everyone.

The wife and I looked at a place over the weekend that we really liked, and had actually started the process of putting the offer together when we found out that the home had a wood foundation.

At that point we decided to hold off and do some additional research. Subsequently we have decided to not go forward with the offer, just too many variables and risks. And the only fix to a rotten foundation would be jacking the house up and spending thousands.

Its a shame, as the home is in an amazing location in a neighborhood we really like.

Just make an offer that takes into account the potential costs of foundation repair should anything go wrong. You love this house and sounds like it's going to be discounted for this reason. If the buyer accepts keep that money you saved set aside and inspect the foundation every year. Best case you're ahead the cash savings, worst case you end up with a rebuilt foundation.

[IliketoPuck]

Originally Posted by Ace

Just make an offer that takes into account the potential costs of foundation repair should anything go wrong. You love this house and sounds like it's going to be discounted for this reason. If the buyer accepts keep that money you saved set aside and inspect the foundation every year. Best case you're ahead the cash savings, worst case you end up with a rebuilt foundation.

Everything I've read says $100k+ to do the work, not to mention the massive inconvenience if it has to be done.

[IliketoPuck]

Originally Posted by Iggy City

I'm curious what did the realtor say when you backed out?

Our realtor tried to close the sale, extolling the virtues of a wood foundation.

If this home didn't have a wood foundation, it would have been off the market within days. As it stands it is still listed.