Peak Structural

How to tell if a Crack is a big deal or a small one in Denver

What about cracks?  When are they a big deal or a little deal? For this test, you’ll need an old credit card and a dime.  Cracks that you can fit a credit card into need to be assessed and watched.  If you can fit a dime into the crack, this is a red flag and requires more immediate attention like repair. Tapered All of these cracks look like comet tails.  These types of cracks are called 'tapered'.  When a crack is tapered, it means that there's a fixed... READ MORE Posted August 23, 2012 at 09:30 AM

How long do Denver Foundation Repairs Last?

How long does a foundation repair last for? The quick and easy answer is the lifetime of your home.  Piering your entire foundation is considered a permenant solution.  Fix it and forget it. Do you have warranties for something like that? Most Americans change residences, for one reason or another, every 3-5 years. When the transaction occurs, foundation repairs must be disclosed to the new buyers. Even if your home’s foundation issues are completely resolved, a buyer will still wan... READ MORE Posted August 23, 2012 at 09:29 AM

Why Do Arvada Homes with Crawlspaces Have Sagging Floors?

Sagging floors are not only a nuisance, but they can also decrease the resell value of your home.  After all, it makes the buyers wonder how much longer the floor will support the weight of everything on it.  This leads us to two questions:  Why is it so prevelant in Arvada and what created this problem? 1. Existing block or brick columns are spaced too far apart.     When a crawlspace is built, block or brick, sometimes even wood, columns are located throug... READ MORE Posted July 31, 2012 at 01:53 PM

Foundation Repair Denver Area Cost Of Repair

How Much Does A Foundation Repair Cost? Part One   How much is this foundation repair going to cost me?  Great Question! I am going to answer this question in a 2 part series. First, let's look at what it is costing you right nowsince you have a current foundation problem. Next, in part 2, we will discuss the cost of getting your foundation repaired and how to make that affordable. These are the common things we hear when someone calls us to come out to chec... READ MORE Posted June 27, 2012 at 08:48 PM

Bowed Foundation Walls Straightened in Denver Colorado Area

What if I want my  foundation wall straight now?Great Question! There are many reasons to want the walls straightened now.In some cases, basement walls have leaned or bowed in severely and/or are a in dangerously unstable condition. Other times, homeowners want to straighten their walls right away so they can finish their basement. Either way, basement walls can be straightened immediately rather than waiting for seasonal soil fluctuations and tightening wall anchor rods o... READ MORE Posted May 30, 2012 at 01:17 PM

Foundation Settling Facts For Our Denver Area

What causes homes to settle? A lot of people believe houses just settle over time, is this true? Yes, many times, home settle—this can be due to the compaction of fill soils, which is the most common reason.  Other problems include settling due to hydrocompactible soil, hillside creep, subsidence, and clay soil shrinkage.  However, settling should not just be ignored as it places additional stress and friction on your home's foundation. 1. Compaction of Fill Soils... READ MORE Posted May 23, 2012 at 03:18 PM

Signed Contract To Job Installation Process

Hey Peak, What Happens Now? This question comes in all forms and tones.  You've just signed a contract with your Design Specialist.   You've submitted a deposit and you're wondering what happens next. Here's a brief description of what happens now! 1.Your Design Specialist submits his estimate to the office for approval.  He fills out all the appropriate request forms for the engineer and compiles a list of supplies that your project will require.  He makes ... READ MORE Posted April 03, 2012 at 02:53 PM

Galvanized Steel Piers

Why is Galvanized Steel Important? Corrosion is a very common point of discussion for many specifiers who are considering the use of helical foundation systems.  It is certainly a fair question.  Corrosion is a very real and complex topic that needs to be addressed by anyone who designs steel products for use underground or out in the elements, it is actually very rare that losses due to corrosion will govern the design of a helical foundation system.  The reason for this has t... READ MORE Posted March 27, 2012 at 02:59 PM

Things To Check Before You Remodel in Denver

I desperately want to redo my kitchen. My home was built in 1954 and I’m pretty sure I still have the original burnt orange and gold linoleum tile under there somewhere! Every morning, I see the chipped dark brown tile backsplash and I take comfort thinking how I’m one step closer to remodeling my kitchen. I’ve been saving money for years for this project! Before remodeling your Denver home, it’s important to have two key areas checked out. The first one I learned about th... READ MORE Posted March 20, 2012 at 10:48 AM

Heaving Sidwalks In Westminster, Colorado

Visiting with our staff engineer, I found some very interesting reasons that our patios,slabs and sidewalks crack and buckle. HEAVE Heave is technically defined as the upward movement of a foundation or slab caused by expanding or swelling soil, but tree roots can also cause this problem.  What Causes Heave? The most common heave in slabs and sidewalks is due to tree roots pushing the surrounding soil upward.  Most of the time, trees are planted very close to sidewalks to create a n... READ MORE Posted March 15, 2012 at 08:58 AM