Cracks in drywall from foundation settling

[Playa]

We bought a house in Nov 2018, Construction was complete a couple of months before we moved in. We continue to have cracks in various areas of the drywall, generally the top corners of interior doors. At what point do I get concerned about foundation issues?

For what it’s worth we have flooring issues related to the foundation as well. Our vinyl plank flooring peels up in places because of moisture in the foundation. It’s like the foundation sweats due to temp changes

[hog_down]

Do you know who built the house? I am guessing they didn't put moisture barrier between the foundation and dirt underneath.

[JLivi1224]

Do you know who built the house? I am guessing they didn't put moisture barrier between the foundation and dirt underneath.

And a friendly reminder on that note. Poly/visqueen IS NOT a vapor barrier.

[Kas]

And a friendly reminder on that note. Poly/visqueen IS NOT a vapor barrier.

10mil minimum is what we use nice heavy yellow or blue... better ask for pictures of house pad before slab was poured


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[tdwinklr]

And a friendly reminder on that note. Poly/visqueen IS NOT a vapor barrier.

but it works on my shop slab and others I've done.

[jds247]

And a friendly reminder on that note. Poly/visqueen IS NOT a vapor barrier.

There are millions of houses built with 6 mil poly as a vapor barrier..
Is this your opinion or do you have a study you can link ? I'm trying to learn something here..

[Traildust]

Playa....you got problems. Contact the builder.

[El General]

There are millions of houses built with 6 mil poly as a vapor barrier..
Is this your opinion or do you have a study you can link ? I'm trying to learn something here..

I don't have a study, but I have poured millions of SF of houses, commercial building, high rises, schools, office warehouse tiltwall, etc all around Texas.

6 Mil is not a barrier to moisture mainly because it is full of holes and tears by the time the concrete is poured and isn't very repairable.

If I owned it, it would have 15 mil Stego or approved equal.

[Burnadell]

Yes, it could, and very well MAY, get worse. It sounds like you need to get a foundation repair company to check it out.

[El General]

We bought a house in Nov 2018, Construction was complete a couple of months before we moved in. We continue to have cracks in various areas of the drywall, generally the top corners of interior doors. At what point do I get concerned about foundation issues?

For what it’s worth we have flooring issues related to the foundation as well. Our vinyl plank flooring peels up in places because of moisture in the foundation. It’s like the foundation sweats due to temp changes

The flooring issues are typical of no moisture barrier in modern construction because the glue they use now is probably VOC compliant (in this case means they removed petroleum products from it) and not only isn't that sticky anymore, but doesn't provide any barrier to moisture.

Cracks in drywall are pretty indicative of foundation movement.

I would be calling the builder right **** now.

[jds247]

I don't have a study, but I have poured millions of SF of houses, commercial building, high rises, schools, office warehouse tiltwall, etc all around Texas.

6 Mil is not a barrier to moisture mainly because it is full of holes and tears by the time the concrete is poured and isn't very repairable.

If I owned it, it would have 15 mil Stego or approved equal.

I can almost guarantee if you buy a house it will have 6 mil poly under it.. I was a concrete contractor for 15 years and have been around it a lot longer..
Atleast in the counties I've worked in ..

[Traildust]

I love the pissn match over the vapor barrier!

[Dirtymike]

Two buildings went up down the road. The formed for the slab, put "select fill" what looks to be sand to me on top of the existing grass and pasture weeds. Not much of the fill either, just maybe 4-8 inch's. Now pouring 4 inch slab on top. This is black gumbo soil. I am friends with the owner and cant believe he is allowing this. For out shop we dug out 4 foot and filled with road base and compacted with the dozer and the dump truck. They would roll back and fourth back and fourth while loaded down before dumping.

I feel my new neighbors are going to be screwed in a few years.

[El General]

I can almost guarantee if you buy a house it will have 6 mil poly under it.. I was a concrete contractor for 15 years and have been around it a lot longer..

I know that. I have been pouring concrete since I was 13. There is a reason that 6 mil is almost never specified on commercial projects. It is **** near all 15 mil, but there are a few that still spec 10 mil.

When I get a project that says 6 mil, I put 10 mil vapor barrier (not visqueen) in the bid because I don't want the headache.

It was not as big a problem before they went away from petroleum based adhesives. The old glue inadvertently provided some water proofing because it was pertroleum based and it was really darn adhesive so the flooring didn't come up.

[CJ776]

i use 10mil poly min for moisture barrier in my buildings. You're going to be walking all over it tying rebar and ripping it to hell. They probably did no subgrade prep an you went though extremely wet year during construction. Clays are swollen with mositure and shrinking as they dry out. Possible explanation for slab movement.

You can probably find someone to do a slab moisture test (involves set weight of power being on slab or X amount of time and weighing powder to see how much moisture has been absorbed )Residential quality is completely different then my commercial buildings, so this is probably not standard.