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Exterior
Backfill Settlement
Backfill settlement is one of the most common construction defects
All three of these houses have problems with settlement of the backfill around the foundation. On the left, the sewer pipes have been replaced and the trench backfill is settling. In the middle, the backfill has settled and pulled down on the underground electric and gas pipes. On the right, the front of the porch has settled while the back edge of the porch is supported on the foundation wall.
Utilities such as these should be repaired before they are damaged, low spots should be filled in to avoid drainage problems, and slabs can be repaired by mud-jacking. Unfortunately, this type of settlement can continue for many years, and these types of repairs may need to be done again in the future.