Ram Jack Foundation Repair SystemsLaying the Groundwork for North CarolinaRick Sykes used to be as unwavering as a foundation repaired by Ram Jack Foundation Repair Systems. For years the former home construction contractor was a fierce competitor of Ram Jack. But as time went on, he came to realize the company's system of repairing foundations was far and away the best. So, he became a Ram Jack dealer. Sykes began his career as a contractor who worked primarily on new homes. He gradually found himself in the waterproofing business after he began noticing a lot of cracks in the foundations of homes, some just a few years old. He researched the problem and talked to geotechnical engineers. He then came up with a system to excavate and shore up the footer to proceed with the foundation repair. While in the throes of running his own company, Sykes was introduced to the powerful Ram Jack system, which uses steel piers and hydraulic rams. "At first I wouldn't listen," said Sykes. "But then, after dealing with the rain and the mud time and again, I met with them." Since then, Sykes' dealership, based in Durham, North Carolina, has mushroomed from three employees to more than 30. The foundations they repair, both residential and commercial, are sometimes 100 years old; other times they are less than a year old. One of the biggest foundation problems in the Raleigh/Durham area is what he calls "cut and fill" situations, or a lack of proper soil preparation in which soft, low-density soils and/or improperly compacted soil beneath a home result in foundation failure. Cut and fill situations should be properly prepared before the soil is ready to support a structure. And of course the coastal regions of the state are prone to sandy soils, erosion, and hurricanes, which can all potentially lead to foundation problems. Other foundation problems result from:
"A lot of chimneys are moving; a lot of houses are moving and you don't even know it," Sykes said. A lot of Ram Jack's business comes upon the heels of a home sale during the inspection process, Sykes said. In just the last few years, the laws requiring disclosure on home sales have changed and now the vast majority of homes are being repaired prior to sale. Overall, 50 percent of all resident sales involve a home foundation inspection and/or repair. "Most people don't find out until they sell their home," Sykes said. "Then we can be bad guys — but a lot of time we're good guys," adding that it can cost a homeowner anywhere from $3,000 to $25,000 for a foundation repair. One of Sykes' biggest challenges has been educating the public about foundation problems. "We had to do a lot of marketing," he said. So, he launched a television ad campaign, which showcased some of their jobs in progress so viewers could see what type of problems homeowners come across, and how they are remedied. He also placed photos of Ram Jack's pier system on the side of the company work vans. "When people see it on TV, it brings up the question, 'Do I have this problem?'" he said, saying that it's important not to wait until your house is almost sold — the point at which most clients realize they have a foundation problem. The marketing campaign was a success, as evidenced by the company's growth and the $1.5 million it has invested in equipment. Sykes, who estimates that about 60 percent of his business is residential and 40 percent commercial, said he's faced his share of challenges through the years. One such test involved three new homes in Carey; Ram Jack was initially called in by the developer to diagnose the situation. "They didn't compact the soil well enough — the houses were sliding down the hill," Sykes said. The problem would be an expensive one. After numerous meetings with the attorneys of all the parties involved, Sykes ultimately found the easiest solution was to become a salvager. So, he bought two of the homes (the owner of the third didn't want to sell) for $18,000 apiece — about one-tenth of their original price — then did $60,000 worth of work and made a tidy profit. But it didn't come easy. He used a nine-foot-thick footer, piered from underneath the foundation, and managed to push the houses back up the hill. He repaired the sun decks, and then brought in 25,000 tons of stone to strategically place in slide-prone spots to prevent future problems. In addition to houses, Sykes has worked on historic sites, including Fort Macon, which had settlement problems. Ram Jack lifted the outside perimeter and stabilized the foundation to keep the historic fort intact and preserved for the future. Meanwhile, Sykes said to always be aware of potential signs that can indicate soil-related movement. Other than an obvious crack in your foundation, that can include sticking doors and windows inside the house, cracks in sheetrock walls or ceilings, the bottom of the wall separating from the floor, cracks at wall corners, cracks above doors, and cracks in tile. "Or if you place a pencil on the floor and it rolls across the room," he jokes. In all seriousness, Sykes is glad he made the move to Ram Jack. "I've researched and competed against Ram Jack," he said. "I'm very glad I'm with Ram Jack."
Michele Dawson writes each week on one of the contractor members of The Concrete Network (www.concretenetwork.com). She has written about the home buildingindustry for several years and was on the public affairs staff of the California Building Industry Association. Find a Concrete Contractor 23 Services in 200 Metros -- U.S. and Canada © 2008 ConcreteNetwork.com None of this site may be reproduced without written permission |
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