Steel I-Beam Installation in New Jersey

Steel I-Beam Repair for Bowing Basement Walls in Central & Northern NJ and the Jersey Shore

There are many reasons your basement walls can start to bow inward.

The soil surrounding your foundation might push up against the basement walls and create tremendous hydrostatic pressure pushing the walls inwards. Another possibility is that the contractor that built your home cut corners and made mistakes that are just now starting to show. Whatever is causing your basement walls to bow and buckle, the important thing is to stabilize the walls and choose an experienced foundation repair company in New Jersey that specializes in bowing wall repair.

At Blue Umbrella, we treat every New Jersey foundation repair on a case-by-case basis. One solution we often recommend for New Jersey homeowners dealing with bowed basement walls is steel I-beam installation. This tried-and-true method is tremendously effective for stabilizing the walls and preventing additional damage to the home.

Dealing With Bowing Basement Walls in Your NJ Home?

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When to Install Steel I-Beams

There are certain situations when steel I-beams are the best approach for repairing buckling, bowing, tilting, or shifting foundation walls in your New Jersey home. Whether your walls have noticeably shifted or you recognize the signs of bowing basement walls, you’ll want an NJ foundation repair contractor to come in and assess the situation. Here are some of the criteria we look for before recommending steel I-beam installation:

The walls have bowed inward by more than two inches. This is when we’ll most likely recommend steel I-beams over carbon fiber straps.
The walls have not bowed inward by more than three inches. If the buckling walls have crossed the three-inch threshold, the foundation walls will likely need to be replaced. We will only install the steel I-beams when we know they’ll be 100% effective.
Your basement has block walls or poured concrete walls. This foundation repair strategy works for both types of walls.

Steel I-Beams in Basement Foundation Repair

What Are the Benefits of Steel I-Beams?

We’ve seen firsthand how practical this approach is for stabilizing walls that would otherwise collapse. Some of the many benefits of our steel I-beam installation for your New Jersey home:

Increased home value. A damaged foundation or bowing walls can significantly decrease a home’s overall value. In fact, studies have shown that a failed foundation can detract anywhere from 10% to 20% of the home’s total value. Imagine if your home is worth $400,000 and you only receive $320,000 because of a damaged foundation. It wouldn’t cost anywhere near that $80,000 difference to fix the bowing basement walls. We also offer a lifetime warranty on our work. If you sell your home down the road, you can transfer the warranty over to the next owner as an added selling point.
Long-term effectiveness. When installed correctly, you can reexamine the beams years later and find that they haven’t moved. This is a highly effective approach for keeping the basement walls in place and preventing additional damage to the foundation of your NJ home.
Minimal disruption and fast installation. We can install the Steel I-beams in as little as one to two days. We won’t need to excavate outside the home, and the entire process is seamless from start to finish. Once the beams are installed and secured into the footing, they blend in with the rest of the basement. You don’t need to leave the beams accessible, and you can paint over them, place furniture in front of them and finish your basement.
Affordability. Steel I-beam installation costs much less than replacing the foundation walls in New Jersey. While the beams don’t push the walls back in place, you don’t need them to do this. What matters is that the walls are stabilized and won’t move any further—precisely what the steel I-beams will do.

A Holistic Foundation Repair Approach for Bowing & Buckling Basement Walls

At Blue Umbrella, we go straight to the source to ensure our customers receive the most effective, lasting solutions possible. Depending on your situation, we may recommend additional solutions, such as a french drain installation or a regrading of the soil. We want to eliminate any forces that can be working against the effectiveness of the steel beams.

This means reducing hydrostatic pressure by redirecting water, regrading your property to create a positive slope or any other remedy that will eliminate the root issue of bowing basement walls in your New Jersey home. We may also recommend extending your downspouts at least 10 feet to keep water from pooling around the foundation walls. Additionally, upgrading to 6-inch gutters and downspouts may help to keep more water away from your NJ's home's foundation wall.

Our Steel I-Beam Installation Process

Bowing Wall Inspection. On-site estimate to ensure your basement is a prime candidate for steel I-beam installation. We’ll examine New Jersey bowing basement walls and determine where every beam should be installed.
Cutting the Steel Beams. Cut the steel beams to fit perfectly between the ceiling and the floor of the basement wall.
The I-Beams are Installed. Install the beams flush against the basement wall. We mount the beams to a floor plate and a joist bracket to ensure they stay firmly in place. The beams are installed 2 feet from the corner of the basement and every 4-5 feet along the perimeter of the buckling basement wall(s).
Potential Trench Digging. If your New Jersey home doesn’t have a concrete slab, we’ll dig a trench 3 feet deep and 2 feet from the basement wall. After installing the beams, we’ll fill the hole with concrete to secure them firmly in place.
Post-Installation Inspection. Post-installation walk-through to show you our work, provide aftercare instructions, and answer any questions you may have.

Turn to Blue Umbrella, Your Trusted New Jersey Steel I-Beam Installers

Steel I-beam installation is not for inexperienced contractors. There’s a lot on the line when trying to stabilize buckling basement walls and prevent structural damage to your home. At Blue Umbrella, we understand what’s at stake with this type of work—which is why we overlook nothing to ensure a flawless job.

As your local steel I-beam installers and foundation repair company, we hire only the most experienced professionals to serve your home or business. We guarantee superior products that will do the job and superior craftsmen who will exceed your expectations for family-friendly, reliable service. Step under the umbrella and protect your home with our Greater Union County, central and northern New Jersey foundation company.