Renovations play a significant role in making your home more comfortable and appealing. People undertake them for various reasons, such as increasing property value, addressing safety concerns, expanding space, and enhancing energy efficiency.
According to Investopedia, Americans spent a record $567 billion on home renovations in 2022. One of the primary spaces people renovate is the backyard. Backyard renovations are often exciting, especially when they involve new patios, landscaping, or outdoor living spaces.
However, you may be unaware that the wrong upgrades can compromise your home’s foundation. What starts as a well-intentioned improvement can lead to long-term structural issues, especially if proper planning and drainage aren’t part of the process.
Even projects that seem harmless, like installing pavers or planting trees, can alter the way water moves around your property. If the soil shifts or begins to collect water in the wrong places, it can lead to foundation cracks or basement leaks. These issues often take time to manifest, but once they do, repairs are rarely cheap or straightforward.
In this article, we will look at signs that indicate your backyard renovation is hurting your home’s foundation.
#1: Cracks or Shifts Caused by Heavy Backyard Additions
Homeowners often dream of creating outdoor spaces that feel like an extension of their homes. A CNBC article states that adding an outdoor shower, a bluestone patio, a shed, or an outdoor kitchen can increase your property’s value. Therefore, you may want to consider adding these heavy structures to your backyard.
While these additions are useful and often add value, they can also create problems if the yard isn’t adequately prepared. Adding weight to a soft or unstable area of the yard can lead to slow, uneven settling.
Over time, this movement may affect nearby parts of your home, particularly if the structure is close to the foundation. Even something as simple as a built-in grill or fireplace may carry enough weight to cause soil compaction. This can alter the way water flows across your property, leading to damage.
Before installing anything permanent or heavy, it’s essential to understand how much weight the soil can support and whether your lot’s layout is suitable. This is especially important if your home already has signs of settling or poor drainage.
#2: Foundation Cracks Visible Because of Large Trees
If your backyard renovation kept one or more large trees near the home, that decision may be quietly affecting your foundation. As a tree matures, its roots naturally spread in search of moisture and nutrients. In some cases, they grow directly under or along the foundation wall.
These roots can exert lateral pressure on the foundation, disrupt moisture levels in the surrounding soil, or create gaps that lead to uneven settlement. This can result in visible cracks, sloping floors, or misaligned windows and doors.
The impact often goes unnoticed until signs of structural stress appear. This is one of the primary reasons why landscape maintenance and tree care are some of the most in-demand backyard features.
It is also important to get the trees removed or pruned by professionals. Large tree removals can lead to unexpected soil movement. Tree roots help hold the soil together and retain moisture. When a tree is cut down, the root system starts to decay, leaving pockets in the soil that gradually collapse.
Without the right tools and expertise, you cannot remove the trees on your own. As stated by Spira Tree Care, this task should be performed by professionals who are highly trained and licensed. They will also have deep knowledge of weather patterns to offer customized care that each tree needs.
For example, severe weather events like storms are common across Arkansas, including cities like Fayetteville. These can cause extensive damage, including uprooting trees. Therefore, safe tree removal in Fayetteville, AR is something homeowners may look for several times every year.
#3: Water Pools Near the Foundation After Landscaping Changes
After a backyard renovation, you may notice that water no longer drains as it used to. Instead of running away from your home, it starts to collect near the foundation. This typically occurs when the slope of the ground has been altered, intentionally or unintentionally, during a landscaping project. Even small elevation changes can redirect the flow of rainwater or irrigation runoff.
For example, adding raised beds, stone paths, or a concrete patio can create high points that trap water near the foundation wall. These hard surfaces don’t absorb water like soil or grass does. Thus, the water looks for a place to go, and often, that place is toward the base of your home.
This excess water builds up pressure around the foundation over time, especially if your soil type holds moisture. For instance, clay soils are known to expand when wet and shrink when dry. These repeated cycles can cause foundation walls to crack, lean, or settle unevenly.
Waterlogging due to wrong renovation can also impact the plants in your backyard. As stated in an MDPI study, waterlogging stress can lead to the complete submergence of plants and low shrubs. This can decrease the availability of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and light. This can hinder plant respiration, even leading to death.
#4: Patio or Walkway Separating From the House
When you install a new patio or walkway, the materials rest on soil that may have been recently dug, filled, or compacted. If this preparation isn’t done correctly, or if the soil settles unevenly after construction, those hard surfaces can begin to shift. This can create a visible gap between the patio and your house.
This kind of separation is more than cosmetic. A shifting patio or walkway often puts added pressure on the nearby foundation wall or undermines soil support along the edge. That’s because the soil under these surfaces is usually shared with the foundation itself.
This can also occur due to hydrostatic pressure. The pressure can pull the foundation in and then cause it to buckle. In some cases, these movements can lead to hairline cracks, or they can cause parts of the foundation to settle unevenly. It’s especially concerning when the patio is installed right up to the house without a proper expansion joint or drainage layer.
Check the edges where the patio meets the foundation. If you can fit your fingers into a growing gap or notice that part of the slab has sunk, it’s a strong sign. These changes can occur gradually over several months, making regular observation crucial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can backyard renovations affect a neighbor’s foundation, too?
Yes. Suppose your backyard project alters how water drains or shifts large amounts of soil. In that case, it can impact soil stability on neighboring properties, especially if homes are built closely together. Poor drainage from one yard can lead to excess water pooling around a neighbor’s foundation.
How soon after a renovation can foundation issues start to appear?
Some signs can show up within weeks, especially if there’s heavy rainfall or a sudden shift in soil moisture. Others might take several months to become visible. Cracks, soil settlement, or moisture seepage may not become apparent until the seasons change or the ground experiences freezing, thawing, or dryness.
Do inspections help prevent foundation damage during renovations?
Obtaining permits for structures such as decks, retaining walls, or additions typically involves a review of your project for code compliance. This can reduce the risk of foundation damage by ensuring that proper footings, drainage, and soil grading are part of the plan. Even if permits aren’t required, hiring licensed professionals for the work increases your chances of catching risks before they become problems.
Your backyard should be a place of comfort and value, not a source of hidden structural problems. Watching for these signs early gives you the chance to act before the damage grows. With thoughtful planning and attention, you can enjoy your outdoor space while maintaining a strong and stable foundation.
