Job completed for Adam

Completion date: February 10, 2025

Location: Indianapolis, IN

Why did the customer contact us?

A homeowner reached out to Americrawl regarding visible drywall cracks appearing in the center of his home. Considering that the house was relatively new—built in 2017 and only eight years old—the customer found these structural issues unusual and sought professional foundation repair services nearby.

Solutions provided:

**Inspection & Diagnosis**

Inspector Daniel was assigned to the property and contacted the customer en route to provide an estimated time of arrival. The home was located in downtown Indianapolis, approximately 20 minutes from Americrawl’s Southside Indianapolis office.

Upon arrival, Daniel inspected the drywall cracks and quickly formed a hypothesis regarding potential structural inadequacies in the crawl space. The homeowner granted access to the crawl space, where Daniel conducted a thorough inspection of the foundation.

It was discovered that the home lacked a central support beam—an essential structural element that had been omitted during construction. The engineered floor joists spanned an excessive 18 feet without a supporting load-bearing beam. This configuration had caused the floors to sag slightly in the center, resulting in cracks along the interior walls and ceilings.

To properly support the weight of the home and restore structural integrity, Daniel recommended the installation of a 4-inch steel I-beam system, reinforced with SmartJack adjustable piers, strategically positioned along the center of the crawl space.

**Installation & Repair**

Crew Foreman Brian was assigned to carry out the installation. Upon arrival, he greeted the homeowner at the front door and took the time to thoroughly review the proposal to ensure the customer understood the recommended repair process.

The installation began with the excavation of SmartJack bases. Brian and his crew dug and prepared gravel-filled footings, compacting the material to create a stable foundation. Once the gravel was set, concrete blocks were placed to support the SmartJacks.

The crew then moved on to the challenging task of installing a 46-foot-long, 4-inch steel I-beam through the center span of the crawl space. Precision was key; each section was carefully positioned and anchored. Once the I-beam was in place, the SmartJacks were installed and adjusted to begin gently lifting and leveling the structure, effectively restoring stability to the center of the home.

**Results & Customer Satisfaction**

The repairs successfully addressed the structural deficiency that had caused the drywall cracking. With the new support system in place, the floors were re-leveled, and pressure was redistributed properly throughout the crawl space.

The homeowner expressed relief and satisfaction with both the professionalism of the Americrawl team and the results of the repair. With the issue resolved, the home’s structural performance was significantly improved, providing peace of mind and long-term stability.

**Team Members Involved**

- Inspector: Daniel
- Crew Foreman: Brian

**Products & Materials Used**

- 46 feet of 4-inch Steel I-Beam
- 7 SmartJack Adjustable Piers
- Crushed Gravel & Concrete Support Bases

Team members on this project:

Brian, Carter, Daniel