House leveling
Does anyone have any experience with a house leveling company in Austin?
Thanks,
Terry
ANSWER
Terry,
I use Centex. They are pros. Last year I had a VERY complex foundation job and had several companies bid it. Some bids were much lower than others. Upon reading the proposals carefully, I determined that a few of the proposals would simply not work (not enough piers in the right places – hey, I’m an engineer). Anyway, the Centex bid was the most comprehensive.
Additionally, Centex offers a lifetime warrantee, which conveys to the new owner. Because many buyers are leery of a home that had a foundation problem, this is a key selling feature (that may translate into selling at a higher price). I know I I personally am reluctant to buy a home that HAD foundation problems, as a homestead,
Anyway, as it turns out, my house DID have additional problems. It shifted after numerous rainfalls, and Centex came back and fixed it for free.
If you need a bid, call Isaac Benavides with Centax. 512-444-5438 or moble 512-658-6925. Tell him Phill sent you.
Phill
Re-platting a Residential Lot
Hi Folks, do any of you have experience with the Austin Planning
Department? I am trying to figure out how difficult it is going to be
to have a residential lot re-platted. any advice will be greatly
appreciated.
thanks
ANSWER
As a general rule, re-platting is quite complex because it usually involves changing boundary lines which are shared with neighbors – thus potentially changing their surveys, public records, etc, and thus usually requiring the permission of many parties – usually impossible to get.
If you just want to give one lot ‘permission’ to do something involving another lot, sometimes the simpler solution is to have one lot grant an easement to another. For example, one lot could grand another lot an ‘access easement’ that could be used by the other lot for a driveway, fence, garden, whatever. Technically, I believe you can grant an easement for any use you want – including a allowing a neighbor to build a structure, although I’d would not take it that far.
If you want to sub-divide a lot or change the boundaries between two lots you own, that is a different matter…
Phill
