Bowing wall? You have time.

A bowing wall scares people because it looks like the house could collapse. In thirty-four years, I've never seen one collapse. They fail slowly, and they tell you well in advance.

How to measure: hang a plumb line from the top of the wall to the floor. The horizontal distance from the line to the wall, halfway up, is the deflection. Under 1" — monitor. 1" to 2" — plan a fix in the next 12 months. Over 2" — call us.

Mark the deflection on the wall in pencil with the date. Re-measure every six months. If the number isn't changing, the wall has stabilized and you can plan repairs on your own timeline. If it's growing more than 1/4" a year, that's active failure.

Repair options scale with severity. Carbon-fiber straps for early bowing run $400–$600 per strap. Steel I-beam reinforcement is $700–$1,200 per beam. Helical or push piers for active settlement run $1,800–$3,500 per pier. We give you a written assessment before quoting any of it.