"Stressed out w/ Stress Cracks"

What is going on with my house?  That is common question some builders and all homeowners are asking right now. We are obviously concerned about these problems because we are the ones that cosmetically try to repair them.  Talking to  a well respected engineer  a few weeks ago about this problem he told me the following. Quote " This is an across the board problem that everybody is dealing with.   We have been in a drought for the last couple of years and have recently received some pretty good rains.  The perimeter of the foundation is slightly rising with the expansion of the soil.  The water has not saturated completely under the foundation, thus causing a pinching effect on the slab.  This is perfectly natural for a little movement in the foundation and not at all a great cause for alarm." Unquote.  We are probably not finished yet as the cold weather and the spring rains will also have an effect on this situation.  Relax, don't get mad at your builder (he can't control the climate) and remember that there is nothing that can't be fixed.  Be patient and we will fix them as soon as we can.

"Quality Promise"

The following pictures are a testimony of one of the reasons why people use Alliance Drywall Inc. December 12, 2000 was a cold wet icy day.  We took these pics to show how careless some contractors are with their materials.  Alliance Drywall never stocks materials outside of the job vulnerable to the elements.  Home Depot, Payless Cashways, etc. al. are notorious for leaving materials in driveways or streets or the easiest place to dump them.  The Foreign board  in the pictures not only start out as an inferior product but add the ice,rain, and mud and the finished product is a mess.  We recently did the demo and re-drywalled a house for a builder that had used a different contractor that had used foreign drywall.  You could stick a finger thru the drywall anyplace on the walls and ceilings (except at studs).  It was a mess.  We continue to have confidence in USG products and strive to maintain the highest standards in our quality control.