Bob has answered this question well. The "clay" runs through the ground like blood veins and is almost everywhere. ANY home you buy ANYWHERE should be checked out. Bob is correct about keeping the water away from the foundation and checking any home out for possible problems. Dont let rumors scare you away. Builders have been sued in the past and are proactive.
Brian

Hi Tricia,

Canyon View is a beautiful neighborhood in Golden and has a lot going for it! Many of Colorado's premier builders have built and continue to build homes here and take a proactive engineering approach to combating the very real issue of "the clay".

In fact, the clay is primarily bentonite and any of the other calcareous minerals which, when wet, expand and when dry, contract. Of course this causes a special challenge for builders, but when addressed early in the building process the problems can be mitigated.

A common approach right now is for the original developer to grade the entire community to an extensive depth which allows the new fill dirt to provide the proper support for roads, curbs and homes. However, even when this is done a soils test should be performed which reveals the potential for expansion of soils, and movement, for each home site. Based on the individual test results builders should change the engineering of the foundation including depth of footers or caisons, width of the foundation walls, and the type of basement flooring (either a structural subfloor a slab on grade, poured concrete floor).

If the builder applys the correct engineering principals effectively-- the home should be just fine!

Unfortunately this is not always the case. When buying a home after it has already been built, anywhere on the front range of Colorado, it is important to look carefully for signs of expanding/contracting soil and the associated damge that can occur.

I urge you to look carefully at the joints between the foundation and any poured flatwork (like the garage floor, patios, front steps, etc ) to be certain that the joints are still functioning correctly. Also look for any signs that concrete has been moving such as gaps between the garage door and the garage floor or driveway, heaving or dropping of the walk way from the driveway to the steps, and movement from the steps to the house.

Many times the basement foundation walls are insulated as part of the "green" movement. But this insulation can hide otherwise visible cracks that can reveal structural issues related to expansive soils.

When in doubt, or upon seeing any symptoms, defer to an expert! A structural engineer can give sound advice and save thousands of dollars in unexpected repairs.

Even if everything looks fine there is ongoing maintenance assoicated with living in any area with expansive soils. It is important to keep your foundation and flatwork as dry as possible: Don't plant grass, shrubs or other plants that need to be watered near your foundation! Most builders plant drought resistant shrubbery in the first five feet or so of the foundation and use gravel over a landscape cloth to try to keep the foundation area dry. Be sure your sprinklers dont encroach on this area. Don't water your house--it won't grow (or at least not the way you might want it to)

For more information the Colorado Geological Survey publishes a guide specifically addressing these issues:
A Guide To Sweeling Soils For Colorado HomeBuyers and Homeowners, which can be found at http://geosurvey.state.co.us/Default.aspx?tabid=419

If you are buying the home from the builder, the builder will give you a copy of this publication.

Here's a little shameless self-promotion: I've helped literally hundreds of families through the new home construction process and have negotiated terrific deals for my clients in and around Golden and throughout Jefferson County. I'd love to be your expert working on your behalf. Please call or email and I'll prove my value!

Bob Maiocco
Broker Associate
The Maiocco Team, Inc.
Keller Williams
(720)273-4262 direct
blogging at: http://www.DenversRealEstateNews.com
take a look at our new flagship web site at: http://www.BlueRoof.com