“Don’t Do That”: Home Inspector Finds House Supported by a Jack in Viral Video

When you’re shopping for a new home, it’s incredibly important to have a home inspector come out to take a look at the property. They are trained to check all the things around the home that the average homebuyer may not think to look at.

They then prepare a report documenting the condition of inspected components, such as the roof, electrical system, and certain appliances. They then give this report to the homebuyer so that they can make an informed choice when it comes to the property, sometimes cluing them in to potentially expensive (or even dangerous) things around the house. 

One home inspector has even turned his job into a bit online, sharing some of the crazier things he’s discovered as part of a series called “Don’t do that! Home Inspections,” under his Fletcher’s Home Inspections, LLC page. The latest video features a house apparently supported by a jack. 

Now, the viral post is getting a lot of attention as people wonder what some of the alternatives are to fixing your home’s foundation, especially if your house sits atop a crawl space.

House Held Up With a Jack

Fletcher’s post includes his hilarious catchphrase, “Don’t do that,” which he says while showing people a photo of the jack, zooming in as he talks. “When the homeowner says the house has ‘a little DIY support,’ and you find out Jack was literally holding it together,” he captioned the video.

People joked about the situation in the comments. “It’s all jacked up, for sure,” one person wrote.

“Anyone else lowkey impressed by finding some useful utility for the otherwise useless jacks they put in cars,” another wrote.

You Can Use a Jack to Lift Your Home

While this is certainly an unusual (and a little off-putting) find, using a jack to raise a house is common in some regions. According to HomeServe, lifting a house can help fix the foundation or even protect against flooding. However, the way experts go about this varies based on the location, type of foundation, and your long-term plans. 

For example, jacks can be used to repair the foundation in some cases, improving issues with sagging. HomeServe says more severe damage can’t be repaired with a jack, and sometimes the foundation itself needs to be rebuilt.

However, regardless of the reason, it sounds like homeowners will need a trained professional to help them decide what option is best for their home when it comes to dealing with foundation issues.