Months of drought followed by a lot of rain has uncovered significant damage to some local homes.

Peter Stewart-Burton said his home insurance policy won't cover the damage caused by a thirsty tree during this summer's drought. (CBC)

They've been sinking, cracking and shifting, and the repair work is costing homeowners thousands of dollars.

Peter Stewart-Burton was only a few years away from paying off the home he's lived in for 23 years, but he said last week he might have to remortgage it because of the drought.

A large maple on city property nearby sucked the moisture out of the clay beneath his home, and the home's entire left side sank two inches. His garage door is jammed shut and his foundation is cracked.

He said his insurance won't cover it.

Foundation repair companies busier than usual

Mike O'Neill, general manager of Ottawa Structural Residential Services, said a lot of homeowners have been calling about foundation cracks and leaks after recent rainfall. (CBC)

"It's very traumatic," Stewart-Burton said. "And you're trying to figure out what's a good deal. You have no idea what it should cost. I mean it could cost $20,000, it could cost $120,000. You have no idea."

Mike O'Neill, general manager of Ottawa Structural Residential Services, said it's been a hard season for homeowners.

"The structural damage that has occurred this summer has been devastating to homeowners. I mean repair bills on average, $30,000, $40,000, $50,000," O'Neill said.

"Most people are not aware of these problems. Now with the wet weather we've been receiving, they're getting water in the basement," he said.

O'Neill said he hasn't seen such widespread damage in years, and that there have been a lot of calls for estimates and repair work.

Stewart-Burton said he hopes the city might be able to help pay for some of the repair work since his insurance won't cover it.