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When you suspect you have foundation problems, right away you are faced with several decisions, starting with: do you need to repair the foundation? If the answer to that question is "yes," the next question is just as important: Who do you choose to evaluate and diagnose your foundation?
If foundation work is indeed needed, what foundation repair contractor should you use? They all seem to have different repair methods. Is one repair technology better for your specific situation? How important is the choice of repair companies? What's the difference between them?
What the homeowner may not realize is that in many cases, the choice of repair contractor will, to some extent, determine the repair method. Many foundation repair companies do not specialize in more than one or two repair methods. And not every repair method works best in every situation. How do you choose a repair contractor, especially when you may not even need structural repair?
An experienced foundation engineer can be of great value in helping you sort through the process and options, especially if he is independent of the foundation repair contractors. Only then can be assured you are getting unbiased answers and advice.
The Process
Once you suspect you have foundation problems, you might wonder what your options are or what are some things you should consider. The following decision flow chart and questions typically apply:
1. A property owner will either choose a foundation repair company to inspect his foundation and make repair recommendations OR will choose an independent engineer to conduct an analysis of the foundation.
Foundation Repair Contractors.
The primary advantage in using the foundation repair company
to do a foundation inspection is that their initial
inspection services are free; they make their money on
selling their pier products. If you choose this option, I
recommend that, at the minimum, the foundation repair
salesman take slab elevations during his visit to your home.
Independent Engineers. An engineer will charge you a fee for the foundation inspection and repair recommendations. I always recommend that the engineer take slab elevations as part of his analysis (the Texas ASCE calls this a “Level B Inspection”). Some engineers only conduct a “Level A Inspection” which does not include slab elevations.
Even choosing an engineer can be a chore. Some possible guidelines to use in finding an engineer is to use an engineer who has at least a decade or so of experience in analyzing foundation movement problems, that he and his company are both licensed by the State of Texas to offer engineering services, one who is active in industry organizations, one who is recommended by other engineers or your friends, one who is highly rated on Angie’s List, one who serves occasionally as an expert witness in litigation matters, etc.
Independent Engineers. An engineer will charge you a fee for the foundation inspection and repair recommendations. I always recommend that the engineer take slab elevations as part of his analysis (the Texas ASCE calls this a “Level B Inspection”). Some engineers only conduct a “Level A Inspection” which does not include slab elevations.
Even choosing an engineer can be a chore. Some possible guidelines to use in finding an engineer is to use an engineer who has at least a decade or so of experience in analyzing foundation movement problems, that he and his company are both licensed by the State of Texas to offer engineering services, one who is active in industry organizations, one who is recommended by other engineers or your friends, one who is highly rated on Angie’s List, one who serves occasionally as an expert witness in litigation matters, etc.
2. Prior to proceeding with the foundation repairs, discuss with your foundation engineer the limitations of foundation repair work, i.e., just because one area of the foundation has been underpinned with piers, it does not mean that the other areas will not move in the future. Make sure you understand what the engineering report says is required for repair. And make sure the final report is certified by an licensed professional engineer, and get a copy of it for you records.
3. Does your city require a building permit prior to conducting foundation repairs? To get the permit, does the city require an engineering report by a licensed engineer? Once the foundation repairs are completed, does the city require the engineer to certify that the work was done according to his design specifications (to close the permit)?
4. Some questions to consider asking foundation repair companies: are the salesmen that conduct a survey actual professional, licensed engineers with the State of Texas; does the foundation repair company have the capability of installing several types of piers (if so, what is best for your soil conditions); do you get a copy of the salesman’s/engineer's evaluation and recommendations; how long has the repair company they been in business under their current name and state charter; what is their warranty and how is it activated; do they have insurance; is the repair plan certified by an registered engineer, and if so will the engineer inspect the foundation prior to beginning the repairs; will their engineer perform a spot inspection during the repair process; will they obtain a building permit from the city; will they conduct a plumbing leak test after the work is done; do they offer free brick mortar repair; will they need to remove a lot of landscaping to install their piers; do they need to jackhammer through some concrete to install piers, and what will the patch look like after they are finished (will it be the same texture as the adjacent concrete, will the edges of the patch be straight or jagged), etc.
5. If you are planning on either selling your home or refinancing it, it is usually helpful to have an engineer certify the foundation repairs. To do this requires that the engineer make an additional visit(s) to your property. Usually, the engineer charges for these additional services.
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| Foundation Repair Association | Foundation Performance Association |