How Do I Choose a Good Foundation Repair Company?
Fixing your home foundation can be an overwhelming process. From finding a reputable foundation repair company to making sure that you ask the right questions during the foundation inspection, it’s imperative that you are prepped and prepared with the right information to protect your home.
Once you decide that it’s time to inspect and/or repair your foundation, following the below steps will help ensure an efficient process.
Ask for Referrals When Seeking a Foundation Repair
Referrals can save you time, money, and potential headaches. When asking for a referral, the following tips will help ensure a smooth process:
- Ask your friends and family for a referral. For these referrals, it’s important to ask when they had their foundation repair work completed and how their house fared over time. This is also a good opportunity to ask if the foundation repair company was punctual, professional, good communicators, and if applicable, followed-up on warranty work.
- Ask your structural enghttps://crosstownengineering.com/why-hire-a-structural-engineer-for-foundation-inspections/ineer for recommendations. Structural engineers are knowledgeable about which repair companies are professional and reliable, and which ones are not.
- Get testimonials from the repair company. It’s important that the testimonials are not hand picked by the prospective repair company and you should be wary if the company cannot provide 10 references, at minimum.
Rely on the Professional’s Experience and Accreditation
If foundation repair is required, it’s important to know the background and experience of the individuals who will be working on your home. For example, do you know if the person who provided the repair plan is a Certified Foundation Specialist or a Licensed Structural Engineer? Or are they a member of the Foundation Repair Association or the Structural Engineering Institute? If not, how many houses have they personally lifted? If the answers to these questions are suspect, you may need to look elsewhere for a qualified foundation repair engineer.
Interview and Ask Questions
Beyond your initial research and referrals, it’s important that you interview the person who prepares your bid and evaluation. Understanding the credentials of the professionals, before you sign a contract, should be a top priority.
Top 10 Questions to Ask
- How long have you been in business?
- Does your company carry worker’s compensation and liability insurance?
- Can you provide a certificate of insurance?
- Will the workers be company employees or are they temporary workers?
- What are the supervisor’s qualifications and will they be on site?
- What will be the exact process of the lift?
- Will they hire an engineer to sign off of the initial pier plan? Will the engineer inspect the work after it is complete?
- Who is the engineer that will prepare the final report?
- What needs to be done to transfer the warranty?
- Will they get a permit for their work? If not, why?
Taking the above steps will not only help you identify a qualified foundation repair expert, but will help ensure that your property and home foundation are secure for years to come.
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