Look for a licensed foundation specialist with years of experience
It’s always best to hire experienced professionals for home improvement projects, but that’s especially crucial when it comes to foundation repair. When hiring a foundation repair contractor, always make sure they hold a general contractor’s license, as well as any others required by your city, and are fully insured.
One of the best ways to find a foundation repair contractor is to use personal recommendations from family members and friends who have recently had foundation work done. They provide unbiased opinions about professionals and have hands-on experience working with them.
If no one you know personally has had a positive experience with a foundation contractor recently, you can use our contractor search tool to find a foundation repair contractor near you. All companies listed are licensed and insured and have positive ratings from real customers in your area.
There are a few things you can do before hiring to make sure you have the best foundation professional for the job and to make your entire project more streamlined.
Foundation damage can be complicated and may involve multiple steps to ensure you get a permanent solution to your issue. It’s a good idea to get three or more quotes from local contractors to compare, but before you do that, you should make sure the professionals are all bidding on the same work.
For an unbiased opinion of what your home needs, consider calling in a structural engineer before actual repair contractors to get a list of what foundation repair methods to use and what work you need done. This may involve structural repairs as well as measures to address the underlying problem to ensure you don’t have the same issues in the future.
Once you have the proper repair protocol, provide that to the contractors you’re considering and have each provide an estimate for that exact work. This will let you compare apples-to-apples bids and provide a permanent fix to your foundation problem.
Most states don’t have specific licensing requirements for foundation repair contractors, but you should always make sure your professional has a general contractor’s license. Some local municipalities might require special foundation repair licenses, so you can use our contractor license requirement lookup tool to confirm before choosing.
It’s also a good idea to ask for a list of references and contact those individuals to see what they thought of the contractor and how the repair held up over time.
Hairline cracks under 1/18 inches are normal, but if you spot larger or deeper cracks, call a pro immediately. Cracks exceeding 1/4 inches are a sign of more serious structural damage and should be handled by a foundation pro.
We recommend asking the following questions when interviewing foundation repair contractors:
Are you licensed in my area and fully insured?
How many years have you been in business?
Do you have experience working with my specific foundation type and issue?
Is your work covered by any warranty or guarantee?
Will you pull the necessary permits for my foundation repair?
How long will the work take, and do I need to relocate for the foundation repair?
Once you find a contractor, there are a few things you can do to make the hiring process a little smoother and easier for both parties.
Speaking with your contractor over the phone or in person, ideally during an on-site visit, is good practice to get a sense of how professional and knowledgeable the contractor is. Have them walk your foundation with you and point out what the structural engineer’s report calls for if you have one. If you don’t, ask the contractor questions about what they recommend and why.
Always get a written contract for foundation work, and never rely on verbal agreements. Review your contract thoroughly before signing to look for the following:
Detailed cost information
Payment schedules
Specific, itemized information for the services provided
Warranties or guarantees for the work
Timeline estimates for how long the foundation repair will take
Ask your contractor how they accept payment, and review the payment schedule to make sure you agree with the terms. Most professionals will require a 50% deposit and the rest after the work is done. Be wary of contractors that require full upfront payment.
Keep all paperwork related to your foundation repair handy leading up to and following the actual work. If you sell your home, having records of proper foundation repair can help improve property value. You can also always return to the documentation if necessary to call on your warranty if something goes wrong in the future.
Foundation repair isn’t usually covered by homeowner’s insurance unless the damage occurs because of a natural disaster. If that’s the case, you’ll also need your documentation to provide to your insurance company.
When you’re choosing a foundation repair contractor, there are a few red flags you should look out for to make sure you don’t get a disreputable company.
Poor ratings with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). It’s a good idea to check your company’s ratings on the BBB before hiring. The BBB letter grade tells you how reputable the company is in general, while the customer reviews give a snapshot of the actual customer service you’ll receive.
Lack of licensing or insurance. Never work with a contractor that isn’t licensed and fully insured. Unlicensed individuals don’t have the training necessary to complete the work properly, and if there are any issues or injuries while an uninsured contractor is on your property, you’ll be liable.
Limited experience. Aim to work with a company that has five or more years of experience. More experienced professionals are less likely to make mistakes during the repair.
After your foundation repair is done, we recommend having a third-party structural engineer come in to sign off on the work. This will help ensure that you don’t have recurring issues or other problems popping up related to poor workmanship.
Additionally, keep your documentation on hand in case you need to prove that you had a reputable contractor complete the work or you need to call on the warranty to cover ongoing problems.
