Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Foundation Repair Company

Foundation work is a big repair, and it is not one you want to do twice. The trouble is that every company will tell you they do good work, so it is hard to know who to trust. The right questions sort it out fast. Here is what to ask before you hire anyone, us included.

Questions worth asking

• How long have you been doing this, and here? Foundation work is local. A company that has worked on Atlanta's red clay for decades has seen how these houses actually move. Longevity also means they will still be around if you ever need them again.
• Do you do the masonry too, or just the structural part? A settling foundation usually cracks brick and mortar right along with it. A company that only does the structural work leaves you to hire a separate mason to fix the damage. One crew that does both is simpler, and the finish matches.
• What is causing my problem, not just what will you do about it? A good contractor can explain the actual cause of your settling, not just hand you a quote. If they cannot tell you why it is happening, be careful.
• Is the warranty transferable? A real structural fix should come with a warranty that carries over to the next owner. That protects your home's value if you sell.
• Will you put the scope and the price in writing? You want the plan and the number on paper before any work starts, with no surprises later.

Watch out for

Be careful with a bid that comes in far cheaper than the rest. Foundation work done on the cheap tends to treat the symptom and leave the cause, and it fails again in a few years. The lowest price is often the most expensive way to fix a foundation, because you end up paying for it twice.

The point of asking

A company that does honest work will welcome these questions and answer them plainly. We are happy to. If you are gathering quotes, ask us the same things you ask everyone else, and see how the answers compare. See our foundation repair page, or call and we will walk you through it.