Buyer Beware! Buying a Home with an Unpermitted Foundation Repair can be a Costly and Dangerous Mistake!
Did you know that most cities require a structural engineer’s report before repairing your foundation? Any repairs not performed with the city’s approval is not recognized and will not improve the value of your home on appraisal. San Diego and California require an engineer-certified report and city-approved permit before any foundation repair will be recognized.
Unpermitted foundation repairs are not uncommon when it comes to purchasing vintage homes. The danger of substandard foundations is they become a money pit that you keep throwing money into until you make the final payment when the foundation fails.
Substandard foundations that do not meet building codes destroy the homes’ value and set off a chain reaction of further ongoing damage to your home such as structural and potentially life-threatening damage to your home in addition to:
Warped or cracked walls
Sagging floors
Jammed doors and windows
Broken drywall
Cracked or separated walls and ceilings
What is an engineer-certified plan?
An engineer-certified plan includes all the details needed to show a repair plan will be effective in returning the home to the appropriate levels of safety and foundation strength. This is not limited to but may include the number and type of foundation piers to be installed, the strength of the repair supports, soil conditions, and more.
As part of the report, the engineer includes observations about the damage indicating the need for repair such as cracks in the foundation, water damage, sagging floors, or other indicators. The engineer-certified plan is then submitted to the city building department with all the recommendations for repair.
Why a city-approved permit cost is my best insurance policy when purchasing a home
Many foundation repair companies try to undercut the competition by ignoring the need for a city-approved permit. They will inspect the home once the foundation is installed and if shortcuts were taken, the job will be red-tagged. If the homeowner is looking for a low bid and will allow unpermitted work to be done to the foundation the new buyer will pay the price Without city approval, you cannot be sure their repairs will be safe and comply with building codes, and you can be sure that the value of your home is at risk. If you try to sell your home, you may even be required to redo the repairs to the foundation costing you even more money.
Sure Safe includes the cost of a city-approved permit in every engineer-certified repair plan. Don’t be fooled by companies that don’t include an engineer-certified plan and city-approved permit.
