Who Should I Choose to Inspect or Repair my Foundation?
Here at Sure Safe one of the questions we like to ask our customers is “What’s holding you up”? We know that your foundation is the beginning of any structurally sound and safe home. Naturally for something so important you wouldn’t let just anyone make repairs. Here are some of the important things to look for when contracting someone to repair your home.
Do they provide a complete and thorough inspection?
First and foremost any potential repair company should perform a complete and thorough inspection. Here are a couple questions to ask yourself about their inspection:
Do they check the exterior perimeter and stem wall
Do the check the interior walls, doors, and windows
Do they check under the home, in the crawlspace, or in the basement
Do they take the soil conditions and ground into consideration
Sure safe inspectors know that to create a complete repair plan you have to check everything, even under the home where some contractors will skip inspecting. Don’t settle for less than a complete inspection.
Do they provide a repair plan?
Sure Safe inspections come with a repair plan showing you any discovered issues and exactly how they can be repaired or fixed. If a contractor gives vague explanations and no plan on how to make the repairs, you may want to get a second opinion. Sure Safe often finds there may not be a need for repair and will give it to you straight. Read about Kathleen’s experience:
“I received a full report within 24 hours, pictures included. I had a few follow up questions that I corresponded with Art via email, confirmed that no repair/reinforcement work was needed at this time. Very easy to work with, friendly, professional, trustworthy. Art did not charge me for the inspection.”
Is their plan engineer certified?
Not only should you get a repair plan, but that plan should be certified by a qualified engineer. Your home needs to be supported by the correct pounds of force in the right places to make sure the walls, floors, and supporting structures are strong. With an engineer certified plan you can rest assured your home repair plan has been constructed by someone who understands the necessary number of post replacements, soil conditions, and to simplify a bit, the math needed to make your home strong again. All Sure Safe repair plans are engineer certified.
Are their salespersons paid on commision?
Always ask yourself if the person trying to sell you on a repair has any other incentives that may not be in your best interest. Commission is just one more thing that comes between the the salesperson and the customer’s best interest. Sure Safe employees receive no commission, so they have no extra incentives affecting their decisions. A happy customer is more important every time!
Is their repair plan permitted and approved by the city?
If your potential repair firm hasn’t approved their plans with the city and received the appropriate permits stop right there! A lack of a permit is a big red flag. Having an approved plan with permits is essential for a couple very important reasons.
City approved plans are up to current safety codes, meaning you can rest easy knowing your home’s foundation is strong.
Only city permitted repairs can be included in the valuation of your home. When selling or valuing a home you will be glad your repairs had a permit.
City approved repairs that modernize older foundations can sometime increase the value of the home more than the cost of repairs!
All Sure Safe repairs come with appropriate city approval and permits. Don’t settle for less when it comes to the foundation of your home. Contact us today about an inspection!
