Overview
A foundation evaluation can help answer basic questions: is the foundation moving, why, and does it need repair? Homeowners often seek one after noticing cracks, sticking doors or sloping floors, or when buying or selling a home.
Evaluations come from different sources. Repair contractors typically inspect and provide a proposal. Structural engineers provide an independent assessment and, when needed, a repair design. Home inspectors may note concerns and recommend further evaluation.
A useful evaluation documents what was observed, explains the likely cause and outlines options, including monitoring when appropriate. Keeping the report can be valuable later, especially for a future sale.
The usual process
- Interviewing you about what you have noticed and when.
- Inspecting the foundation inside and out.
- Measuring floor elevations and crack widths.
- Reviewing drainage, grading and plumbing.
- Providing a written report or proposal.
Before you decide
- Engineers and contractors play different roles. Some homeowners consult both.
- Real estate timelines can be tight. Plan evaluations early in a transaction.
- Get multiple proposals for major repairs.
- Ask whether the evaluation is free or paid, and what you receive in writing.
- Photos and notes about when you noticed changes help the evaluator.
Local notes for Colorado's Front Range
Parts of Colorado's Front Range are known for expansive clay soils and claystone bedrock that swell when wet and shrink as they dry. That movement can affect foundations, basement slabs, driveways and sidewalks, and it is one reason many local homes are built with deep foundations or floating basement slabs.
Front Range weather brings freeze-thaw cycles, spring snowmelt and summer storms. Keeping water away from the foundation with working gutters, extended downspouts, grading that slopes away from the house and careful irrigation near the foundation is a common first step before or alongside any repair.
We take inquiries from Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo.
What to have ready
- Note when you first noticed the problem and whether it seems to be getting worse.
- Describe whether water shows up in the basement, crawl space or against the foundation, and when.
- Mention any doors or windows that stick, no longer latch or show new gaps.
- Take photos of cracks, gaps, sloping floors or sunken slabs, with a tape measure or coin in frame for scale.
- Say whether you are buying or selling the home, since timelines may matter.
When to keep looking
- No written proposal describing the scope, materials and number of piers or supports.
- Recommending major structural repairs without looking at drainage and grading.
- No mention of permits for structural work where your jurisdiction requires them.
- Unwillingness to explain the cause of the problem before recommending repairs.
- Vague warranty terms, or no answer about whether the warranty transfers to a new owner.
Questions to ask a provider
- What did you observe, and what do you think is the cause?
- Is the foundation actively moving?
- What are my options, including monitoring?
- Do you recommend an engineer's evaluation?
- How urgent is the repair, if any?
People also ask
- Should I get a foundation evaluation before buying a house?
- If the inspection report notes concerns, many buyers get a specialist evaluation before closing.
- Is a foundation inspection part of a home inspection?
- A home inspector may note visible concerns but usually recommends a specialist for detailed evaluation.
- Who should inspect my foundation?
- A structural engineer for an independent assessment, or a repair contractor for a proposal. Some homeowners use both.
Related topics
- Basement Waterproofing: Interior and exterior basement waterproofing approaches, what each addresses, and questions to ask before hiring.
- Bowing Basement Walls: Why basement walls bow or lean, the warning signs, and the bracing and anchoring options homeowners often hear about.
- Foundation Pier Systems: An overview of the pier types used in foundation repair and how contractors typically choose between them.
Have a foundation inspections question for your situation? Use the form below to send an inquiry.