You’re a little worried about your slab foundation, or maybe you’re thinking of buying a house and want to make sure the foundation is okay. An assessment of some kind should be involved at this point. You want to know what you should expect from a professional foundation inspection like this or even who to call for this kind of evaluation.
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we understand the stress and anxiety that comes with the possibility of foundation issues when the whole process is something you’ve never experienced before. We can explain different types of foundation assessments and what you can expect from the visit as well as afterward. We do these things all the time!
In this article, we review different types of foundation assessments and their purpose. We also review what happens at your home during the foundation inspection process and what to expect afterward. By the end of this post, you’ll be fully prepared for your upcoming assessment, no matter what kind of professional is conducting it.
What Is a Foundation Assessment?
A “foundation assessment” can mean different things, depending on who is doing it and what you need from it. Most often, it’s done by a foundation repair contractor or a structural engineer. The goal is either to figure out what’s wrong with your foundation or to get a repair quote—or both.
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we call it an In-Home Assessment, but you might also hear other names like:
- Foundation Inspection
- Repair Estimate
- Foundation Consultation
- Quote for Foundation Repair
These terms are often used interchangeably, which can be confusing.
Here’s the main difference:
- A foundation repair contractor tells you what’s wrong and gives you a cost to fix it.
- A structural engineer gives you detailed measurements and data about your foundation’s condition and may provide a diagram suggesting where support is needed under the home but usually doesn’t give prices or recommend foundation repair methods.
This article focuses on assessments done by foundation repair contractors. We’ll also share a bit about engineer assessments later and where to learn more.
Assessments Conducted By Foundation Repair Professionals
A foundation repair company is looking at your home to determine if there is a problem that can be fixed with foundation repairs and the cost for those repairs.
Every foundation repair contractor does these visits differently. You could experience a wide range in the level of service between companies at this stage. Some companies will be very quick and provide little detail, while others will spend considerable time talking with you and getting to know what concerns you have, as well as carefully evaluating the property.
Some contractors use fancy instruments, and others use more basic tools for measuring and gathering information to develop your bid for repairs.
This range in care, process, and attention to detail is why it’s very important to choose wisely when selecting a foundation repair contractor to work on your home. Choosing a foundation repair company whose opinion you trust is essential.
Let’s get into some of the general questions you might have about a professional foundation assessment.
How Long Does It Take?
An average, adequately done foundation inspection should take 1 to 1.5 hours to complete. If the assessment takes less time than that, it could mean one of two things. Either:
- It’s a sign that you don’t have a foundation problem, OR
- It’s a sign that the contractor is not being diligent in their work by performing a *less-than-thorough* evaluation of your home.
It could also be a sign that your chosen contractor is in a rush for some reason. This could be a time management issue either for the person looking at your home or the entire company. It’s often hard to tell in a case like this, so you’ll have to go with your gut feeling there.
Who Should Be There?
Foundation inspections can be completed by just one person. So, at the very least, the professional inspecting your home should be on-site. They don’t necessarily *need* the homeowner to be on-site during the assessment. We’ve done many inspections on vacant houses or without the owner present.
However, it’s in the homeowner’s best interest to attend. You really should be there because you’re likely going to have questions. We think it’s vital for the key decision-makers who own the property to be on hand during the inspection process.
Being present for the assessment also allows you to:
- Point out and discuss particular areas of concern,
- Ask questions that need a thorough explanation,
- Offer insight into the historical and annual movement of the foundation,
- Be shown other signs and symptoms of foundation issues that you didn’t notice, AND
- Get a feel for the trustworthiness and honesty of the company through the words and actions of their representative.
Just because we don’t need you around, we at Anchor *want you* to be there if at all possible. We know there is a great deal of value in having a homeowner on hand for the assessment. Any foundation inspection where they tell you that you can’t be there is a big red flag.
How Much Does It Cost?
Some foundation inspections cost money, and some don’t. Many foundation repair companies offer free inspections. It’s important to understand that this is a way for them to get in the door and begin selling you their product. It’s a very common and generally accepted sales technique, and most homeowners don’t even realize it.
Many homeowners expect all foundation inspections to be free and are surprised when some have a charge.
Other foundation repair companies may have a cost for the inspection. We charge because we feel it’s a better way for you to get a fair and impartial opinion on your home. Paid foundation inspections could cost anywhere from $200 to $400. We charge $300. Check out this article for more details on why we charge for inspections.
What Will/Should They Do? What Happens During the Visit?
For a thorough foundation assessment, all living spaces of the home should be observed, inside and outside. Every room on the ground level should be accessible for inspection. The yard surrounding your home may offer insights and information as well.
For a slab home evaluation, it’s not 100% necessary to go upstairs because any signs of settlement and problems will be apparent on the 1st floor. For the same reason, there’s no real need to look in the attic either.
There should be lots of observation, some measuring, and time for gathering verbal information from the homeowner. This is your chance to ask about anything that you see in your home that concerns you. Time should be dedicated to hearing your input, thoughts, questions, and worries.
If a contractor seems to act as if they don’t need any info from you or care what you have to say, this is another red flag that you should not ignore.
Will You Get the Cost Estimate During the Assessment?
Some companies will offer a ballpark price range and leave it at that. Some contractors can give you a price range by the end of the visit, and then need a little more time to finalize the quote for a detailed cost estimate. Other contractors may be able to give you the final price on-site at the time of the visit.
This often depends on the equipment they have or the estimating software they may be using.
Don’t worry if they can’t give you all the details of the estimate right then, but they should be giving you that information at some point. Some contractors need to take all the info back to the office to then work up the full estimate. However, if only a price range is offered and nothing else, then that is not sufficient and should be another red flag.
Are Any Tools Used? If So, What?
Tools used for foundation inspections also vary depending on the contractor you use. Some tools you might see are:
- A 4-foot level,
- Ipad or tablet,
- Laser measurement device,
- Measuring wheel,
- Zip Level or water level, or
- Pen and paper.
No matter what sorts of equipment are used for the foundation assessment, there are three primary tasks that the tools are there to accomplish:
- Measuring linear feet,
- Capturing elevation/level information, and
- A way to diagram and document measurements and findings.
Are all the fancy tools and technology needed? NO. Can they be helpful and improve efficiency? SURE. But honestly, we like to say that the most important tools needed are eyes to observe the home and ears to listen to the homeowner talk about concerns and offer some historical perspective.
For Anchor, tools are a way to confirm what we are already seeing and hearing and help us to easily draw repair plan diagrams. We do not feel that Zip level-type devices are essential to the assessment process because we use other more reliable visual cues to determine if a home is experiencing settlement.
Is There Anything I Should Do To Prepare?
You don’t need to do anything major to prepare for a foundation assessment. You should at least make sure all the rooms of your home are accessible for viewing. If areas of the home are inaccessible, signs and symptoms can be missed, and your repair plan won’t be accurate.
Don’t worry about cleaning or tidying.
Plan to have sufficient time for the visit so that you are not rushed to return to work or go to another appointment. Assessments like this will be more beneficial when you allow enough time and if all the key decision-makers are there.
You might also jot down a list of questions for the foundation inspector that you want answers to or things you don’t want to forget to mention or point out.
What Should You Receive After a Foundation Assessment?
You should get some items, either paper or electronic, after the foundation assessment is completed. At a minimum, you should get a written repair plan of some kind and a cost for the repairs. Ideally, you should get more than that, though.
You might not care much about this question at this stage. We’ve got another article that details what you should get after your foundation inspection for you to check out when ready.
Assessments Conducted by Structural Engineers
Now you know all about slab foundation assessments done by foundation repair contractors, from how long they last, how to prepare, and what they might cost. You’re still curious about what a structural engineer does in comparison to foundation repair contractors.
As a general rule, if you want something fixed, call a foundation repair company, and if you want something documented, call a structural engineer.
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we don’t fix things that don’t need fixin’, and we don’t try to sell you stuff you don’t need. After 40+ years in business, that’s what’s best for our Brazos Valley community and for exceptional homeowners like you.
We’re here to help guide you through your foundation problems, but you’re the one in charge. So, if you want a structural engineer to look at your home, we won’t stop you!
A structural engineer isn’t selling repairs, they’re selling their powers of evaluation and numbers to back it up. They will charge at least $500 to $900 or more for their time and expertise to evaluate your foundation. For more about situations when an engineer’s opinion might be helpful, try the Top Reasons to Hire a Structural Engineer for Your Home’s Foundation.
