You have a pier and beam or crawl space home and need foundation repairs. Contractors have been coming out and giving bids. Some of them crawl the crawl space and some have not been doing that. What gives?? Is this important or not?
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we’ve been inspecting and repairing all types of Brazos Valley foundations since 1985. We’ve done thousands and thousands of crawl space inspections and know firsthand that crawling the space is important for accurate cost estimates and more. We can give you the real *dirt* on why getting dirty for a crawl space quote is in your best interest.
This article will review the reasons crawling the crawl space is beneficial to the homeowner and what we are looking for during the inspection of this area. We will also cover what can be done to inspect your foundation if your crawl space is inaccessible.
Please note: When we say “you” need to crawl the crawl space, I don’t mean you the homeowner. I mean *the general you* in the world of us contractors. That *you* actually means ME. I didn’t want you thinking you were going to have to join me down there under your house someday . . . I mean, unless you really want to . . .
Why Is Crawling the Crawl Space Beneficial for Your Quote?
With as many estimates I have done over the years, I could probably do crawl space foundation repair quotes without crawling the space anymore. However, it is in your best interest for a contractor to do so – so I still do it. Here’s why crawling the space is your best option to get an ACCURATE quote:
- Seeing the damage and being able to verify degradation levels by touch,
- Determining the full effects of wood rot and/or termite damage (if any),
- Knowing for certain where new material is needed vs. just using existing materials,
- Getting an exact material list to calculate true costs,
- Knowing the real obstacles and challenges under the home to account for extra efforts
The bottom line is that you need to know the real bottom line – that is: you need an actual total job cost of house leveling, not a theoretical guesstimate. The best way for a contractor to fully estimate the project is to really get a look at things and know what other issues might be present, check the condition of everything, and determine what can be saved or reused vs. replacing everything.
Otherwise, you face frustration and anguish when job costs escalate after you’ve already committed to what you thought would be the price, and then it goes up due to a sub-par estimation process.
What Needs Inspecting For Your Crawl Space Estimate?
When we look at a crawl space, we’re looking at a whole *7-layer dip* of foundation elements starting from the ground up (sour cream and guacamole not included). Here’s what we are looking for and factoring into your estimated costs when we inspect the crawl space firsthand:
- Ground Inspection – looking for pooling and ponding water, possible drainage issues, moisture content, and softness of the soil
- The actual crawl space – clearance levels, obstacles, debris, and other system issues
- Piers – looking for quantity, quality, spacing, location, and levels of deterioration
- Shims – looking material type, loose or snug position, evidence of past reshim work
- Sill Beams – looking for the correct size, optimal placement, and levels of deterioration
- Floor Joists – looking for correct size, optimal spacing, and deterioration levels as well
- Subfloor – is a subfloor present, and if so what type and deterioration levels
We also need to consider the finish flooring. Even though flooring is not found in the crawl space, it’s something to inspect. If the flooring is affected by the current foundation issues or needed repairs, then it can add more to your costs. You’re going to want to know if your flooring will be impacted to account for those additional costs outside of the crawl space repairs.
For example, when the subfloor needs to be replaced, your flooring has to come up and either be repaired or replaced afterward.
If a contractor isn’t looking at this stuff, how are they going to get you a good estimate??
What Happens If There Is No Crawl Space Access?
Some pier and beam homes don’t have any crawl space access – strange but true. So what can you do about that if you need a crawl space repair estimate? Well, don’t give up and skip the visual crawl space inspection. We can find a way. Here are a few options:
- Cut a hole in the floors – preferably in a centrally located closet.
- Dig a hole in from the outside and shimmy underneath.
If there’s simply no easy way in that you’re okay with for an inspection or the clearance is too low for anyone to get under there, then we do the best we can under the circumstances. However, you should be prepared for costs and scope of work to change once access becomes available during the repair process.
In the case of low clearance, you may also consider elevating the whole home during the repair process. Homes with low clearance tend to have recurring crawl space issues and if you’re going through the trouble of repairs, then it might be worth it to elevate at that time and help prevent issues from redeveloping.
What Is The Risk of Not Crawling The Crawl Space For a Bid?
Contractors always have caveats in their quotes that basically say *costs can change* if there’s more damage and/or change orders. These disclaimer statements keep the risk at bay on their end.
Ultimately, the risk falls on the homeowner if the crawl space is not visually inspected for the bid. Because you’re the one who’s going to incur the higher price when things are different than expected. Wouldn’t you rather have a more accurate bid in the first place?
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we offer fair and impartial assessments, empowering education, and a fully transparent repair process. After 40+ years in business, we want you to know as much about foundation repair as we do and we’ve got no secrets to hide from you about your own crawl space. We want to get in there and take a look around.
Want to know more about our crawl space inspection process? Check out What to Expect From a Pier and Beam Foundation Inspection from Anchor.
