Your foundation is one of very few essential parts of your home. A failing foundation puts the structural integrity of a home at risk. Without it, your home will be worth nothing.
This is why it’s critical to hire a foundation repair service the moment you realize you may have a problem. A quality company like FCS Foundation Repair will be able to spot and then repair your problems. They’ll have the experience and training to repair any type of foundation whether it’s a slab foundation or pier and beam foundation.
By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you will understand why you should hire a foundation repair expert for your foundation problems.
Signs of Foundation Problems
Before you call in a foundation expert, know the signs of foundation failure. There are obvious signs such as big cracks in your home’s interior walls. But there are other telltale signs such as the following:
- Cracked or crumbling exterior foundation walls
- Shifting soil and water damage
- Gaps in the foundation or walls
- Drooping floors
- Warped ceilings
- Doors and windows that don’t fit
These issues all indicate a potential problem with your foundation. Something is shifting underground, and you need a foundation expert to evaluate, diagnose, and then fix the problem.
1. Official Training
A quality foundation repair service will have the proper training for foundation repair. They will go through something like the National Foundation Repair Association to receive proper training and certification.
Applicants who receive Specialist Credential from the NFRA must sit through a 3-hour 150-question exam that tests their critical thinking skills regarding foundation repair. The test requires applicants to have both knowledge and practical experience.
Such a test is one piece of validation. The best foundation repair experts will have also gone through some kind of formal training that teaches them about options for repair services and safe practices. Ask your foundation repair service about their training and credentials.
2. Foundation Repair Experience
Foundation experts will have experience with specialized as well as common foundation issues. A good company will have a team of experienced, trained, and qualified workers that can solve your foundation problem. Some reputable companies even have architects, technicians, and engineers at their beck and call for consulting on tricky foundation repairs.
If you think you have a unique foundation problem, you want to hire a foundation repair expert.
3. Licensing and Liability Insurance
A good foundation repair company will have the proper licensing and insurance for your foundation repair. The license validates that the contractor has gone through certain hoops and passed the requirements for licensing in your state. It does not guarantee they have insurance, though.
Make sure your foundation repair expert has both proper licensing and insurance. A contractor’s license typically is validated by their state, and it often requires five years of experience in each category on the license.
Thus, the license indicates that the contractor has experience. Check for your contractor’s license through the Contractors State License Board. Make sure your contractor has a license to work on the materials for your particular foundation.
Ask the foundation repair company about their insurance and bonding as well. The company should have proper liability insurance to cover their workers should one sustain an injury while working on your foundation. This will release you from liability.
Bonding means the company cannot just leave with the job half done. The contractor will have a surety bond that gives the client a limited guarantee they won’t walk off the job.
Such assurances like licensing, insurance, and bonding assure you that the contractor will stay within the given foundation repair budget as well.
4. Access To Appropriate Tools
A quality foundation repair company has access to modern foundation repair equipment. Foundation repair companies need more than a caulk gun and some silicone to repair a foundation properly. Established companies have advanced, expensive equipment.
The equipment will help the contractor both inspect and repair the foundation. Furthermore, the contractor will understand how to use these sophisticated tools.
The average homeowner will not have access to such technical tools nor the training to operate them.
5. Cost-Effective Repair
When you are a company to do a foundation repair, you’re ultimately saving money in the long run. A foundation repair will cost quite a bit upfront. But if you let the foundation go and don’t repair it, you will have significant structural damage down the road.
A foundation repair done right will also save you money down the road. You won’t have to complete frequent repairs because you’ve had a professional do the job right the first time.
6. Save Time
You can save time by hiring a professional foundation repair company as opposed to a general contractor. A general contractor has general knowledge about how to build buildings. They may take more than one try to get the job done correctly.
A foundation repair company will have the experience and tools needed to diagnose and then repair your problem quickly. They will work within the shortest time frame possible and ultimately save you time.
7. Peace
When you hire a foundation repair company, you can rest easy knowing you hired the best person for the job. There’s nothing like the peace of mind knowing your home has a sound foundation. You’ll see your anxiety levels go down after you’ve witnessed a professional foundation repair company at work.
Call FCS Foundation Repair
The benefits of having a foundation repair company like FCS Foundation Repair take care of your foundation are innumerable. You will have a professional with experience, training, tools, and proper licensing caring for the most important part of your home. You will be able to rest at night knowing you have a sure foundation under your home.
Are you seeing signs of a failing foundation? If so, contact us. Our team of foundation experts is ready to diagnose and fix all your foundation woes.
