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Avatar for Foundation Repairs & Home Improvements Inc
Foundation Repairs & Home Improvements Inc
4.6(
63
)

Serving Forestdale, AL and surrounding areas

In business since 1972

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"I was upstairs and I heard a lot of noise and the house started shaking. There were cracks inside the house. I asked what happened and they said the jack slipped. After that they said everything was good, looked level. They were supposed to redo my front steps by tearing the whole thing down and reconstructing it, but they talked me into just letting them fill in the area under the stairs with concrete and they did a sloppy job as fast as he could so they could get paid and be done with the projects. Now water gets under those area he filled and goes into the foundation. The hand railing is also not secured well to the concrete and I requested the redo that. I realized after they were done that the house was not level by the garage door. They hired a person to install a new door and he had real trouble getting the old one taken down and then had trouble with the install as well. The crew did not clean up after themselves at all. My niece and I spent 5 hours cleaning up all the bricks and concrete. One day they left my front door open and my house was filled with concrete dust everywhere. I called them several times to ask them to come out and look at the spot above the garage that was still sagging. They would tell me they were going to come out once they get more work in the area, but never came. A few months ago he said I never complained or called him. He still hasn't been out here to look at the house and I don't think he's planning on it. The last time we talked he said he was going to call before he came out but I haven't heard from him. I was responsible for repairing the drywall crack on the interior, but was assured there wouldn't be many, however, there are huge cracks all over the house."
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Structural Engineering questions, answered by experts

Structural engineers specialize in all aspects of a building’s structural integrity, including the foundation. Foundation engineering is a critical part of structural engineering, so structural engineers are experts in foundation design. Many foundation repair companies either have a structural engineer on staff or one they work closely with, so be sure you look for that when deciding who to hire for foundation repair.

Structural engineers draw structural plans, which include detailed drawings of the structural components of a home only. Complete house plans will require additional work from an architect or draftsperson, whose drawings will take the structural drawings into account. They’ll also include more details about the finishing materials and layout of a home, including everything from roofing and flooring materials to the position of furniture, light fixtures, switches, and plumbing fixtures.

The process of hiring a structural engineer starts by finding reliable professionals in your area and comparing quotes from at least three of them. From there, you can narrow down your selection by asking some leading questions:

  • Do you have experience working in my specific area?

  • Do you have professional indemnity insurance?

  • What will your structural report cover?

  • Do you charge a flat fee for a structural report or by the hour?

  • How long have you been in business?

  • Do you have a list of customer references?

Generally, you can tell if a home is bolted to the foundation by checking the foundation for plates. If you see that your foundational plates connect to wood or bolts protruding from them, this means that you have a bolted foundation. However, it's always wise to bring a home inspector in to confirm if your foundation is secure.

Many horizontal cracks in home foundations result from water and soil pressure from outside of the building or from a footing that is shifting. Under those circumstances, horizontal cracks are a structural problem that requires repair before they become worse and more difficult to fix. However, in very specific cases, thin horizontal cracks may simply be a cosmetic blemish due to concrete shrinkage.

The Forestdale, AL homeowners’ guide to structural engineering services

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