BEFORE YOU CALL A FOUNDATION REPAIR COMPANY, READ "FOUNDATION REPAIR SCAM".
Everyone has an opinion on whether or not your house needs foundation repair. You see cracks in the walls and ceilings, floors are not level, or your trusted friend commented that you have foundation "problems". Or you may have had a buyer who did not buy your house because a foundation repair company said you had problems. You can call a foundation repair company to give you a bid for "repairs" with sell pitches and 1000-year warranties, or you can consult with a structural engineer to provide a non-biased opinion on whether or not your foundation needs to be repaired. You may need foundation repair, but wouldn't it be more valuable to have a structural engineer explain why you need the "repair" and the risks and benefits that come with it before you make the final decision?
No one can force you to get foundation repair, but there are plenty of confusing and intimidating reasons that can convince you to have this major surgery done to your house without any clear objectives in sight. We offer explanations and information for "why" you should or shouldn't get foundation repair. WE believe that understanding the risks and benefits of foundation repair will help you make better decisions for your home and family.
A-1 Engineering, LLC is a Texas structural engineering company, focused on providing homeowners with information, guidance, and insight into the foundation repair process, foundation assessments for due diligence in real estate transactions, structural designs for foundations and framing, retaining wall design, and structural forensic evaluations of buildings, retaining walls, and other structures. Our team of engineers and project coordinators works diligently to add value to your project.
Does A-1 Engineering design residential foundations?
Yes. Our structural engineers have the skill, knowledge, education, experience, and training in designing foundations for:
1) Slab on ground foundations
2) Pier foundations
3) Pier and beam foundations
4) Pedestal foundation type for modular homes
We will gladly explain the design process and fee for services.
What is the difference between an assessment by A-1 Engineering and that of a foundation repair company?
You deserve a non-biased and objective opinion on whether or not your foundation will benefit from foundation repair. A foundation repair company specializes in lifting houses. A structural engineer specializes in designing and understanding buildings. If you want to spend the thousands of dollars to lift the building and see if it works, then call a foundation repair company. But if you want to understand if your building will benefit from foundation repair and discuss the risks of lifting the building, then call a structural engineer who specializes in assessing homes with foundation issues. Foundation repair is major surgery to a house. Anyone who is spending thousands of dollars on major surgery without a clear understanding of why it's being done will not understand the side effects when they appear. Sometimes trying to lift and “repair” your house will cause more damage than you intended.
Can A-1 Engineering assess commercial buildings with foundation problems?
Yes. In our eyes, a foundation is a foundation regardless of whether it's for commercial or residential use. We have and continue to design commercial buildings. Our engineers have extensive knowledge and training in designing and assessing foundations constructed with piers, foundation walls, over basements, and slabs on ground. Our engineers have the experience and training to assess buildings constructed with concrete tilt-up panels, steel framing, masonry, wood, and composite materials.
What is a due diligence assessment?
A due diligence assessment is a common term for an inspection of a property to help the buyer or seller understand the current condition of the property. Residential buyers and sellers do these types of assessments, except the residential real estate industry calls them “home inspections”. A-1 Engineering does not offer home inspections at this time. Our engineers work with property managers, property owners, buyers, lenders, and investors to complete due diligence assessments for commercial and multi-family real estate projects. Whether the property has one building or 50 buildings, we have the capability to assess the property for suspected foundation and drainage problems or structural issues for balconies or stairs.
Can A-1 Engineering develop a full set of design plans for my home or business?
A-1 Engineering is a structural and civil engineering design firm. We are not architects, nor do we practice architecture. However, we can introduce you to architects for you to interview and discuss the development of your project. Our civil engineer can help you discuss civil issues that may arise. Issues such as platting, zoning, or drainage can all be addressed by our civil engineer. Our structural engineers can then work with the architect to complete your design plans and prepare them for permitting review, pricing, and construction.
What can I do now to help me monitor my foundation?
One of the best tools to help you monitor your foundation is getting a foundation elevation survey. This is not the same survey that you get for the property when you buy it. The foundation elevation survey is a floor plan of the house with elevation readings measured throughout the building. The data alone may not mean anything now, but if you have a home builder’s foundation warranty, the information will help you appeal a denied claim if the data shows your house moved excessively. Read Why Warranty Companies Win Claims.
Four Common Misleading Statements from Foundation Repair Companies:
#1: Your foundation will be stabilized! Stabilizing a foundation implies the foundation will not move again. However, simply lifting your foundation by driving concrete piles into the ground and propping it up does nothing to address the soils that have moved and caused the cracks in your walls. As an informed consumer, understand that lifting a foundation to provide you a level floor is simply that, a leveling job; it is not a method of foundation stabilization. This means that the foundation is still susceptible to movement.
#2: Your foundation is out of tolerance! The quoted tolerance is a perspective tolerance and is NOT defined by our City code. The tolerance of 1” that is tossed around by foundation repair companies is not a code-defined tolerance, nor does the City require you to level the foundation for a 1” difference in elevation. The 1” tolerance comes from a guidance document that the American Society of Civil Engineers published. This document is guidance, not a code. If the document was a code, then a city ordinance should recognize it to make it enforceable. You may ask the foundation repair company to quote the title, section, page, and paragraph of the code document that they use to claim the tolerance.
#3: The press pile will be pushed to the point of resistance or bedrock! The point of resistance may be translated to mean “effort”. Some foundation repair companies will press the concrete piles to a point that they feel is enough to lift the foundation. The point of resistance is not measured the same by all foundation repair companies. Each will claim they have been doing “repairs” for years, that they know the industry, and that they know how to “fix” a foundation. If the foundation repair industry that uses concrete pressed piles is well experienced, then why do different contractors give different recommendations for the same foundation using the same concrete press pile system? Foundation repair companies typically do not test or check to see how deep the bedrock is, so this is purely speculative without a geotechnical study (soils study).
#4: Your foundation “repair” comes with a lifetime warranty! Most foundation repair companies offer a warranty. Some offer a lifetime warranty. Regardless of the length of the warranty, be sure to read the section within the warranty that lays out the conditions that void the foundation repair warranty. We once read a warranty that stated the warranty would be voided if “the foundation moved due to soil movement”. This clause clearly gave the foundation repair company an easy out since most foundation movements are caused by soil movement. Remember, a foundation typically moves when the soils move; therefore, if the concrete press pile is supported by the same problem soils, then movement should be expected, and the warranty may be voided.
- Log in to post comments