How to Choose a Foundation Repair Company: $550 Inspection

Few states license foundation repair as its own trade, so these five checks stand in for a single license. Sources: state boards and city permit offices named in each row.

Is it urgent? Warning signs that cannot wait for three bids

• Call now: a wall is visibly leaning or has moved since you last looked, a new horizontal crack opened after heavy rain, or doors and windows suddenly jam. Keep people away from a bowing basement wall.
• This month: a crack wider than about 1/4 inch, the point at which This Old House's crack guide says to consult a structural engineer, or floors you can feel slope.
• Watch and measure: a hairline crack that has not changed. Mark the ends with a pencil and a date. The ASCE Texas Section guideline says the majority of cracks do not compromise structural integrity.

Should a structural engineer look at it first?

Yes, for anything beyond a hairline crack. This Old House says "A structural engineer should assess the damage and recommend the right approach." Repair companies often inspect for free, and HomeGuide notes they "may be more likely to recommend repairs." An engineer's report costs $500 to $1,000 in This Old House's figures and $300 to $1,000 in Angi's, and the engineer has no piers to sell.

Some states and cities build this in. North Carolina's engineering board says a professional engineer must be in charge of the evaluation and that "The analysis, recommendation and design of a solution must be done by a PE". Contractors may restore prior conditions, such as replacing damaged joists, but not design the fix. Houston's permit for slab foundation repairs calls for plans by a Texas-licensed engineer showing the location, quantity and type of supports, and Fort Worth says all residential foundation repairs require permits and engineered plans. More on reports and fees is on foundation inspection cost.

How do I check a foundation repair company's license?

Look the company up with your state contractor board, and the engineer with the state engineering board. There is rarely a foundation-only license. Texas has none: a 2011 bill to license foundation repair contractors through TDLR said "there is no state regulation in place," cited "increasing numbers of predatory practices" and did not become law. TDLR's list of licensed trades still has no foundation program. In Texas the city permit and the engineer's seal are the checks.

Other states cover foundation work under a general license. Georgia requires a state general contractor license for work over $2,500, per the City of Fayetteville's summary of the state law. Tennessee requires a home improvement license for jobs of $3,000 to $24,999 in nine counties, including Davidson, Shelby, Knox and Hamilton, and a contractor license from $25,000. City guides: foundation repair in Dallas, foundation repair in Houston and foundation repair in Charlotte.

What questions should I ask a foundation repair company before hiring?

Ask these ten, and ask every company the same ones so the answers compare:

1. Who designed this repair, and is that engineer licensed in my state? In North Carolina it must be a PE; anywhere, it is the best protection you can buy.
2. How many piers, where, and why that number? This Old House says to make sure all the quotes are for the same scope of work.
3. What will this repair not do? The ASCE Texas Section guideline says underpinning does not improve the parts of the foundation that are not underpinned, and that it is unlikely lifting will produce a level foundation.
4. Will you take floor elevations before and after? Relative elevations and a drawing are part of the guideline's Level B evaluation; they are how you prove what changed.
5. Should the plumbing under the slab be tested first? The guideline's most thorough level includes plumbing testing, since a leak can move soil.
6. Who pulls the permit, and is it in the price? This Old House puts permits at $75 to $150.
7. What does the warranty cover, and does it transfer if I sell? This Old House says many foundation repair services include transferable warranties, which help future buyers. Ask whether it covers re-leveling, new cracks, or only the piers themselves, and whether a transfer fee or notice is required.
8. Who honors the warranty if your company closes? Ask whether a manufacturer or a third party backs it.
9. What happens if the damage is worse than you estimated? HomeGuide suggests asking this; the answer should be a written change order with a price before work continues.
10. What drainage changes do you recommend, and are they in the quote? The ASCE Texas Section guideline stresses keeping soil moisture near uniform around the house, which is what gutters, downspouts and grading do.

What are the red flags? Warning signs with foundation companies

Walk away from a company that diagnoses and sells in the same free visit with no engineer, promises a perfectly level house, or wants most of the money before the piers go in:

• A free inspection that ends in a same-day contract. HomeGuide warns that companies offering free inspections may be more likely to recommend repairs.
• A promise of a perfectly level floor. The ASCE Texas Section guideline says "perfection is not attainable by remedial measures."
• No engineer on a structural repair. In North Carolina the design must come from a PE, and Houston and Fort Worth want engineered plans with the permit.
• No permit. Houston, Fort Worth and Nashville all require permits for foundation or pier work.
• Quotes that cannot be compared. One bid with 8 piers and one with 14 are different repairs; This Old House says to make sure the scope matches.
• A warranty that exists only on the sales sheet. HomeGuide says to get a written contract that includes the warranty information.
• Most of the money up front. HomeGuide says to arrange a payment plan with the final payment due on completion. California caps the down payment at 10 percent or $1,000 (CSLB).

How much should a foundation inspection cost?

A foundation inspection costs $300 to $750, averaging $550, in HomeGuide's February 2026 data. A repair company's visit is often free, This Old House says, while a structural engineer's report runs $500 to $1,000 in its figures. The repair itself averages $5,179 in This Old House's data, from $2,224 to $8,134; foundation repair cost breaks that down by method and foundation repair covers the signs.

What should be in a foundation repair contract?

A foundation repair contract should be written and should include the cost, the timeline and the warranty, as HomeGuide advises, plus the engineering behind it. List:

• The engineer's report or plan it follows, by name and date.
• The repair method, the number and location of piers or anchors, and the target depth or load.
• Before and after floor elevations, with a copy to you.
• The permit and inspection, who pulls them, and the cost.
• Drainage, plumbing and cosmetic work: included or excluded.
• The warranty in full: what it covers, its length, whether it transfers to a buyer and how.
• A payment schedule with the final payment due when the work is complete, and the deposit inside any state limit.

Where do I complain about a foundation repair company?

Complain to the state contractor board where one licensed the company, the city building department if the work was done without a permit or failed inspection, and the state attorney general's consumer office. A complaint about an engineer's report goes to the state engineering board; in Texas the ASCE Texas Section guidelines grew out of the engineering board's concern over residential foundation complaints. Recovery funds such as Maryland's, up to $30,000, and Arizona's for owner-occupied homes pay only on licensed contractors' work.

What to do before you sign for foundation repair

1. Measure and photograph each crack, mark its ends and date it.
2. Check gutters and downspouts and fix any water pooling against the house.
3. Hire a structural engineer for a report if the crack is wider than about 1/4 inch or the floor slopes.
4. Get at least three formal bids, as HomeGuide suggests, each pricing the engineer's plan.
5. Check each company's license and the permit rules with your city.
6. Read the warranty before you sign, and keep it with the house records for a future buyer.

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