Elevation readings room by room
Floor heights are taken across the house and plotted into a map showing the high and low areas and the shape of the movement.
Foundation Inspection
An inspection turns "I think something is wrong" into numbers. An independent provider takes elevation readings across the floor, looks at the drainage and the structure outside, and should give you a written picture of what the house is doing before anyone talks about repairs.
- Referral Service
- Slab & Pier and Beam
- Residential & Commercial
Signs That Need Attention
- Something has changed in the last year and you want it measured
- You are buying a house and the report mentioned foundation movement
- You are selling and want to know what a buyer will be told
- A repair company has quoted work and you want a second look
- You want a baseline to compare against next season
A survey is useful even when the answer is "nothing needs doing yet". Knowing the house is two inches low at one corner, and having that written down with a date on it, is what lets you tell a year from now whether the movement is still going or whether it has settled.
What the Service Includes
The visit is about evidence. Everything below feeds the same question: how much has the house moved, and is it still moving?
A walk around the outside
Grading, gutters, downspouts, the slab edge, brick and mortar cracking, tree positions and any standing water are all noted.
Crawl space check where there is one
On pier-and-beam houses, piers, beams, shims, joists and ground conditions under the floor are inspected directly.
Interior symptoms recorded
Sticking doors, cracks, trim separation and floor slope are photographed and tied to the corresponding readings.
Possible causes identified
Drainage, trees, seasonal shrink-swell and the possibility of a leaking line under the slab are each considered against what the readings show.
A written summary you keep
Ask for the measurements and the findings in writing whether or not you hire that provider for any repair, so you can take them elsewhere if you want.
Your Options
If repair is warranted, the report is what a scope is built from. If it is not, you have a dated baseline and a list of the things outside that are worth fixing cheaply. Either way the paperwork is yours.
For a property transaction, or for a larger or unusual house, an independent structural engineer evaluation is worth considering. An engineer is paid by you rather than by a contractor, and can write a repair scope that you then take to companies for pricing. It is a common step for buyers, sellers and anyone who wants a recommendation checked by someone with no work to sell.
From here, read about slab repair, pier-and-beam repair or drainage and root barriers, see how the whole process runs, or call about a visit.
Foundation Inspection Questions
What does a foundation inspection involve?
Elevation readings taken across the floor, a walk around the outside looking at grading, gutters, cracking and trees, a crawl-space check if the house has one, and a written summary of what was found. It is measurement rather than opinion, and it should take the time it takes rather than fifteen minutes and a sales pitch.
Should I get an engineer report as well?
Consider it when a lot is riding on the answer: buying or selling, an unusual or expensive house, or a repair quote you want checked. An independent structural engineer has no repair work to sell and can write a scope you get priced by others. Ask an independent provider whether they will work to an engineer scope.
Is an inspection worth it if nothing is obviously wrong?
Often yes, because the value is the baseline. A dated set of readings today means that next year you can tell movement from imagination. That is especially useful before buying, after a very dry summer, or if you have patched the same crack more than once. Compare it with the repair options only once you have numbers.
Arrange a foundation inspection in Fort Worth
Get the elevations measured and written down before anyone quotes you for work.