Concerned about the integrity of your foundation?

Have you noticed cracks in your foundation? Maybe a wall that just doesn’t seem square? Or did the last rain just happen to find its way into your basement somehow? What exactly does this indicate and how do you fix it?

First things first…  hire a licensed structural engineer. These conditions are all symptoms of a possible foundation failure. The best way to figure out what is going on, determining how severe/minimal the concern, as well as selecting the best method to address and correct it, is by hiring a structural engineer.  A structural engineer is an individual who has a considerable amount of schooling and training on what makes up buildings/structures, and how they react to different conditions and forces.

So why hire an engineer? Not all foundation issues are created equal, so there shouldn’t be a one size fits all approach when it comes to repairing them. The most qualified person to assess the situation, identify why the concerns are even of concern, and recommending the best approach moving forward is a licensed structural engineer.  Your home is a sizable investment, the last thing you need is someone just selling you the latest product on the market, which may or may not be the best solution for your homes current needs.

When it comes down to it,  our experience has been that by hiring an engineer up front to assess the situation saves our customers money in the long run. Why? Simply because the engineer is an external third party that wants the project to be done correctly and isn’t just trying to make a sale.  You instead receive a truly independent and unbiased assessment of your property and you get an honest opinion of what needs to happen, or not happen for that matter. How much are you willing to spend on a misdiagnosis? The most expensive fix is not always the right fix. Do it right the first time by hiring an engineer upfront saving yourself both time and money.

Here at Hughes Construction Company we require structural engineers on all of our foundation repair projects.  The engineers we work with on a regular basis are listed here.