Do you know how your foundation repair expert is managing your job? Who you end up choosing can have a big impact on how smoothly the process goes and the overall quality of the repair.
When choosing a foundation repair expert, you should check to see how they conduct business.
In part three of our ongoing series, we’re going to discuss how contractors set prices, pull permits, and whether their work is in-house or forwarded to sub-contractors. If you missed the other articles in our series, read part one and part two.
When Does Your Foundation Repair Expert Get Permits?
Any significant work done to your house — home additions, foundation repair, or certain electrical work, for example — requires a permit from a local municipality.
Not only are permits required by law but not getting one could come back to haunt you in the future if you try to sell your home.
Permits are required because foundation repair involves the structure of your home. Your city will want to ensure that it’s safe to proceed and an engineer will likely check out the work before final approval.
And a licensed structural engineer will approve the design and repair before your final approval.
Homeowners can apply for a building permit on their own, but most contractors should do it for you as part of the job. You need to make sure that your foundation repair expert is securing a permit before they start work. Otherwise, you could face big fines.
How Does Your Foundation Contractor Set Prices?
When ordering home foundation repair services, have a conversation with your expert about how they set prices.
No matter what work you’re having done on your home, a contractor will either issue a fixed proposal or job estimate. A fixed-price proposal is where they quote one amount for the entire job (with a small, built-in contingency budget).
Estimates will list every cost as a line item, which is good for transparency. You and your contractor should discuss any possible add-ons or change orders before a project begins to control costs.
The estimate you receive from a foundation repair expert should be as close to the exact amount as possible. When settling on a finalized contract, make sure there is language explaining what items may be encountered and how that will affect the final project cost.
Nobody wants any last-minute surprises!
Does Your Repair Company Use Sub-Contractors?
Did you know that many repair companies don’t do the work themselves? They actually sub-contract residential foundation repair services through other professionals.
We believe you should always know who is doing the work on your home. United Structural Systems of Illinois, Inc. is a local, family-owned company that stakes its reputation on the work we do for you.
More importantly, we only use products from leading manufacturers like Titan Underpinning and Foundation Repair Products, Empire Piers, and MacLean Dixie Helical Products.
Know Your Contractor
As you look for a foundation repair expert, ask about when they obtain permits, how they structure pricing, and whether they use sub-contractors. You’ll also want to scrutinize what products are used in your repair.
Call us today at 847-382-2882 if you have any questions about foundation repair or if you’d like to schedule a free consultation.
