50 Questions to Ask a Foundation Contractor

Foundation repairs are structural work — the wrong contractor can cost you far more than the repair itself. Work through these questions from the seven sectors below, and only hire someone who answers every one of them clearly, in writing. The tools below answer the questions homeowners around Shreveport, LA ask most often when they are weighing up beam replacement contractor.

1. Licensing, Insurance & Legitimacy

Can you provide your state-issued contractor license number? Do you carry general liability and workers' compensation for the crew on my job? Will you pull a municipal permit for this structural repair? How long has your company operated in this regional soil? Are you the repair contractor, or a matching service? Are you BBB-accredited, and what is your rating?

2. Diagnostics & Inspection

Will you perform a relative floor elevation survey? How do you determine the zero point or benchmark for the survey? What tools will you use to measure wood health and moisture? Will you inspect plumbing for leaks under the slab or crawl space? Do you check column plumb and bearing connections? Do you probe floor joists for structural integrity? Will I receive a written report with photos of every failed component? Will you check exterior grading and gutter downspouts?

3. Structural Repair Methods

Why steel columns instead of wood in my crawl space? To what depth will the piers be driven? How do you sister damaged joists? Are installed steel columns adjustable for future soil movement? Will you reinforce the grade beam for heavier sections of the home? How do you keep the pier from breaking the foundation during the lift? Do piers sit on engineered concrete footings? What corrosion protection is on the steel piers?

4. Slabjacking & Soil

What is the weight difference between mudjacking and polyjacking? Is the injection material waterproof? How large are the injection holes? Was the fill dirt below my slab properly compacted? How do you precisely control the lift to prevent over-jacking? How long until I can walk or drive on the lifted slab?

5. Crawl Space Moisture & Encapsulation

6. Electrical & NEC Compliance

Is the cable you are installing rated for damp locations? Will all new lighting and outlets be GFCI protected? How do you protect wiring from rodent gnawing? Does my existing knob-and-tube wiring have air circulation? Will the electrical work have its own permit and inspection? How do you handle aluminum branch circuit connections?

7. Warranty & Contract

Is this a lifetime guarantee or a limited warranty? What is the fee to transfer the warranty to a new buyer? Does the price include debris removal and site restoration? What happens if you encounter unexpected damage once you open the walls?

Remember: every answer should be confirmed in writing before you sign a contract — license number, certificate of insurance, permit, and the full warranty certificate.

Get This Checklist Emailed to You

Work through the questions above, then leave your details and we'll send you the printable version plus a list of local foundation repair pros to interview.

Official Guides

Download these guides and take them to your inspection — the questions above map to the sections inside.

Vet Your Contractor Before You Sign