Your realtor, your electrician, your plumber, even your hair stylist must meet educational requirements and be strictly tested before being issued a required license to practice their trade.
Not So For Foundation Repair
Foundation repair is an unregulated industry in the State of Texas.
- No licensing procedure for a foundation repair contractor.
- No educational requirements for foundation repair personnel.
- No warranty of work is required.
- No requirement for liability insurance or dishonesty bonds.
Nothing prevents any individual printing up a business card, hiring a group of inexperienced day-laborers, and then beavering away on your most valuable possession – your home.
For Foundation Repair In Texas, You Are On Your Own!
Protect Yourself! Become An Informed Consumer – Ask These Questions
1) Are independent Certified Professional Engineer reports included in your price?
Dependable assurance of foundation repair quality is only available from a 3rd party Professional Engineer who visits your home. Certified by the state, an independent engineering evaluation of a planned foundation job is vital and will be included by any responsible foundation repair company. Similarly, a visit after job completion by a 3rd party Professional Engineer and his report on your the foundation repair “as-built” is the only reliable way to be certain you’ve gotten what you paid for.
2) Are you Insured and Bonded for foundation repair?
Don’t be shy! Be sure you are protected in the event your contractor is negligent or dishonest – ask for copies of their Insurance Certificate of Liability and their Dishonesty Bond policy. Honest, capable foundation companies will quickly and happily provide you with proof of their coverage. And make sure you call and verify that their coverage remains in force.
Don’t just walk, RUN AWAY from contractors that grumble about providing these documents!
3) Do you carry Texas Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
YOU THE HOMEOWNER MAY BE LIABLE if a workman is injured on your property.
Medical costs and other expenses they may claim could well be your responsibility if the contractor does not have Workman’s Compensation Insurance in place.
Ask for proof of WCI. Usually, this will be a section of the Insurance Certificate of Liability. Responsible, established foundation repair companies pay a lot for Workman’s Compensation Insurance – they will be pleased to prove that they have it. Remember to call and verify that the Workman’s Comp coverage remains in force.
4) Do you provide a “Lifetime Transferable Warranty”?
Your foundation repair contractor should provide a “Lifetime Transferable Warranty” on their piers,
• Properly placed pilings of concrete or steel should be warrantied for the life of the home.
• Avoid limited warranties. “Prorated” warranties means any future “warranty” work will cost you more money.
5) Does your Lifetime Transferable Warranty define foundation “settlement”?
The definition of settlement we recommend is ¼” change in elevation in a 5’ horizontal span. This stated definition provides clarity for the contractor and for the homeowner when gauging whether or not settling of a foundation has occurred.
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UNLICENSED IN TEXAS – 5 Questions To Ask Foundation Repair Contractors.
