Foundation Inspections AUSTIN, TX
Foundation Inspections Serving Austin & Nearby Areas
We only provide high-quality foundation inspection services. We are thorough, professional, and honest. At Home Pro Inspections, we strive to give you peace of mind about the condition of your home.
Contact us today to request high quality, a professional home inspection, and foundation inspection. Securing an assessment of your home you own or a property you’re looking to buy is time and money well spent.
If you have a question about Home Pro’s home inspection services, do not hesitate to contact us. We at Home Pro Inspections are always happy to answer your query as soon as possible.
Foundation Inspections in Austin, TX
At Home Pro Inspection, we offer foundation inspections and estimates for homeowners in the greater Austin area who are looking to upgrade the condition and quality of their home. Separately, we provide professional foundation inspections services for all kinds of real estate. If you’re purchasing or selling a home in Austin, TX and would like to request a foundation inspection, please contact us now.
The most important thing to know about repairing your foundation is that it is not the end of the path for you; there’ll always be options available. We believe the first step is to identify what is occurring in the home (cracks, windows/doors not opening properly, sloping floors, etc.) and then what caused these.
That is why we at Home Pro Inspection always start inside the home to see what is going on. Then we look at the exterior and, finally, the crawlspace (if there). Once this is complete, we will then establish what exactly the owner would like to do.
Our goal at Home Pro Inspection is to engineer and build the most precise, practical, and responsible repair for our customer’s property, conformance with State and Local Building Codes. We always keep your budget in mind so that you may realize our goals concerning the correction of their property.
The ability to engineer and build in-house puts us at an advantageous position in that we plan our projects looking for the most efficient way to build. It saves on construction costs, which in turn saves money for the homeowner.
If you’re looking for the best foundation inspection company in Austin, TX, we have a lot to offer, look no further. Call Home Pro Inspection today.
What Does a Foundation Inspection Involve?
In the Austin area, foundation problems in homes are such a prevalent concern for homeowners that we at Home Pro Inspections try to include a foundation inspection with every full home inspection. We’ll go over some of the most common issues found in your home’s foundations and discuss the difference in our foundation inspection.
It’s crucial to find out what is involved with a house foundation inspection. No matter what area you live in, including Austin and surrounding areas, we undertake a specific process for repairing foundations. Having an inspection on your house foundation typically involves checking your foundation elevations and performing a visual evaluation of your home. We will also look for foundation cracks, damaged walls and floors, and other signs of trouble.
We do this to ensure that your structure is stable and not prone to sinking or cracking. As part of the process, a representative from Home Pro Inspections will meet with you and listen to what you have to say. Next, our knowledgeable and highly experienced inspector will evaluate the exterior of your property. If you have a slab foundation, the process will involve walking around the perimeter of your house to look for cracks in your slab, fascia boards, brick veneer, and other things.
If your home has a pier & beam foundation, the procedure is slightly different from examining a slab foundation. If you have a house constructed using piers and beams, our inspector will enter the crawlspace under your structure & carefully examine it to determine if it’s wet or musty. They’ll check the condition of your piers, beams & joists. If any wooden members are damp or rotten, you may have foundation drainage or plumbing problems that’ll need to be corrected as soon as possible.
In both cases, our inspector will enter your home to check for further damage. During the procedure, he/she will look for cracks in walls, floors & ceilings and take measurements to determine how out of level your foundation is. He will be able to tell if certain parts of your home are 1” or even as much as 6” lower than others.
Once our inspector has completed this process, he/she will speak with you regarding your foundation inspection and make recommendations about installing new foundation piers or any repairs that may be needed. It’s common to find that foundation repair is not required. That’s because some cracks are cosmetic, and you don’t need to fix them.
Foundation Inspection with ZIPLEVEL®
One of the goals we have at Home Pro Inspections is to leverage technologies that provide our clients with the best and most accurate picture of their house. One of the things we do above and beyond the standards of practice is to use ZIPLEVEL®.
We have taken a step in this direction by incorporating the most precise altimeter in the world by Technidea. The ZIPLEVEL® is a high-precision Altimeter that revolutionizes elevation measurements by allowing paper-thin exact measurements to the thousands of an inch without lasers. The ZIPLEVEL® is a pressurized, hydrostatic altimeter that quickly offers the highest degree of accuracy possible. And the ZIPLEVEL® doesn’t depend on the atmosphere to measure elevation.
How does ZIPLEVEL® make it easy?
ZIPLEVEL® is error-free, and with their easy-to-read measurements, complicated mathematical calculations are never necessary. Unlike the laser levels, the ZIPLEVEL® does not impose any line-of-sight requirements. Therefore, obstructions are never an issue. The presence of corners, pillars, trees & trenches will never impose the need for additional setups, rod readings, or differential leveling. And that is how we give you peace of mind with a Zip Level Foundation Inspection.
First Warning Signs of a Problem
In the first stage of the exterior foundation inspection, the first warning signs of significant structural issues within the foundation are brick cracks, separation from doors and window casings, and fascia board separation. In the interior, cracks in walls, floors & ceilings also determine the level of your foundation.
Common Problems in your Foundation
Usually, there are three types of foundations: Basements, crawl spaces & slab. Regardless of the type of foundation you have, some common foundation problems are:
- Bulges and outward bumps– Usually caused by temperature changes and can lead to severe problems, including abnormal settlement and potential building collapse.
- Cracking: Cracking is mostly caused by the settling of soil and nearby vibrations. Normal cracking is usually easily repaired and not a severe threat to the structure and safety of your home. However, continue to monitor cracks and call us if you notice the cracks are worsening or multiple new cracks appearing.
- Leaking – When water starts penetrating through cracks in the foundation, you’ll experience leaking in the home. Water causes erosion and spawns a breeding ground for mold.
The Top 10 Signs of Foundation Trouble
- Uneven/sloping floors in the house
- Cracks in exterior or interior bricks
- Displaced or cracked moldings around doors or windows
- Cracks in floors, floor tiles, or the home’s foundation
- Wall rotation
- Cracks/bowing in walls
- Windows/ Doors that won’t open or close properly
- Separation of windows, doors, or garage doors
- Gaps or spaces between walls and the floor/ceiling
- Walls that are separating from the house
Remember that procrastination in repairing or reporting these severe problems will only cost you more when the condition worsens. Also, keep in mind that, unfortunately, these types of foundation problems cannot go unnoticed and uncorrected as they’ll ultimately affect the safety of your home.
Don’t panic just yet. Some amount of settlement is expected in any house. Some cracks in foundation walls may be minor and don’t require you to take action right away. However, ensure that you monitor them for any changes. If you have a house that’s getting older, you may notice evidence of minor settling.
This is probably nothing to worry about; if you suspect you have a significant settlement or foundation problems, contact Home Pro Inspections as a precautionary first step. Our experienced Home Inspector will tell you whether the problem is severe and if you need to call in a structural engineer.
What can happen if issues go unchecked?
While Texas law only requires a visual assessment of the foundation, we know that paint, siding & other facades can hide an underlying issue, so a simple evaluation of the interior and exterior will not determine the whole condition of the structure. If there’s a major structural problem, or if your property’s foundation is settling unevenly and has the potential to pull the framing apart, you should take immediate action.
What Does a Foundation Inspection Report Include?
Foundation inspection reports may vary, but most include at least the following:
Interior Examination
Using internal contour lines, our inspector will verify elevation levels throughout the home are consistent. Also, the engineer will:
- Examine support beams and load-bearing devices
- Isolate internal cracks to determine their threat levels
- Assess the integrity of concrete walls & floors within the foundation
- Look for water damage, mold & improper ventilation
- Test how snugly doors, windows & vents fit
Exterior Examination
During the external evaluation, our foundation inspector will look at:
- Crumbling concrete or degraded building materials
- Exterior bulges, buckling walls, or irregular slopes
- Water drainage, landscaping & irrigation
- Cracks & fissures on exterior walls
Recommendations
An inspection report will include recommendations and suggestions that outline:
- The extent of the foundation damage
- Turnaround times
- Approximate repair costs
Give us a call to get your Home’s Foundation Tested
If you notice any cracks or instability in the foundation of your home, give us a call. One of our inspectors will come out to provide you with a thorough inspection of your property’s foundation. Rest assured, you’ll receive a detailed report, and our certified foundation and structure inspectors will take the time to explain all issues, so you’ll know the extent to the damage & whether or not you need repairs.