Having a contractor for a foundation repair job may give perfection to the job, but it is also expensive. However, people lacking the time or skill to do the job themselves could opt for one from several of the foundation repair contractors available.
Giving a foundation repair contract to an external agency means having to cope with the inconvenience of workmen in your house for a couple of days and someone being at home during the entire period of the repair job for supervision and security.
Contractors for repair work are the same people who also undertake other home improvement contracts. You may find several of them online as also in your own neighborhood street.
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Home improvement contractors work as smalltime businesses. They generally have a few skilled and unskilled laborers and limited resources. They also have built-up contacts with certain suppliers, who sell them materials at concession rates.
Once you approach a contractor, the first thing they would do is to visit your house, examine the extent of the deterioration and pull up an estimate based on the same. Usually contractors do not charge anything for estimates.
It is always prudent not to rely on a single estimate. At least three estimates must be taken. Do not settle for the lowest estimate - rather see who provides better materials and better overall quality of the job. It is unwise to save a few dollars just to have the whole repair work redone in a couple of years.
Before money is exchanged, ask the contractor for references and any previous history of work done. These references must all be cross-checked, paying a visit to their homes and inspecting their quality of work if possible. Also verify with the Better Business Bureau if they have had any complaint lodged by previous unsatisfied customers.
One more important thing to be checked before paying the contractor the first down-payment is whether they have all the requisite licenses. Foundation repair work involving fitting of sump-pumps requires licenses. Also if the repair work exceeds a certain amount, which is roughly $30,000, the contractor must have a license.
Then there is insurance. Three insurances must be checked for:
(i) the Workmans Compensation Insurance, which protects you if a worker is injured in your premises.
(ii) the Automobile Insurance, which would assist you were your contractor to damage any other vehicle on your premises.
(iii) the General Liability Insurance, which would compensate you if your contractor or laborers would damage any of your property.
It is not necessary and, of course, not wise to pay the entire amount to the contractor in advance. Almost all contractors begin work with a little amount of the total upfront and claim the rest of the amount upon the completion of the job. There are many unforeseeable situations that may occur like natural calamities, strikes of vehicles or even death of the contractor for which a homeowner has to be prepared for.
Finally, it always pays never to rely totally on the judgment of the contractor. There are several do-it-yourself books and guides which one must read before embarking on a job. Knowing what the repair job is all about will go a long way in protecting you from being cheated.
by Ken Marlborough
