Three inspections, three jobs
We’re not engineers or contractors. This page explains how independent licensed engineers evaluate foundations, with links to their own guidelines.
| Compared | Foundation contractor | Home inspector | Licensed structural engineer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Question it answers | What would you repair, and what would it cost? | Is the foundation performing as intended? | Does this house need repair, and how should it be done? |
| What you usually get | Walk-through, floor elevation readings, a written plan and price | A written opinion in the inspection report, with the signs behind it | A report at an agreed level of detail, and sealed repair plans if hired for them |
| Who it’s usually for | Owners seeing cracks or sticking doors | Buyers during the option period | Owners, buyers, cities issuing permits |
| Typical cost | Set by the contractor | Part of the home inspection fee | $340–$780 (HomeAdvisor) |
Cost guides price a stand-alone foundation inspection at $300–$750 (HomeGuide), with Angi’s average at $600. Those figures blend contractor and engineer visits, so treat them as a range, not a fee schedule.
The honest limit: a contractor’s inspection, whatever it costs, is also how that contractor prices the job. That doesn’t make it wrong. It means a large plan deserves a second plan or an engineer’s look before you sign.
What a contractor’s inspection includes
When you call, a local foundation contractor who serves your area confirms a time and comes out. A thorough visit usually covers:
- A walk around the outside. Brick and siding cracks, gaps at window frames, the frieze board under the eaves, how the ground slopes, where the downspouts empty, and how close the trees are.
- A walk through the inside. Doors that rub or won’t latch, drywall cracks at the corners of openings, tile cracks, and floors that feel off.
- Floor elevation readings. A digital level or laser taken room by room, relative to one reference point, to map the high and low areas.
- Questions about history. When the cracks appeared, whether they open and close with the seasons, past repairs, plumbing leaks and high water bills.
- A written plan and price. The number, type and location of piers, plus anything else they’d recommend, such as drainage or a plumbing test.
Bring what you already know. Photos of cracks with a coin or tape for scale, dated, are more useful than a description.
Call to schedule an inspection
How to read the elevation survey
The survey is the backbone of every plan, so ask for a copy. It shows each reading relative to a starting point, usually as a grid or contour drawing of the floor. Three things to check:
- Floor coverings. Tile, carpet and wood sit at different heights. A good survey says whether it adjusted for them.
- The low area. The plan’s piers should line up with the low readings. If piers are proposed where the floor reads high, ask why.
- One reading is one moment. The ASCE Texas guidelines say a floor elevation survey should not be the only basis for judging deflection and tilt, and that a single survey may or may not be sufficient to support a conclusion. The Foundation Performance Association calls it a snapshot and suggests a second survey six to twelve months later to see whether movement is ongoing.
Engineers judge the readings against tolerances. ASCE Texas uses L/360 as its deflection benchmark and notes a tilt over 1% is usually noticeable. The Foundation Performance Association measures deflection over at least 20 feet or the width of the foundation, whichever is less, so a short dip near a doorway doesn’t skew the picture. Its guideline also notes that distress in the house tends to start once deflection reaches somewhere in the range of L/240 to L/480.
What a home inspector does, and doesn’t
Under Texas Real Estate Commission rules, a licensed home inspector must give a written opinion on the performance of the foundation and generally report the visible indications of adverse performance behind it. The same rules say an inspector is not required to recommend or provide engineering services.
The Texas engineering board draws the line from the other side: a TREC inspector’s visual inspection is not engineering, and an inspector may not offer an engineering opinion on a foundation unless they also hold a PE license. So an inspection report that says “foundation not performing as intended” is a flag, not a diagnosis.
Call to schedule an inspection
What an engineer’s evaluation adds
Analyzing why a foundation moved, or recommending repairs, is the practice of engineering under Texas law. The Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) publishes guidelines engineers use, with three levels of investigation:
| Level | What it includes | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| A | Interview, document review and a walk-through, identified as a report of first impressions | A quick independent read before you spend more |
| B | Level A plus a relative elevation survey and a scaled drawing, with deflection and tilt compared to tolerances | Most purchase decisions and repair designs |
| C | Levels A and B plus soil, plumbing and material testing as the engineer sees fit | Big repairs, failed repairs, disputes |
Ask which level you’re buying before you pay. One DFW contractor notes that engineer’s reports here are generally limited to visual observations and an elevation survey, without soil tests or plan review unless stated. That’s a Level B in practice, and it’s enough for many houses.
Engineer reports and McKinney’s permit
In McKinney the engineer isn’t optional for a repair. The city wants an engineer’s letter and drawings before it issues a foundation repair permit, and a final engineer’s report to close it. Frisco and Plano also ask for an engineer up front. The permit guide has each city’s rule.
After the work, ASCE Texas says floor elevations should be measured after the repair, with a copy to the homeowner, and that an engineer retained for it should provide a letter of substantial completion. Keep both. They’re the first things a future buyer’s inspector will ask for.
Call to schedule an inspection
Which inspection do you need?
- You’re seeing cracks or sticking doors and want to know the cost: a contractor’s inspection. Get two if the first plan is large.
- You’re buying: the TREC home inspection, and if it flags the foundation, an engineer’s evaluation during your option period. The Foundation Performance Association recommends buyers get a baseline elevation survey either way.
- Two plans disagree badly: an engineer with no stake in either.
- You’re filing an insurance claim: call the insurer first. The Texas Department of Insurance warns that an insurer may deny a claim if you make permanent repairs before it sees the damage.
- You’re selling a house that was repaired: gather the permit, the engineer’s letter and final report, and the after-repair readings. The selling guide covers what buyers ask for.
Not sure what you’re looking at? The warning signs page lists what each sign can mean, and what else causes it.
Who does the inspection
Call or send a request, and a local foundation contractor who serves your area confirms a time, inspects, measures and explains what they find. You get a written plan and price before any work starts. Work is done by independent local contractors. Pricing and availability are set by the contractor serving your area.