When is payment due and what forms of payment do you accept? Payment is due at the time of the inspection.  If you are not present for the inspection, you can pay me via PayPal.  Cash, or check made out to Matt Gray, PE is the preferred method of payment.  Payment must be received before the report can be issued.

What is a consulting agreement? The consulting agreement I use makes clear that the report is written to meet the specific needs of my client, not a third party.  Also, the agreement acknowledges that the inspection is a limited visual inspection only and cannot eliminate all risks associated with the foundation.  Additionally, the agreement notes that I am available at no charge to the client for phone consultation after the report is issued.  You can view my consulting agreement here.  In addition to payment, the signed agreement must be received before the report can be issued.

Do you inspect pier and beam foundations? No, I do not inspect pier and beam foundations.

How do you determine if damage is just cosmetic or if it is structural in nature? The nature of the damage is determined from a combination of factors, including: location of damage, size of damage, age of house, whether or not the damage is causing a safety issue, approximated deflection ratio of the foundation, construction tolerances, material behavior, knowledge of structural mechanics, and engineering judgment.

How long does an inspection take? The duration of an inspection varies depending on the size and age of the house, as well as the type of inspection.  Most inspections take 1- to 2-hours to complete.

Do I need to be present at the inspection? You do not need to be present at the inspection.  However, I encourage my clients to be present, at least towards the end of the inspection, so that I can walk them through the house to give them a summary of my findings.  Even if you plan on not being present at the inspection, I need someone to let me into the house (your real estate agent, the owner of the house, etc.).

How do you deliver your engineering reports? Reports are emailed to my clients, generally within 12-hours of the inspection.

Why do so many homes in Houston show signs of damage from foundation movement? The answer to this question has 3-parts.  Expansive soils swell when they get wet, and shrink when they dry out.  Secondly, Houston's climate tends to go through periods of very wet weather, followed by prolonged periods of dry weather.  Lastly, most homes in the Greater Houston Area are built on flexible, slab on grade foundations that are designed to "float" up and down and distort with the moving and distorting soil below.

Where are the problems soils located in the Houston area? Although some areas may not be as bad as others, or may have a different mix of problems than other areas, there are very few subdivisions in the Greater Houston Area that do not have the potential for foundation movement that can cause damage to a conventionally constructed house.

When does a crack become a concern? The Shallow Foundation Committee of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has published some guidelines for evaluating cracks in slab-on-ground foundations based on the width of the crack.  Their recommendation is that if a crack is 1/16th inch wide, it should probably be looked at by an engineer.  They also state that cracks that are 1/8th inch or less in width do not typically indicate that the foundation is not capable of performing as intended.  Also, the Shallow Foundation Committee points out that
the presence of cracks in slab-on-ground foundations “does not indicate a life-threatening, dangerous condition.”

When does a crack become a problem? Cracks due to foundation bending can result in significantly more flexibility in the slab. This means that the foundation will not do
as good a job as it was intended to do to mitigate the amount of damage the soil distortion causes the house.  If the flexibility caused by foundation cracking results in structural damage to the house
frame such that the frame structure can no longer carry normally imposed loads safely, then the foundation crack is a serious problem.  Also, if a crack increases the flexibility of the house such that doors necessary for an emergency exit cannot be opened and closed by a small child, that too is a serious issue that must be resolved.

What is a corner or wedge crack? The large majority of slab-on-ground foundations will develop what are called corner cracks or wedge cracks.  The name comes from the fact that these cracks develop at or very close to the outside corners of the foundation and frequently form a wedge at the corner.  These cracks develop as a result of the expansion of the brick veneer when it is warmed by the sun.  When the temperature of the brick veneer rises, the brick veneer wall expands in length and pushes or slides against the slab surface.  At the end of a brick veneer wall at an outside corner of the slab, there is nothing to push back and the concrete cracks at each side of the corner forming a wedge.  Builders will usually place a piece of plastic between the bottom of the first course of brick and the slab; this reduces the friction force when the brick expands and slides against the slab.  This has the practical effect of reducing the cracking at the corners but it by no means eliminates the corner cracking.  These cracks do not indicate anything unusual about the foundation.  If the cracking at a corner becomes very bad, the concrete wedge may become loose and even fall off.  In extreme cases, the wedge will no longer adequately support the brick veneer; when this happens, the corner will need to be repaired.  This is a concrete repair and not a foundation repair.

What steps can I take to minimize damage to my house due to foundation movement? There are a number of potentially applicable options for mitigating changes in the moisture in the soil supporting the foundation.  These options include soil surface grading, installation of subsurface drains, watering the
foundation, removing and pruning trees, installing root barriers, controlling the discharge of roof water, maintaining ground cover, and controlling lawn irrigation.

What is a root barrier? Root barriers are mechanical guides that redirect tree roots down and away from hardscapes (foundations, sidewalks, driveways, etc.), preventing costly root damage while preserving the health and beauty of mature trees.  This is a great website with lots of good information on root barriers.

How do I know if a house has had foundation repair work done? The easiest way to tell is by looking around the perimeter of the foundation for concrete "patches" that are different in color and/or texture from the majority of the surrounding concrete (on the driveway or patio, for example).  

These patches are typically from where a foundation repair contractor removed existing concrete to install repair piers.  Also, if a house has had foundation repair work done previously, and the house is for sale, the previous foundation repair work should be noted on the seller's disclosure form.