Structural repair checklists

Before anyone visits. Photograph every crack with a ruler or coin for scale. Pencil-mark and date each crack end. Note which doors and windows stick and when it started. Note where water goes when it rains. Find any prior repair paperwork, inspection reports or seller disclosures.

Vetting the engineer. Confirm they are a licensed professional engineer in your state, that they do not sell or take referral fees from repair work, that the fee includes a written report, and that they will take floor elevation readings across the whole plan rather than spot checks.

Comparing bids. Every bid should state the method, the pier count or linear feet, the depth, access and excavation plan, what is restored afterward, the warranty terms in writing, what voids the warranty, whether it transfers on sale, and who pulls the permit.

Signing off. Before the final payment: as-built elevations, photos of the installed work before backfill, the permit closed out where one was required, warranty documents in your name, and lien waivers from subcontractors.

How to choose

Photograph before backfill

Once the trench is closed you cannot see what was installed. Ask for dated photos of every pier or anchor in place, or take your own.

Get the warranty before you pay, not after

Read the actual document. Ask what specifically voids it and whether it survives a sale — do not accept a verbal summary.

Never pay large sums up front

A deposit is normal; paying most of the job before work starts is not. Tie payments to milestones.

Keep the whole file

Engineer's report, bids, contract, permits, photos, warranty. This package is what protects you at resale.