How to work out which service you need
You don't have to figure this out before you call, but it helps to know how the work breaks down. Most problems fall into one of three groups:
- Something moved. Cracks that grow, doors that stop closing and floors that slope point to the structure. The answer may be piers, leveling or new supports, and it starts with measuring how much has changed.
- Something's wet. Standing water, musty smells and damp insulation point to moisture. The fix runs from a downspout extension to drainage or a sealed crawl space, based on where the water's coming from.
- Something wore out. Rotted sills, crushed shims and tired joists are common in older homes, and they're usually the result of water or age rather than soil.
Many houses have more than one going on. Water can soften soil, soil movement can crack a wall and a wet crawl space can rot the beam that's holding up a floor. That's why we'd rather find the cause than sell the most obvious repair.
When you may not need any of this
Hairline cracks that aren't changing, small seasonal movement and a little dampness after a rare storm may only need watching. Gutters, grading and downspouts solve more wet basements than people expect, and they're cheap to try first. If that's where your house lands, we'll say so.