The second most prevalent question subsequent to cost in the foundation repair industry is how long does the process take from start to finish?
Foundation Repair Timeline –Inspection scheduling 2 weeks Inspection 1.5 hours (one day) Proposal Interim 1 day to 6 Months Engineering 4-6 weeks Permitting 4-16 weeks Active Job Site Timeframe 1-2 weeks Total 11-26 weeks *Note – this process can take up to 6 months, so plan on timeframe flexibility. |
There are a variety of factors that dictate, in a truly unironically autocratic fashion, the schedule for foundation repair due to chronological considerations.
This article details the foundation repair timeline:
- Inspection Interval
- Inspection
- Proposal Interim
- Engineering & Permitting
- Active Job Site Timeframe
Inspection Interval
Well before clients book a foundation repair inspection, they notice specific signs and symptoms indicative of foundation failure. Common cues include:
- Sloped Floors
- Leaning Chimneys
- Cracks
- Drywall
- Stucco
- Footing
- Concrete Flatwork
- Sticky Doors & Windows
The client often conducts preliminary online research to narrow down the possible provocateurs.
The two most common instigators are:
What is Foundation Settlement?
Foundation Settlement is when a foundation sinks into the earth, compromising the building’s structural integrity. This is due primarily to gravity, climate, seismic activity, and the tick, tick, ticking of time.
What is foundation heave?
Foundation heave is the uplift, elevation of a foundation precipitated by soaked, expanding soils and can generally be attributed to a seasonal increase in moisture, a plumbing leak, or underground aquifers.
Both foundation settlement and heave are provoked by expansive soil.
*Note – Seismic activity can also damage foundations, particularly raised foundations that have yet to be seismically retrofitted.
After conducting research, perhaps even after reading through our blog and clicking on our link for a FREE foundation inspection, the homeowner is put in touch with Caitlin or Carly to book the foundation inspection.
Foundation Inspections are typically booked 2 weeks out.
After the appointment is booked, the customer is matched with a foundation repair specialist who will reach out directly.
The customer can expect a brief video bio from each specialist and a list of several articles to read regarding their particular repair situation.
Once the customer is in touch with our curated specialist, our specialist may ask for a video call to discuss and perhaps see the signs and symptoms. The specialist is in touch throughout the two weeks prior to the inspection.
Inspection (1.5 hours)
The actual foundation inspection time averages out to 1.5 hours. In order to have a better understanding of the inspection process, read How Long Does a Foundation Inspection Take & What Can Add Time.
By the end of your proposal, the customer will receive:
- A to-scale CAD of your home
- Floor Elevation Measurements
The foundation repair proposal is usually submitted between 12-24 hours following the inspection.
*Note – After the proposal is submitted, the customer has within 60 days to sign before another foundation elevation needs to be performed. This is due to a constant flux of material cost post-pandemic and/or continued settlement/heave. Steel, polyurethane, concrete, and more are currently in limited supply and high demand.
Proposal Interim
This particular stage relies solely on the clientele. A customer could potentially sit on a proposal for weeks to months or until it times out.
Obviously, the most common reason for hesitation is cost; however, Dalinghaus offers prime financing options and works diligently to avoid change orders (and never has any hidden costs or fees).
In addition, Dalinghaus prides itself on its lifetime warranty on all steel pier systems.
Click the link below to calculate your average monthly payment –
Engineering & Permitting
Once the proposal is signed, the proposal is sent to soil/structural engineers for review. This process can take anywhere between 4-6 weeks.
*Note– We always outsource our engineering to third parties in order to remain fiscally objective.
After the proposal has been rigorously vetted by our outsourced engineering, the plans are then sent out for permitting.
Permitting varies by state, city, county and usually takes anywhere between 4-8 weeks.
This is potentially the longest part of the entire foundation repair process as engineering and permitting are in sequential order (and, if they do overlap, it is because engineering needs to be reconfigured).
After the permitting has been squared away, the work can be scheduled anywhere between 2-4 weeks out.
So, in sum, the client is looking at potentially more than 6 months before shovels hit the dirt.
Active Job site Timeframe
The actual work on the job site itself typically only takes 5 business days (your average Monday through Friday workweek).
Obviously, if a project starts midweek, it won’t be finished until the following week. We rarely work weekends except for unusual, extenuating circumstances.
The goal with every foundation repair project is to stabilize or lift to maximum practical recovery.
Read our article The Five Steps to Push Pier Foundation Repair for a detailed account of the push pier foundation repair process.
Time is Money
While 11 to 17 weeks may seem like an inordinately long time, we don’t drag our feet. We wholeheartedly agree with the adage – time is money.
We don’t want to waste our customer’s time and we sure don’t want to waste our time. Thank you for taking the time to read our blog.
If you live in Southern California or Central Arizona and would like a FREE foundation inspection, click the link below –
