How Should I Prepare My Home For a Foundation Repair Project?

You may have your project proposal and are considering signing to move a project forward. Maybe you’ve already signed it. Any decent foundation repair company will tell you how to prepare your home before the project, but there’s always that extra bit of reassurance you need. 

Look no further. The purpose of foundation repair is for your peace of mind. And we want you to have peace when preparing for your project. 

Dalinghaus Construction has inspected over 10,000 homes, instructing over 2,000 homeowners on preparing their homes for their signed foundation repair project. We’ve dealt with homeowners who were over and underprepared for their foundation repair projects. We’ve learned how to make the preparation process as simple as possible. 

How do you best prepare for your foundation repair?

There isn’t much other than moving things out of the way so the crews can access specific points they need to be at for your foundation repair. 

If a gas line is in the way or an air conditioning condenser is blocking an area, those things will need to be out of the way. 

Note – Foundation repair companies do their best to work around gas lines. If they’re unable to, they’ll have a plumber come out and look. If you have a plumber, you can have them take a look. 

Are crews usually inside the home for foundation repair? 

The determining factor is what type of repair is happening to your home. 

If your home with a slab-on-grade foundation is being lifted, the crews will need access inside to inject polyurethane to void fill, check measurements, or repair cracks that are on the interior slab. Lifting is a process where any carpet or flooring will need to be pulled to access the slab and inject polyurethane to void fill. 

Crews don’t usually need access inside if your home is being stabilized. The exception might be to check a measurement or two, or if an interior pier is put onto an interior footing. 

And if you’re having work done in your crawlspace, make sure the crawlspace is easily accessible. Remove any obstacles that may be in the way. 

Things that need to be moved if a crew works inside. 

It depends on where the crew needs to work. If the section of your house is settling in your living room or lower bedroom, they shouldn’t need to access your kitchen. 

Any big stuff will need to be moved. A big hutch. A couch. Your bed. The grand piano. 

Foundation repair companies can help move stuff at times. We understand that if you live on your own and are in your wiser years, certain objects can be difficult to move by yourself. 

The most important thing is to have the area clear where the production crew is working. 

Crews will help with smaller items. Not with the larger ones. 

Crews need to make sure they aren’t hurting themselves by moving something large. 

Things on walls.

If you’re worried about fine China, pictures of your family or that mirror that’s been passed down for four generations held up by a single nail, you should probably move those items.

Chipping hammers will be used on footings when installing brackets for piers. There is a chance they can cause enough vibrations and shake the wall like a child who had too much sugar.

Rule of thumb: When in doubt, move it out. If you’re unsure if something could break, it’s best to make a potential problem a non-issue. Better safe than sorry. 

It’s better to have more things moved rather than less. 

Crews will be working outside for your foundation repair.

If you have any plants you love outside in a space the production team needs to work, you’ll want those moved. Have any area clear, whether the crew needs to dig for access to your concrete footing or go into your crawlspace from the outside. 

Note – If the only way to access your crawlspace is from the inside (yes, this is a thing), be sure you have objects out of the way. Crews won’t be climbing over whatever is in the way, especially if they’re carrying heavier equipment. 

If you have a prized rose bush or a plant that is near and dear to you, have it moved out of the way. If a crew needs to access an area, they will get to it; sometimes at the cost of your plant(s). You’ll want to remove the plant on your own or have a landscaper do it. 

Ask the Project Design Specialist who inspected your foundation if any plants need to be moved, especially if you care about them.

A project design specialist will tell you what to do and how to prep during the inspection. They can forget at times, which happens. Regardless, be sure you’re asking questions. 

Information sent before crews show up for your foundation repair

When you sign your contract, our project coordinator sends you an email letting you know how your home should be prepared before a production team shows up at your door.

This is information such as moving things 5-6 ft away from the work area and having utilities rearranged if they’re in the area the crew needs to work. Anything objects by installation areas will need to be 10 ft away. 

Don’t stress yourself out having things perfect for your foundation repair. 

There may be that thought of, “oh goodness, I need to have things out of the way and perfect for the foundation repair guys.” What matters is you did your best to have things clear. 

“Do or do not. There is no try.” -Yoda.

And the “do not” portion of people tends to make things a little more tough for production crews. 

Regardless, you don’t want to be stressed about moving anything. We will email clear instructions on what’s needed before the foundation repair. Other foundation repair companies should make that information explicit, too. 

On the first day of the repair, the foreman will go over everything with you from the beginning of the process to the end. If anything stands out, they’ll let you know. 

Are there consequences for not preparing my home for foundation repair?

Delays. 

Companies can charge a mobilization fee for the production crews to come back when everything is moved, especially large objects. If things aren’t prepared for an inspection, a project design specialist will have to come back, especially for an area they need to inspect. 

But the whole point is to avoid these prospects. And if you do your best to avoid it, you’ll be in the clear. 

As with anything in life, the preparation you do will make any process easier (usually). This is one of those cases. 

Don’t stress yourself out. 

You now know how to prepare your home for foundation repair. Now learn about the repair process.

You’ve learned about how to prepare your home indoors, outdoors, and the potential consequences of not preparing the home.

Don’t stress yourself out. Be more prepared with knowledge so you can take on anything.

To learn about What is a GPR Scan & How do You Prepare for One?

Learn about if you’ll need to be home during the process by reading Will I Need to Be Home During Foundation Repair and Why?

To understand the costs, check out What Factors Affect the Cost of my Foundation Repair?

For additional questions, call Dalinghaus Construction at (877)360-9277.