You notice multiple things going wrong in your home. Thankfully the family is fine, your dog is ready to play as though they’re about to get the zoomies, and the power still works better than a cartoon character being electrocuted.
Thank goodness.
But something is still very off in your home. Windows and doors feel sticky like someone put glue in your frames, you see cracks in your ceiling, and your floor slopes as though Shawn White can come out of retirement to snowboard for another Olympic gold medal. Your house is showing signs and symptoms of foundation issues. You need foundation repair.
You ask yourself:
Which company should repair my foundation?
What are the price comparisons between companies?
How can I narrow down one foundation repair company?
Who is my ONE TRUE foundation repair company?
Rather than stressing yourself out with online research, why not look to receive multiple bids for your foundation repair?
Dalinghaus Construction has inspected over 10,000 houses, fixing the foundations for over 1,000 homes. While we have many years of experience, we also understand we aren’t the foundation repair company for everyone. After almost ten years in the business, we encourage everyone to look for and receive multiple bids before following through on their foundation repair. That way folks like you can figure out which company gives you butterflies in your stomach – and others that give you the heebie geebies.
When should I start getting bids?
The best time to start receiving bids is if you’re considering moving forward to fix your issue. You’re at the point of saying to yourself, “I have a problem that’s not getting any better. I need this foundation repair.”
How many bids should I get?
Usually, people will schedule several foundation inspections to get around three bids from different contractors. Some people will get five to eight. There isn’t an exact number you’re required to have.
You might find the perfect bid early, or you will need more time to see which foundation repair company fits your needs. The decision is ultimately yours.
Keep in mind:
Receiving multiple bids takes time
When you’re looking for the perfect company to help with your foundation repair needs, it’s a whole process. You have to schedule a day for a foundation inspector to come out to your home and investigate the interior and exterior of your place for foundation issues, taking anywhere between 60-90 minutes.
You have to be present for the inspection.
It would be awesome if companies had the technology to see the problems in your house without going inside and be able to make a repair plan in less than five minutes. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. For every bid you have, a new inspector, who’s essentially a stranger, comes into your home. Now do this multiple times.
This isn’t to scare you from receiving multiple bids. We encourage and recommend that you do. And if you have the time, acquire as many as are sufficient for your needs. There are benefits to taking the trouble and time.
The benefits of multiple foundation repair bids
- Confirmation and peace of mind
- You know the scope of work proposed by one company is being proposed by others.
- Confirmation on whether or not you have an issue with your foundation.
- You don’t need to rely on the analysis from one company. You will receive multiple opinions.
- Cost association
What to look for (Cost)
When you’re finding bids, compare each of them apples to apples. Foundation repair companies may be the same type of fruit, but not all apples are the same. You might be looking for a Yellow Delicious when you’ve found a Granny Smith. In the case of foundation repair, you’re looking at warranties and similar repair methods.
If something looks off when comparing contractors, there will be a variation in the total price. Companies will line item everything to let you know what you’ll be getting for the total price. If they don’t line item everything, we refer to that – like aspects of a bad relationship – as a Red Flag.
What if one company is missing something compared to another?
This can mean multiple things:
- There may be a change order in the future.
- Your inspector may have missed something.
- The best thing to do is contact the foundation inspector you had and ask why something is off compared to another company.
You might associate the missing information with dishonesty. That is a possibility, but people are human. Mistakes happen. Following up about the mistake won’t hurt you.
What else to look for
Research the company and online reviews
Before you consider someone coming to your home, go on third-party websites like Google, Yelp, or Angie’s List (now called Angi) to see how these companies are rated.
When reading reviews, look at the star ratings and when the review was made. Some companies learn from their past mistakes and improve. Some also become worse or never learn. Looking at the time of the review will help you know.
Reviews from 2017 might be drastically different compared to now.
Does the foundation inspector make you comfortable?
The reality is you might not blend well with individuals during your everyday interactions. If the salesperson you interact with sounds like a stereotypical used car salesman, you might want to be cautious.
If they give you the warm and fuzzies, that’s a pretty good sign. Not to say you’re falling in love. Moreso feeling that the person you’re talking with is trustworthy and represents their company well.
If you feel you can trust the sales representative, that trust can likely extend to the company they represent as a whole.
Payment terms
Make sure the payment terms are fair on your end. You want to be sure you ARE NOT paying the company all at once. Look to see if there are any deposits you can put down. You can also check for financing options if you need them.
Dalinghaus Construction offers 0% financing options if you decide to go with us. That way you don’t have to be further stressed financially. Regardless, you should still look at our paperwork, as well as everyone else’s.
Licensing and insurance
Every company is supposed to put their license number on their proposals, which makes it far easier to look them up to confirm they are licensed. Any company with a license is required to have insurance.
If for whatever reason a company doesn’t have a licensing number on their proposals or is hiding it, that’s a red flag. It’s likely their license is expired or suspended.
To find a company’s licensing information, you put their licensing number on the Department of Consumer Affairs Contractors State License Board website if you’re in California, or the Registrar of Contractors if you’re in Arizona.
Dalinghaus Construction licensing information:
- CA Lic. #983851
- Arizona ROC 330307
- Nevada Lic. #0089738
You can also find our licensing information at the bottom of our webpage.
Look at any exclusions
Upcouncil defines an exclusion clause as “terms within the contract that intentionally limit or eliminate altogether the degree of coverage provided by the agreement.” Reading this helps you understand what a company may be liable for in certain circumstances.
Most reputable foundation repair companies will have the same exclusions on their contracts.
Be cautious of the phrase “secure and protect”
This isn’t necessarily a red flag, but you should be cautious. We’ll go with an orange flag.
When one side of your home has foundation issues fixed, you won’t see the other side affected right after. Not to say it couldn’t happen, but it is very rare.
When someone says to “secure and protect” your home, they’re influencing you to take every precaution for issues your home isn’t experiencing. For example, a plumber comes to your home to inspect your pipes to notice they’re in good shape. Instead of only relaying that info, they tell you, “the pipe looks fine, but it COULD be an issue later. You need to secure and protect your home with pipes we provide.”
“Secure and protect” your home is an oversell. That said if you have copious amounts of money and want to take those unnecessary extra precautions, go for it.
What to do if you narrow down companies
The greatest thing about receiving multiple bids is you’re able to compare and contrast different foundation repair companies. Other than the time commitment and having people in your house, you’ll have multiple companies following up with you, meaning you might be bombarded with phone calls, texts, or emails.
The best course of action is to immediately contact the companies you don’t want to move forward with. That way they know your decision and you’re not called continuously while getting work done.
At least they’re not calls asking about your car’s extended auto warranty.
Can bids change?
Yes. Any bids you receive won’t change due to a particular time of the year; they’ll change due to supply shortages. This is why Dalinghaus Construction has proposals or quotes valid 30 days from when we first performed your foundation inspection. Because of how volatile the steel industry previously was, we put in this disclaimer in case it can happen again. We also want to ensure you have a relatively accurate bid during those 30 days.
Prices typically don’t go down over time.
How do I look for potential change orders?
There are a couple of options:
- Contact the sales rep/foundation inspector that came out to your home and ask, “how often does your company do change orders?”
- Look at online reviews. People are adamant about not wanting a change order and will vocalize their distaste when they happen.
No one wins with a change order. They’re a hassle for both you and the company. If they do happen, it’s likely for a necessary reason. Still, everyone wants to avoid change orders as much as possible.
Not all companies work the same when trying to get a bid
The paperwork, materials, and contract might be similar, but not every foundation repair company goes about their proposals the same way or sends them to you in the same timeframe.
You will likely have to chase down some companies to get your bid – which is a Red Flag. If they’re difficult to chase for a proposal, imagine how much more difficult it will be if something goes wrong on the job, to schedule your project, or to have your home fixed.
Something doesn’t make sense when you’re willingly handing off your money only to be ignored.
You’d be surprised to know how many companies do this.
How do I know if a foundation repair company isn’t for me?
As the expression goes – go with your gut. Everyone works differently, and not every foundation repair company works for everyone. Dalinghaus Construction might not be the foundation repair company for you. We, of course, want you to be, but everyone works differently.
If you have a bad vibe from a company sales representative, that company likely isn’t “the one.”
There are those people that are insistent you go with them and refuse other bids. Or start offering discounts and pressure you to sign. That tends to be an uncomfortable situation, right?
Oh, what’s this? Is it another Red Flag?
How many bids you get is no one’s business.
Anyone willing to pressure you to move forward without regard to your well-being might be trying to pull something on you.
What’s the benefit of Dalinghaus Construction compared to other foundation repair companies?
We are very honest and transparent with you to the point where we have tons of videos and articles informing you on foundation repair and how we operate. We lay out everything that will happen with your home in the contract, offer accurate repair plans that are very detailed, and keep you updated on the progress of your home’s project.
We’re essentially an open book.
Dalinghaus Construction is also one of the few companies in Southern California and Arizona to offer 0% financing.
With all of this said, Dalinghaus Construction may still not be to your liking.
Maybe an inspector came out to your home and you felt bad juju? That’s on us.
We’re also not the cheapest foundation repair company, either. Our average foundation repair project this year is around $30k. If you’re looking for something cheaper, we might not be the best fit for you. We do quality work for what you pay (look at our reviews), but with quality comes cost.
We welcome you comparing foundation repair companies
We don’t only recommend you find multiple bids; we encourage it!
Dalinghaus Construction has written at least 55 articles about the best foundation repair companies in areas of Southern California and Arizona. You can find them in our Learning Hub and search the city, county, or general region where you live. You can also type in “best of” in the page’s search bar to find a list of these articles.
And don’t worry, we’re not conceited enough to put our names on these lists. They are all different companies, including many of our competitors.
Where to go from here
If you’re unsure where to start for your bidding and you feel comfortable with us, Dalinghaus Construction would be more than happy to inspect your foundation and provide a plan for you. Our foundation evaluations are 100% free.
What’s best for you is best for us, too. Compare us with everyone else to find the one foundation repair company to rule them all (in your heart).
If you want to schedule an evaluation or have more questions, call Dalinghaus Construction at (877) 360-9227, or click the button below to schedule your appointment online!
