If you have a home that has a crawl space, chances are you don’t know much about its condition. Problems usually only surface if there’s a water leak or you’re selling your home. So, how do you if crawl space repairs are needed?
The first step is an inspection. This might be done by a home inspector who’s working for the buyer of your home. It could also be someone you hired because you suspect problems might exist in your crawl space. There are very few homeowners who are capable of handling these issues on their own. If you happen to live in the area and are looking for crawl space repairs in Des Moines, make sure to get the following questions answered before hiring them.
Get Recommendations
The last thing you want to do is hire the first company you find. Instead, take some time to connect with local real estate experts and get their advice. It’s almost always free so why not accept it? Hiring the wrong company to tackle work on your home’s foundation could haunt you for years.
Hire a Professional Company
Repairing a damaged or older crawl space can be very complicated. Professional companies have the experience to know the best way to fix any particular problem. Depending on the company, there may be one to three paths you can take.
Hiring a quality company will also mean you will have the peace of mind that comes with a job done right. As well as, a warranty on the work that was completed. Not on this, you’ll be adding to the value of your home. Not addressing a problem will only mean higher costs to correct in the future.
Crawl Space Repairs
Often times after the inspection of the crawl space, foundation damage is found. Repairing this damage is essential to your home’s structural integrity. Obviously, professional foundation companies know this and will give you their recommendations on how the repairs should be handled.
Moisture Test
Double-check and make sure the contractor completes a moisture test. All finished work in a crawl space will include a vapor barrier to keep moisture out of the crawl space. This is key! Depending on the type of flooring on your home’s first level will determine how low you need the moisture test reading to be.
Final Review
Next comes the final inspection. You want to make sure the work is completed. Then, gather all the paperwork, including the warranty. Don’t forget to ask whether the warranty is transferrable. This is very important.
Tackling a foundation problem on your own would be a daunting task. Hiring an accomplished company to perform crawl space repairs will almost always be the right choice.
