Guide
Buying a House With Foundation Problems
Foundation issues are not automatically a reason to walk away — undocumented ones are.
8 min read
Key takeaway
Get an independent structural engineer, not a repair contractor, to assess the property before closing. A documented, engineered, warranted repair with transferable coverage is a very different proposition from an unexplained crack.
What to request from the seller
- Any prior repair invoices, scopes and engineering reports.
- Warranty documents, and written confirmation that the warranty transfers to you.
- Permit records for any structural work.
- Disclosure of past water intrusion, however minor.
- Any elevation surveys or monitoring records.
Hire an engineer, not a contractor
A repair contractor's assessment is free because it is a sales call. An independent structural engineer charges a fee and has no stake in whether repair is recommended. On a purchase decision worth six figures, that independence is cheap.
Ask the engineer for an opinion on cause, on whether movement appears active, and on a repair specification if one is warranted. That specification then lets you get comparable bids instead of three incompatible proposals.
How it affects your negotiation
- A specified repair with real bids gives you a number to negotiate against; a vague concern gives you nothing.
- A prior repair with transferable warranty and engineering sign-off can be a positive, not a negative.
- Undisclosed repair work is a bigger problem than the repair itself.
- Factor in the drainage correction that a pier-only prior repair probably skipped.
Questions to ask about a prior repair
- Who performed it, and are they still trading?
- Was an engineer involved in the design, and did they inspect afterwards?
- Has there been any movement since? What evidence supports that?
- Was drainage addressed at the same time?
- Does the warranty transfer, and is there a transfer fee or deadline?
Not sure what you're looking at? Get it assessed.
Describe the symptoms and send photos. You'll get an assessment of what is likely happening and what should be measured before anyone quotes a repair — across Sioux Falls and Southeastern South Dakota.