“The integrity of your foundation is probably the most important aspect of the construction of your home,” says Mark Corrallo, president of All Seasons Construction. “You need to trust foundation removal and replacement to a firm that will do the job correctly, without any shortcuts.”
In this economy, says Mr. Corrallo, there are a lot of contractors that will take any work that’s offered to them, even when they have no particular expertise in that area. It’s very risky to hire a non-foundation replacement expert to do foundation work. A home is the biggest investment most people will make, and a substandard foundation can severely damage the value of that investment. Not knowing whether the job was done right can undermine the peace of mind people have in their home.
Because much of the work involved in foundation replacement and repair is manual labor, some contractors might be tempted to use unskilled day laborers for this work. It may save some money, but day laborers are unknown commodities. While the permanent foundation is being replaced, a temporary one has to be established to hold up the house. It’s important that the work crew knows how to correctly shore up a home, because improper shoring can result in severe structural damage, and even catastrophic failure. “A company should be able to vouch for every one of the workers that's digging under your house,” says Mr. Corrallo.
Drainage work is similar in this regard. Improperly installed drainage systems can exacerbate a water problem, requiring the removal or replacement of the system and repairs to the foundation. Hiring a contractor who knows and understands all the components of perimeter drainage and waterproofing can save you money in the long run.
