We’re not engineers or contractors. This page explains how independent licensed engineers evaluate foundations, with links to their own guidelines.
The short answer
You don’t need your own engineer to find out what a contractor would do and charge; a contractor’s inspection answers that. You do need a licensed engineer’s opinion if you want to know whether repair is needed at all, which repair is right, or whether two conflicting plans are sound. Texas treats that kind of judgment as engineering: the state engineering board says analyzing why a foundation moved or recommending repairs is the practice of engineering.
When to hire your own
| Situation | Hire your own engineer? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small cracks, a sticking door, no growth between dated photos | Not yet | Track it; get a contractor’s inspection if it worsens |
| A contractor’s plan you’re about to sign, for a large repair | Worth it | A second opinion costs a fraction of the job |
| Two plans for the same house that disagree badly | Yes | Someone with no stake has to settle it |
| Buying a house whose inspection flagged the foundation | Yes | You need an opinion before the option period ends |
| Selling, and the buyer’s lender wants an evaluation | Often | FHA rules can require an inspection by a qualified individual |
| A suspected plumbing leak and an insurance claim | Yes | Testing and an engineer’s report are the usual evidence |
| A permitted repair in Fort Worth | Already involved | The city wants an engineer’s plans and letter with the application |
Why the contractor can’t be your engineer
A foundation contractor can inspect, measure, propose and price. What they can’t legally offer is an engineering opinion, unless they hold a professional engineer’s license. Two more things make an independent view useful:
- The Texas engineering board has said the Engineering Practice Act sets no technical standards for foundation repair methods.
- The Texas Section of ASCE describes its own evaluation and repair document as guidelines, not standards, reflecting its committee members’ practice.
In other words, the judgment of the engineer you hire carries a lot of weight. Pick one with care.
What an evaluation includes
The ASCE Texas guidelines describe evaluations in three tiers. The lightest is a walk-through and interview, which the guidelines call a report of first impressions. The middle tier adds a measured elevation survey and a drawing, with deflection and tilt compared against tolerances. The fullest adds whatever testing the engineer judges necessary, such as soil, plumbing and material testing.
For a repair decision, ask for the middle tier at least. A first-impressions report is useful before an offer on a house, but it can’t tell you how many piers you need.
A good report states:
- what the engineer looked at and what was out of scope;
- the elevation readings, on a drawing;
- deflection and tilt compared with benchmarks such as L/360 and the 1% tilt limit in the Foundation Performance Association’s guideline;
- whether repair is needed, and if so, what kind and where; and
- what else should change, such as drainage or plumbing.
What it costs
| Service | Published cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Structural engineer’s visit | $340–$780 | HomeAdvisor |
| General structural report, average | $550 | HomeAdvisor |
| Foundation damage inspection report | $500–$1,000 | This Old House |
| Report, by scope | $300–$2,000 | Fixr |
| Report recommending a repair method | $500–$3,000 | HomeGuide |
Ask what the fee includes: a site visit, an elevation survey, a written report, and whether a follow-up visit after the repair is extra.
Independent or contractor-arranged?
On a permitted job, the engineer who seals the repair documents is, in ASCE’s words, the engineer of record, with approval authority over changes. That engineer is often brought in by the contractor. That’s legitimate, but it isn’t the same as advice from someone you hired before anyone proposed a repair.
One DFW contractor notes that engineer’s reports here are generally limited to visual observations and an elevation survey unless more is stated. Whoever hires the engineer, ask in writing what the report will and won’t cover.
How to hire one
- Look the engineer up on the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors’ license search before you book.
- Ask whether the firm sells repairs or takes fees from contractors.
- Ask which level of evaluation you’re getting and what the report includes.
- Ask whether they’ll review a contractor’s plan, and whether they’ll inspect the work afterward.
- Get the scope and fee in writing.
Then get the contractor’s plan. The inspection page explains what a contractor’s visit includes, and the permit guide covers what Fort Worth asks for.
Want a contractor to look at it? Call to schedule an inspection.