Foundation inspection
Foundation Inspection in Charleston, WV
Before you commit to a repair, find out what’s actually going on. Our inspections look at the cause of the cracks or movement, not just the cracks.
- Led by Joe Saunders, PE
- Free inspections
- Kanawha, Putnam & nearby counties
Why an inspection comes first
Foundation repair isn’t one-size-fits-all. A hairline shrinkage crack in a poured wall, a stair-step crack in a block wall, and a wall that’s bowing inward are three different problems with three different fixes. Some cracks don’t need repair at all, just monitoring.
An inspection tells you which situation you’re in, so you don’t pay for more work than your home needs, or put off work it does need.
What we look at
- Crack type, width, and pattern on basement and crawl space walls
- Whether walls are plumb or bowing, and how much
- Floor levels, sagging framing, beams, and support posts
- Signs of past movement or past repairs
- Gutters, downspouts, grading, and where water goes around the house
- The age and type of construction: block, poured concrete, stone, or pier
Why homes around Charleston need a careful look
Houses in the Kanawha Valley are built on everything from river-bottom soil to hillside lots cut into slopes. Clay soils in the region swell when wet and shrink when dry, and hillside lots send runoff toward the house. That water and soil pressure pushes on basement walls and can wash out or soften the soil under footings.
Much of the housing stock around Charleston, St. Albans and Dunbar is decades old and built with concrete block or stone foundations, often with crawl spaces. Older framing and foundations respond differently than new ones, so the age and type of construction matter when deciding on a repair.
Buying or selling a home?
A foundation question can stall a sale. If an inspection report flagged cracks or movement, an independent look tells you whether it’s cosmetic or structural, so buyers and sellers can make decisions based on facts.
How to prepare for the visit
Clear a path to the basement or crawl space access and the walls you’re worried about. If you’ve noticed cracks changing, a few dated photos or pencil marks at the ends of a crack are very useful, because they show whether it’s moving. Let us know about any past repairs, water problems, or remodeling, and have any inspection report or quote from another company handy. The more history we have, the more accurate the answer.
What you get
We walk you through what we found, what’s causing it, and what we recommend, in plain language. If nothing needs to be done right now, we’ll tell you, and tell you what to keep an eye on.
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Other ways we can help
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is the inspection free?
Yes. Our foundation inspections and second opinions are free, with no obligation.
How long does an inspection take?
It depends on the size of the home and what we find. Plan on enough time for us to look at the basement or crawl space, the outside of the foundation, and the drainage around the house.
Do all foundation cracks need repair?
No. Many small cracks are from concrete shrinkage and aren’t structural. Cracks that are wide, growing, horizontal, or paired with bowing walls or sticking doors are the ones to have checked.
Got a big, scary quote? Get a free second opinion.
An honest engineering review led by Joe Saunders, PE, at no charge and with no obligation.
Request a free inspection
Tell us what you’re seeing and we’ll follow up to set up a visit. Photos of the cracks or problem areas help.
- Free inspection and second opinion
- Led by Joe Saunders, PE
- No pressure, no obligation
Prefer to talk? Call or text 304-767-8623 or email info@mcawva.com.