Foundation evaluations and crack repair in Alexandria, Louisiana
Before anyone talks about piers or leveling, the house should be measured. Here's what a good evaluation includes and when patching cracks makes sense.
The first visit is mostly measuring and looking. Expect the contractor to circle the house outside, check brick joints, window corners and the garage opening, then come inside to test doors and read floor elevations with a level or manometer. On a raised home they'll also crawl underneath. What you want out of the visit is an answer to one question: is part of this house actually sinking or rising, or are these cracks just concrete and drywall doing what they do?
What belongs in a written evaluation?
- An elevation map of the floor, marking which rooms or corners sit low or high
- Notes on the exterior: brick cracks, soil slope, gutter outlets and nearby trees
- Under a raised home, the condition of every pier, shim stack, beam and sill, and how damp the soil is
- A stated cause for the movement, in plain words
- If supports are recommended, a drawing with each one located and its type named
How do I read the cracks in my house?
| What you see | Typical meaning |
|---|---|
| Fine, random lines in a garage slab | Curing shrinkage in the concrete; seldom structural |
| Mortar cracks that step up the brick like stairs | One part of the wall moving more than another; have it measured |
| Drywall cracks angling off a door or window corner | The wall frame being pushed out of square |
| A crack that's wider every August and tighter every February | Clay drying and rewetting; steadier moisture may be enough |
| A crack that only ever gets bigger | Continuing settlement; time for a full evaluation |
When should cracks be repaired?
After the movement behind them has stopped or been corrected. Repointing brick, sealing a slab crack or refinishing drywall on a house that's still shifting just gives the crack a fresh place to reopen. On a house where readings show only seasonal swing and no real settlement, careful sealing combined with better drainage can be the whole job.
When is an engineer worth paying for?
A contractor's evaluation is usually part of the sales process, which is fine for small or obvious problems. When the proposed repair is large, when you're buying or selling, or when two contractors tell you different stories, an independent structural opinion from a professional engineer gives you a referee. Check the engineer's Louisiana license on the LAPELS website. Planning an addition inside Alexandria? The city's permit checklist already requires a geotechnical soil report for additions.
Pricing comes from the contractor, after they've measured the house and worked out what's causing the movement. We don't quote prices. A pier count or leveling plan guessed over the phone isn't worth much until someone has walked the slab or crawled under the floor.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Do contractors charge for the first visit?
Many don't charge for a bid visit, while an engineer's report is normally a paid service. Either way, ask up front what you'll get in writing afterward.
We're listing the house. Should we get a foundation evaluation first?
It can help. A buyer's inspector may point out cracks or uneven floors, and a recent written evaluation plus any old repair paperwork answers those questions faster. Your listing agent can tell you what buyers in your area expect.
Related services
- Slab foundation repair
- Pier-and-beam and raised house leveling
- Foundation piering (concrete, steel, helical)
- Drainage and moisture control
More background: Alexandria, Louisiana foundation guide.
Brick cracking, a door that won't latch, or a floor that suddenly slopes?
Call and a foundation contractor who works in Rapides Parish will come measure the house and explain what's moving.