Residential foundation inspections
Cracks or changes in your foundation need assessment before repairs are chosen. Our Burlington inspections consider accessible walls, supports, and previous repairs, explaining the findings and any further work needed.
Detailed service overview
A foundation inspection helps establish what a visible concern means before repairs are chosen. We consider cracking, movement, prior work, and accessible supports, then explain whether monitoring, investigation, or repair design is appropriate.
You receive a record of the assessed foundation concern, with the limits and recommended next engineering step explained in plain language.
Residential engineering services
Review of the crack pattern and the construction around it.
Assessment of visible changes in alignment and related signs in the home.
Review of accessible areas showing damage or deterioration.
Assessment informed by visible repair work and available records.
Review of foundation conditions relevant to a planned alteration.
A focused foundation assessment where a buyer needs clarity about a reported issue.
Findings to help establish the structural problem before corrective work is designed.
We discuss what you have noticed and any history, photos, or reports that may help.
We review accessible conditions and explain whether additional information is needed.
The agreed report or letter sets out the observations and recommended next steps.
Homeowner questions
We assess cracks, distortion, deterioration, support concerns, and questions about previous repairs. A concern may involve a wall, footing, or support point beneath a post. The assessment should follow the relevant structure rather than the crack alone.
No. The crack’s pattern, surrounding condition, and evidence of change need assessment. Some concerns need further investigation before a repair can be selected. Others may support a different response, depending on the assessed construction.
Yes. Finishes can conceal cracks, connections, and other details needed for assessment. Old photographs or drawings may help, but they cannot always establish current conditions. The assessment needs to state which areas were actually examined.
No. Water-control work and structural support address different questions. Some work can involve both purposes, but the repair details need to explain them. A product description alone does not establish structural performance.
Accessible repairs can be considered with the surrounding foundation and available records. The current appearance does not necessarily establish the original cause or whether movement has stopped. The findings should make that distinction clear.
One visit may establish current conditions without showing how they have changed over time. A crack’s visible size alone does not establish when it formed. The recommendation should explain what additional evidence would help assess the concern.
Relevant observations in the framing or rooms above can form part of the assessment. A sloping floor or changed doorway may add context. The useful areas depend on the support arrangement, not only where the basement crack appears.
Repair design is a separate step unless it is included in the work arranged. A report can recommend design without describing every construction detail. Your contractor needs a sufficiently defined repair before pricing the complete structural work.
Hamilton Structural Engineers provides foundation inspections for homeowners in Burlington.
Whether you have drawings, an early idea, or an unexplained change in your home, tell us what you need help with. We can identify the next engineering step.
