Guide
How to check a foundation repair company
Whichever company you end up speaking with, including one you reach through this site, check it yourself before you sign. These are the checks that count in Wichita.
Licensing is local in Kansas
Kansas leaves contractor licensing to cities and counties, as the state's business guide explains. In Wichita and unincorporated Sedgwick County the licence comes from MABCD. Its code sets out several classes: Class A covers any structure, Class B covers buildings up to three storeys, and Class C covers building, remodelling and repairing one- and two-family houses. A company repairing your foundation should hold one that fits the work.
To hold the licence, a contractor has to file proof of general liability insurance with MABCD, along with workers' compensation cover where Kansas law requires it.
Ask the company for its MABCD licence number, then call MABCD at 316-660-1840 and ask whether it is current.
Other cities issue their own. Derby publishes a list of the contractors it has licensed on its building page, and Newton and Haysville license contractors at city hall.
Questions about the warranty
- Who stands behind it: the installing company, a manufacturer, or both?
- What exactly is covered: the pier itself, or the part of the house it supports?
- What does the company do if the area moves again?
- Does it pass to a new owner, and is there a fee or a deadline for the transfer?
- What cancels it: drainage you did not fix, a plumbing leak, work by others?
A long warranty from a company that has closed is worth nothing. Ask how long the company has traded under its present name, and check the answer.
The contract
Look for the scope in writing with a drawing, the cause the repair is meant to address, the number and type of supports, what happens if conditions underground differ from the plan, who applies for the permit, the payment schedule and what restoration is included.
You can confirm that a business is registered in Kansas with the Secretary of State's business entity search.
Signs to slow down
- Pressure to sign on the first visit, or a price that is only good today.
- No written cause, only a pier count.
- Reluctance to take out a permit.
- A request for full payment before work starts.
- No street address or licence number on the paperwork.
Hiring questions
Should I get more than one proposal?
For anything beyond a small job, yes. Two or three proposals show you whether companies agree on the cause and the scope. Calling the number on this site puts you in touch with one company, and you can still call others.
Is it worth reading a company's online reviews?
Yes. Look for how the company responded when something went wrong, and for accounts that describe the work in detail.
Ready to have it looked at?
Talk to a foundation repair company near Wichita
Call and describe what you are seeing. You will speak with an independent local company that can arrange to inspect the house and give you its findings and its price.
Foundation repair for houses
Basement walls, settling, cracks, crawl spaces and sloping floors in Wichita and nearby towns.
Call (316) 555-0119Calls may be recorded. See the referral disclosure and privacy policy.