Foundation repair is one of the largest checks a homeowner writes, on a problem they cannot see, recommended by the person selling the solution. That combination attracts some bad actors. Here is how to protect yourself, starting with the one check almost nobody performs.
In Florida, structural work on a home should be performed by a properly licensed contractor, and the license is public. Melini Construction is a Florida State Certified Building Contractor, license CBC1265093, and you can look that up with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Ask any contractor for their license number and verify it. A company that gets uncomfortable at that question has told you something important.
A single lump sum for foundation repair is not something you can evaluate, compare, or hold anyone to. You want each item described, located, justified, and priced. Itemization protects you three ways: you can compare bids fairly, you can stage the work if you need to, and you can decline anything that is not necessary.
The pattern to be wary of is a free inspection that discovers a crisis, followed by a large number, followed by a discount that expires today. Structural problems that took twenty years to develop do not require a decision in twenty minutes. Any honest contractor will hand you the report and let you think about it.
This is the question that separates real repairs from cosmetic ones. Ask specifically what is being done to the footing, how deep, on what bearing, and how the pier will transfer load to the beam. A contractor who does this work every day will answer clearly and probably enjoy the question.
If moisture rotted the beam, replacing the beam without dealing with the moisture buys you a few years. Ask what is being done about drainage, ventilation, and water intrusion. A repair that ignores the cause is a scheduled repeat visit.
If a quote is large or the presentation felt like a sales pitch, have someone else look at the same crawl space. We do second opinions regularly. Sometimes we confirm the original assessment, and sometimes we find the recommended scope was much larger than the house actually needed. Either result is worth knowing before you spend that money.
At a lot of companies, the person who inspects your home is a salesperson and the person who repairs it is a crew you have not met. Ask who will be on site and who is accountable if something is not right. At Melini Construction the owner does the inspection, writes the report, and stands behind the repair.
Melini Construction inspects, documents, and itemizes. You get a written report you can read, compare, and think about, with no pressure to decide on the spot. Call (352) 232-7849 or request an inspection.
Florida licenses are searchable through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Ask for the license number and look it up. Ours is CBC1265093.
For anything substantial, yes. Make sure you are comparing itemized scopes and not just totals, because two very different amounts of work can carry similar prices.
Yes. We do second opinions regularly and are glad to walk the same crawl space and tell you what we see.
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Tell Vinny what you are seeing. Sloping floors, cracks, a musty crawl space, or an inspection report you need a second opinion on. You will get a straight answer and an itemized, honest estimate.
Under contract on a house? Call (352) 232-7849. We know how fast inspection periods move.