Step 3 of 18Roof & Exterior Phase

Foundation Cracks: Engineer or Contractor First?

You found a crack, someone mentioned a number with a lot of zeros in it, and now you are trying to work out who to phone. The right first call is not the same for everyone. It depends on what your house is actually doing, how uncertain you are, whether anything looks urgent, and whether what you need right now is a diagnosis or a price.

The short answer

If anything looks unsafe right now, neither call comes first. See the safety notice below.
If you do not know what is wrong, an independent evaluation is usually what you need, and for structural questions that often means a licensed structural engineer. An engineer is generally engaged to assess a condition. A contractor is generally engaged to carry out work. That is a difference in what each is hired to do, not a judgment about anyone's honesty. Either can be excellent, and either can be mistaken.
If you already have a diagnosis and a defined repair scope, the useful next step is collecting contractor proposals against that same scope.
Not every foundation question needs an engineer. If water, plumbing, or grading looks like the likely story, a different specialist may be the sensible first call.

What we cannot do is tell you which of these applies to your house. No website can, and neither can a photo of a crack. Licensing rules, professional scope, and permit requirements also vary by state and locality.

Stop and get help immediately if you see this

Do not continue inspecting, documenting, or shopping for quotes if you notice any of the following:

A wall that is bowing, bulging, leaning, or visibly displaced
Any part of the structure that appears to be sagging, separating, or at risk of collapse
Conditions that are visibly changing over hours or days rather than months
Sudden movement following flooding, an earthquake, a landslide, nearby excavation, or a vehicle impact
Anything else that makes you feel the building may not be safe to occupy

Leave the affected area and contact your local emergency service, your local building official, or a qualified structural professional. After a disaster, safety evaluation of buildings is normally carried out by licensed professionals working to established procedures.

This page cannot determine whether your home is safe. Only someone qualified, on site, can do that.

What to document before you call anyone

Good documentation makes any professional's visit faster and more useful, and it gives you a record if the condition changes later. None of this diagnoses anything. It is evidence, not an answer.

Photograph wide, then close: Take one photo showing the whole wall or area in context, then close-ups of the detail. Context matters as much as the close-up.
Include a scale reference: Put a ruler, tape measure, or coin in the close-up shot. This records the size without implying that size alone tells you the cause.
Record the date and exact location: Which wall, which side of the house, how far from a corner, and what floor or level. Write it down rather than trusting memory.
Note whether it is new or changing: Have you seen it before? Does anything look different from last season? Say so plainly, including if you are unsure.
Write down every related symptom: Doors or windows sticking, floors that feel sloped, walls that appear to have moved, water entry, damp or musty smells, plumbing leaks, where water goes after rain, recent construction or excavation nearby, drought, or flooding.
Gather your paperwork: Previous inspection reports, past repair invoices, permits, warranties, and any seller disclosures from when you bought. These often explain far more than a new inspection can.
Do not patch it yet: Cosmetic filling before documentation removes the evidence a professional needs, and it can hide whether the condition is changing.

Who should you call first?

These roles overlap less than people expect. The question is not who is best, it is which one does the thing you actually need right now.

Licensed structural engineer

What they evaluate: The structure itself and what the observed conditions suggest about how it is behaving.
What you may receive: Commonly a written evaluation, and depending on the engagement, a repair design or sealed drawings.
Sensible first call when: The cause is unclear, symptoms appear in several places, something seems to be changing, or a large repair has been proposed.
May not include: Performing the repair, and often subsurface soil investigation unless specifically engaged.
Verify: Current license with your state engineering board, relevant experience with residential foundations, and professional liability insurance.

Foundation repair contractor

What they evaluate: The condition in relation to the repair methods they install.
What you may receive: A repair proposal, a price, and a scope of work.
Sensible first call when: The problem has already been diagnosed and defined, and you need proposals and pricing for a known scope.
May not include: An independent diagnosis, engineering design unless they engage an engineer, and work outside their trade such as plumbing or grading.
Verify: Applicable contractor license for your state and trade, liability insurance, workers compensation, and who designed the proposed repair.

Geotechnical engineer

What they evaluate: Soil and site conditions, including expansive or compressible soils, moisture behavior, and slope.
What you may receive: A soils or geotechnical report, sometimes with recommendations for foundation support.
Sensible first call when: Soil movement, slope stability, or site drainage is suspected, or a structural engineer asks for soil data.
May not include: Structural design of the building itself, and repair work.
Verify: Current engineering license, geotechnical specialization, and local experience with your soil conditions.

Home inspector

What they evaluate: Visible, accessible conditions across the whole house, and flags what may need a specialist.
What you may receive: An inspection report describing observations and recommending further evaluation where appropriate.
Sensible first call when: You want a general baseline of the house, or you are buying and need an overall picture.
May not include: Engineering analysis or an opinion on structural adequacy. Both the ASHI and InterNACHI standards of practice exclude these.
Verify: State licensing where required, professional association membership, and their written standards of practice.

Plumber or drainage specialist

What they evaluate: Water sources: supply and drain leaks, sewer lines, gutters, downspouts, grading, and subsurface drainage.
What you may receive: Leak testing results, camera inspection footage, or a drainage correction proposal.
Sensible first call when: Water is present, a leak is suspected, or drainage and grading may be contributing.
May not include: Structural evaluation of the foundation, and repair of structural damage.
Verify: Plumbing license where required, and whether leak detection and camera inspection are included.

Building official or emergency service

What they evaluate: Whether a structure is safe to occupy, and what permits and inspections apply locally.
What you may receive: Code and permit requirements, and in a safety event, an occupancy determination.
Sensible first call when: There is any sign of immediate danger, or you need to know local permit and licensing requirements.
May not include: Diagnosing the cause for you, designing a repair, or recommending a contractor.
Verify: Contact your local building department directly. In an emergency, contact emergency services first.

Comparison of professionals who may evaluate or repair a foundation concern
Who	What they evaluate	What you may receive	Sensible first call when	May not include	Verify
Licensed structural engineer	The structure itself and what the observed conditions suggest about how it is behaving.	Commonly a written evaluation, and depending on the engagement, a repair design or sealed drawings.	The cause is unclear, symptoms appear in several places, something seems to be changing, or a large repair has been proposed.	Performing the repair, and often subsurface soil investigation unless specifically engaged.	Current license with your state engineering board, relevant experience with residential foundations, and professional liability insurance.
Foundation repair contractor	The condition in relation to the repair methods they install.	A repair proposal, a price, and a scope of work.	The problem has already been diagnosed and defined, and you need proposals and pricing for a known scope.	An independent diagnosis, engineering design unless they engage an engineer, and work outside their trade such as plumbing or grading.	Applicable contractor license for your state and trade, liability insurance, workers compensation, and who designed the proposed repair.
Geotechnical engineer	Soil and site conditions, including expansive or compressible soils, moisture behavior, and slope.	A soils or geotechnical report, sometimes with recommendations for foundation support.	Soil movement, slope stability, or site drainage is suspected, or a structural engineer asks for soil data.	Structural design of the building itself, and repair work.	Current engineering license, geotechnical specialization, and local experience with your soil conditions.
Home inspector	Visible, accessible conditions across the whole house, and flags what may need a specialist.	An inspection report describing observations and recommending further evaluation where appropriate.	You want a general baseline of the house, or you are buying and need an overall picture.	Engineering analysis or an opinion on structural adequacy. Both the ASHI and InterNACHI standards of practice exclude these.	State licensing where required, professional association membership, and their written standards of practice.
Plumber or drainage specialist	Water sources: supply and drain leaks, sewer lines, gutters, downspouts, grading, and subsurface drainage.	Leak testing results, camera inspection footage, or a drainage correction proposal.	Water is present, a leak is suspected, or drainage and grading may be contributing.	Structural evaluation of the foundation, and repair of structural damage.	Plumbing license where required, and whether leak detection and camera inspection are included.
Building official or emergency service	Whether a structure is safe to occupy, and what permits and inspections apply locally.	Code and permit requirements, and in a safety event, an occupancy determination.	There is any sign of immediate danger, or you need to know local permit and licensing requirements.	Diagnosing the cause for you, designing a repair, or recommending a contractor.	Contact your local building department directly. In an emergency, contact emergency services first.

A practical way to think about it

These are patterns, not rules. Your foundation type, soil, climate, and local requirements all change the picture, and so does the full set of symptoms rather than any single one.

The cause is genuinely unclear

Symptoms show up in more than one part of the house, something appears to be moving, or a large repair has been proposed. An independent evaluation by a licensed structural engineer may be a sensible first step, because what you need is a diagnosis before a price.

You already have an engineered repair scope

Then the next step is usually gathering comparable contractor proposals against that same scope, so that price differences reflect price and not different definitions of the job.

Water is clearly part of the story

Visible leaks, poor drainage, saturated ground, a suspected sewer or supply line leak, or a slope pushing water toward the house. A plumber, drainage specialist, or geotechnical engineer may be needed alongside, or instead of, a structural evaluation.

You want a general picture of the house

A home inspector can identify observations across the whole property and tell you what deserves a specialist. Under both the ASHI and InterNACHI standards of practice, inspectors do not provide engineering analysis or opinions on structural adequacy, so an inspection does not replace an engineering evaluation.

You are not sure what your area requires

Licensing, professional scope, and permit rules vary by state and locality. Your local building department can tell you what applies before you commit to anyone.

Questions to ask an engineer

What license do you hold, in which state, and what is your license number?
How much of your work involves residential foundations like mine?
What exactly will you inspect, and how long will you be on site?
Will you take measurements, elevation readings, or set up monitoring?
Based on what you find, how confident can you be about the cause?
What do I receive at the end: a written report, a repair design, or sealed drawings?
Is a permit likely to be required, and would my jurisdiction need stamped plans?
Might another specialist be needed, such as a geotechnical engineer or a plumber?
Is monitoring over time a reasonable option here, and what would that involve?
What is specifically excluded from this engagement?
Do you also design repairs, and do you have any relationship with repair contractors?

Questions to ask a contractor

What contractor license do you hold, and what insurance and workers compensation do you carry?
How many repairs like this have you completed locally?
What is the diagnosis behind this proposal, and who determined it?
Was this repair designed by a licensed engineer, and can I see that design?
What is the exact scope: quantities, materials, spacing, and depths?
How will you access the work area, and what will be disturbed?
Which permits and inspections are included, and who pulls them?
What landscaping and interior restoration is included, and what is not?
Does the price include any drainage or plumbing work, or is that separate?
What is the payment schedule, and what is due before work begins?
How are change orders handled, priced, and approved?
What does the warranty cover, what does it exclude, and is it transferable if I sell?
How will we measure whether the repair worked after completion?
What is the total price, and what could make it change?

Proposal comparison worksheet

Fill this in for each proposal so you are comparing the same job and not just the same bottom line. Use your browser's print function to print it. No account, no email address.

Tip: if two proposals disagree about the problem being addressed, that gap matters more than the price gap.

Worksheet for comparing up to three foundation repair proposals side by side
Item	Proposal A	Proposal B	Proposal C
Problem being addressed
Proposed solution
Engineering basis (who designed it)
Quantities (piers, anchors, linear feet)
Materials and specifications
Site access and what gets disturbed
Permits and inspections included
Landscaping restoration included
Interior restoration included
Drainage or plumbing work included
Monitoring after completion
Warranty term and what it covers
Warranty exclusions and transferability
Change order process and pricing
Payment schedule
Total price

Plain language glossary

Structural engineer: A licensed engineer who evaluates how a building carries load and whether a structure is performing as it should. Licensing is handled by state boards, and some states recognize structural engineering as a distinct license.
Geotechnical engineer: A licensed engineer who studies soil and site conditions, including how soil moves with moisture and how much weight it can carry.
Foundation contractor: A licensed contractor who installs foundation repairs such as piers, anchors, or wall reinforcement. Licensing requirements vary by state and trade.
Scope of work: The written description of exactly what will be done: the tasks, quantities, materials, and what is deliberately excluded. Two proposals can only be compared fairly when the scope matches.
Stamped plan: A drawing bearing the seal and signature of a licensed design professional, which some jurisdictions require before issuing a permit for certain work.
Differential movement: Movement where one part of a structure moves relative to another, rather than the whole building moving together. Differential movement is what tends to distort a structure.
Monitoring: Observing a condition over time to see whether it is changing. Informal homeowner photos are one form. Professional monitoring uses defined reference points and repeatable measurement.
Permit: Authorization from your local building department to perform specified work, usually followed by inspections. What requires a permit varies by jurisdiction.

Frequently asked questions

Should I call an engineer or a foundation contractor first?

It depends on what you need. If you do not yet know what is wrong, the symptoms show up in more than one part of the house, something appears to be moving, or a large repair has been proposed, an independent evaluation by a licensed structural engineer may be a sensible first step, because an engineer is generally engaged to assess a condition rather than to perform the repair. If you already have an engineered scope of work, the useful next step is usually collecting contractor proposals against that same scope. If anything suggests an immediate safety risk, neither call comes first: leave the area and contact your local emergency service or building official. Licensing rules, professional scope, and permit requirements vary by state and locality, so confirm what applies where you live.

Can you tell whether a foundation crack is serious from its width or shape?

No, and neither can anyone else working from a photograph. Width and shape are observations, not diagnoses. The same appearance can arise from very different causes depending on foundation type, soil, moisture conditions, drainage, climate, the age and construction of the house, and what else is happening structurally. Determining the cause of cracking in concrete is a recognized engineering topic in its own right. A qualified professional evaluates the whole pattern of evidence on site, which can include measurements, elevation surveys, soil information, and observation over time.

Does every foundation crack need repair?

Not necessarily, and the honest answer is that this cannot be settled from a distance. Some cracking is associated with normal concrete behavior such as drying shrinkage, some relates to soil movement, and some indicates a structural problem that needs attention. Whether a specific crack in a specific house needs repair is a judgment that depends on the cause, whether the condition is changing, and the consequences if it continues. That judgment requires someone qualified looking at your house.

Can I monitor a crack myself?

You can document a condition yourself, and that documentation is genuinely useful to whoever evaluates it later. Photograph the area with a scale reference, record the date and exact location, and note any related symptoms. What homeowner monitoring cannot do is prove that a condition is safe. A crack that has not visibly changed over a few months may still reflect an ongoing problem, movement can be seasonal, and informal measurement is not precise. Treat your records as evidence for a professional, not as a substitute for evaluation. If a professional recommends formal monitoring, that is a different and more rigorous process.

How do I compare foundation repair quotes?

Compare proposals only when they address the same defined problem and the same scope of work. Line up what problem each proposal says it is solving, what engineering or diagnostic basis it rests on, the quantities and materials, how access is achieved, what permits and inspections are included, what restoration of landscaping and interior finishes is included, what drainage or plumbing work is covered, the warranty terms and exclusions, the change order process, and the total price. Proposals that differ in scope are not really comparable on price alone.

Does a contractor need an engineer's plan?

Sometimes, and it depends on your jurisdiction and the work involved. Some repairs require a design prepared or sealed by a licensed design professional, and some permit applications require stamped drawings. Requirements vary by state and locality and by the nature of the repair. Ask your local building department what it requires for the specific work being proposed, and ask any contractor who designed the repair and whether a licensed engineer was involved.

Sources and limitations

What this page is not

This page does not diagnose foundations. It cannot tell you whether a crack is serious, what caused it, whether your home is safe, or what a repair should cost. Those depend on your property type, foundation type, soil, climate, drainage, local code, licensing rules in your state, and the complete pattern of evidence at your house. Anyone offering a firm answer from a photograph is guessing. Use this page to prepare for a conversation with a qualified professional, not to replace one.

Sources

International Residential Code, Section R401.3 Drainage (International Code Council). Source for the grading requirement that lots be graded to drain surface water away from foundation walls, with a fall of not fewer than 6 inches within the first 10 feet, and the exception where physical barriers prevent it. Your jurisdiction may adopt a different edition or amend it.
FEMA P-2055, Post-disaster Building Safety Evaluation Guidance. Basis for the statement that building safety evaluation after a disaster is carried out by qualified licensed professionals under established procedures.
FEMA P-2325, Building Codes Toolkit for Homeowners and Occupants. General homeowner guidance on codes, permits, and the role of local building departments.
NCEES, Licensure and NCSEA, Structural Engineering Licensure. Basis for the statements that engineers are licensed by state boards, that requirements and recognition of structural engineering as a distinct license vary by jurisdiction, and that licenses should be verified with the relevant state board.
ASHI Standard of Practice and InterNACHI Standards of Practice. Both exclude engineering or architectural services and opinions on the adequacy of structural systems and components from a home inspection.
ACI 224.1R, Causes, Evaluation, and Repair of Cracks in Concrete Structures, and ACI 224R, Control of Cracking in Concrete Structures (American Concrete Institute). Cited as evidence that identifying the cause of cracking in concrete is a specialized evaluation topic rather than something read off a crack's appearance.
Virginia Energy, Geology and Mineral Resources: Expansive Soils. Background on how soils that shrink and swell with moisture can move foundations, and why soil conditions vary by region.

Last reviewed 2026-08-06. Sources were current as of that date. Codes and licensing rules change, so confirm what applies in your jurisdiction.

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