Crawl spaces have certain advantages over basements or slabs, including elevation, which is important in termite-prone regions, lower costs, and ease of repair.
However, they’re not without disadvantages. If a crawl space isn’t insulated properly, it becomes attractive to rodents and susceptible to mold growth and moisture.
Another con has to do with energy efficiency. In cold winters, heating the air in your crawl space means extra expenses. The good news is, with the right crawl space repair contractor, you don’t have to worry too much about these disadvantages.
That being said, you can find the best crawl space repair professional by asking these 5 questions.
1. How Long Have You Been in Business?
It’s easy enough to google “crawl space repair near me,” but how do you know you’re hiring the right company?
One way to narrow down your options is to ask contractors about their experience. It also helps to know if they do crawl space encapsulation exclusively or if they offer other services. With the former, you can be sure they are quite familiar with all types of crawl space problems and can offer the best solution for your home.
These include water mitigation, installing vapor barriers, and so on.
2. What Crawl Space Repair Solutions Do You Recommend?
From French drains to sump pumps to re-grading, and so on, experienced crawl space contractors know which solutions will best address your repair needs.
Of course, fixing the problem requires a thorough understanding of what caused it in the first place. For example, if there’s a musty smell emanating from your crawl space, possible culprits include mold, vermin, dead animals, and sewage. A crawl space repair expert would most likely recommend sealing to get rid of the smell.
3. Are You Licensed and Insured?
As with hiring other service contractors, it’s always good to check if they’re licensed and insured.
You don’t want to be sued if something goes wrong while your crawl space is being repaired. Also, you’ll want to check the warranties they offer. In case you plan to sell your home in the future, you have to know if the service warranty coverage is transferrable.
4. What Does Your Estimate Include?
It shouldn’t take long for a crawl space repair company to provide you with an estimate. You should receive one within two business days, and it should be as detailed as possible.
You want to be sure you won’t be paying for additional costs such as moving services for furniture, toys, etc., replacing siding, and so on. Also, remember to ask about financing or payment plans when comparing estimates from different contractors.
5. Can You Provide References?
The right contractor wouldn’t hesitate to provide you with a list of satisfied customers. They’re confident about the quality of their work, and they know that even if you check review sites, they don’t have anything to hide.
Even if you see some negative reviews though, it’s important you check first how the contractor replies to them. You want to be sure you’re hiring a crawl space repair company that knows how to listen to clients and values good customer service.
Do You Need Crawl Space Cleaning and Other Repair Services?
Now that you know what questions to ask a crawl space repair contractor, don’t stop here. For more tips and advice on hiring crawl space specialists, feel free to check out our other posts.
You may also browse our site for more information on crawl space cleaning.