Start with conditions, not a product
Cracks and sticking doors are clues, not diagnoses. Soil moisture, grading, drainage, framing, and foundation type need to be considered together before a repair plan is proposed.
Build a complete scope
- Existing conditions and likely cause
- Preparation and protection
- Materials, compatibility, and installation details
- Permits, testing, cleanup, and restoration
- Exclusions, warranty terms, and change-order process
Champaign context
Champaign was founded in 1855 as Illinois Central Railroad track reached two miles west of Urbana, and the city's neighborhoods have grown across Champaign County's black prairie soil ever since -- a shallow band of dark topsoil over a yellow clay subsoil that shifts with seasonal moisture. That soil, documented across the county and historically poorly drained enough to support a local clay drain-tile industry, is the single biggest reason foundation work stays in steady demand throughout the Champaign-Urbana area.