What Home Inspectors Do (and Don't Do)

A home inspector provides a general, visual overview of the home's systems: structure, roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and more. They cover a lot of ground in 2–3 hours. What inspectors do for foundations: they visually examine the foundation from the exterior, interior, basement, or crawl space. They note visible cracks, water staining, efflorescence (mineral deposits), bowing, and other visible conditions. They flag what they see. What inspectors typically do NOT do: • Determine the cause of a crack (settling? expansive soil? drainage issue? lateral pressure?) • Assess the structural significance of what they observe • Recommend a specific repair method or provide a repair estimate • Render an engineering judgment on whether the structure is compromised The inspection report often says something like: "cracks observed in foundation wall; recommend evaluation by qualified professional." That recommendation is the inspection report telling you to hire a structural engineer.

What Structural Engineers Do

A structural engineer (PE — Professional Engineer) is licensed to evaluate structural systems and render professional engineering judgments about their adequacy, cause of failure, and appropriate remediation. For a foundation evaluation, a structural engineer will: • Examine all visible foundation elements (interior and exterior) • Assess crack pattern, width, displacement, and direction • Identify the likely cause (settling, soil movement, drainage, surcharge loading) • Determine whether observed conditions are stable or active • Recommend specific repair methods appropriate to the cause • Issue a written engineering report documenting findings and recommendations Cost: $300–$700 for a residential foundation consultation, depending on location and complexity. This report typically takes 3–5 business days to receive. The written report is the key deliverable. It is what you bring to contractors for competitive quotes, what you present to the seller in negotiations, and what future buyers will want to see if you later sell the property.

When Each Professional Is Appropriate

Home inspector: at the time of a standard purchase inspection — reviewing all systems of the home. The inspector's role is to identify conditions that warrant further evaluation. Structural engineer: any time foundation concerns are identified. Specific triggers: • Horizontal cracks anywhere in the foundation • Cracks wider than 1/8 inch • Displaced cracks (one side higher/lower) • Bowing, leaning, or bulging walls • Visible cracks in the slab • Doors or windows that stick (may indicate foundation movement) • Sloping floors • The home inspection report flags "foundation concerns" or recommends evaluation Also appropriate: before buying an older home (40+ years) where settling is expected; when the home was previously repaired for foundation issues (evaluate the repair quality); or when you have any reason to be uncertain about foundation condition.

“I order structural engineer consultations more than most buyers expect, because my standard is: if there's a visible crack I can't dismiss with high confidence as clearly cosmetic, the buyer deserves an engineer's opinion before committing. The cost of the engineer's report is almost nothing relative to the value of knowing what you're buying. I have had engineer reports confirm that concerning-looking cracks were entirely normal and save buyers from unnecessary worry. I have also had them confirm that a crack the seller called "cosmetic" was actually active structural movement. That information changed the outcome in both cases.”

— Ryan Brown, Principal Broker & CEO, Own Luxury Homes®

• Foundation Problems Guide (Hub)
• Which Cracks Are Serious?
• Foundation Repair Cost
• Buying a House With Foundation Issues
• How Foundation Issues Affect Home Value
• Does Insurance Cover Foundation?
• Foundation Types and Risks

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