Do you know that old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”? Well, when it comes to structural repairs, truer words were never spoken. Structural repairs, whether caused by termite damage, water damage or dry rot, can be some of the most expensive repairs you can encounter as a homeowner. We’ve come across many different sized structural repair jobs throughout A Dependable’s 12+ years in business in the Charlotte, NC area, we’ve seen it all and fixed it all.  

Here’s one example:       A Charlotte homeowner asked us to complete some structural repairs that were found in the crawl space of her home.  The water and termite damage under the house was already somewhat extensive, but sadly didn’t end there. After we started the project we found the damage to be much more extensive than initially visible. Unfortunately not all structural damage can be found until you start tearing into it and fully expose how deep the damage goes. In this case, much of the damage was covered by the vinyl siding. Standing water in the crawl space caused the wood to become soft, causing the water damage. It also made the home a more likely target for termites, which took full advantage of the homes’ vulnerability. The damage had spread through the floor system and up the exterior walls to the attic. Structural damage can in turn cause issues with many other aspects of  your home. Siding, windows, doors, and flooring can all be compromised by structural damage, requiring additional repairs, other than the structural repairs.

That’s one of the reasons that I decided to create the Home Maintenance programs that we are now offering in Charlotte, NC and the surrounding areas. We can custom tailor a program to fit your home, needs and budget. You can schedule us to come out and check your home for a variety of items such as crawl space ventilation, insulation, moisture or standing water issues, attic ventilation, insulation, and possible water intrusion issues. Think of it as a ”well visit” or “check-up” for your home. We can also check and/or replace HVAC filters, change interior and exterior light bulbs that are not easily accessible, and many other preventive checks or regular maintenance items.

Another important factor in discussing structural repairs is the basic understanding of the term “structural repair”. Structural repairs are basically repairs to the structural members of the building, the actual base framing of the house. Structural repairs require a professional, experienced contractor since the structural integrity of the house can be compromised if the repairs aren’t done properly. Just as structural damage can cause additional damage to other aspects of the home, improper repairs can create additional issues, damage, costs and even put the safety of your home and family in question. Structural repairs can be costly, but if you hire a contractor based solely on the price, it could very likely cost you much more down the road.

Please take the well-being of your home and family into account when hiring a contractor or when thinking about preventive maintenance for your home. If we can answer any questions or be of any help to you regarding structural damage or repairs to your Charlotte, NC home or any other home repair issues, please contact us today. 704-451-4492.

Mike Summers

The Structural repairs – Are you aware of what you can’t see? by Mike Summers, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.