With structural integrity remaining at the forefront of engineering and repair, it’s amazing to see the different roles involved in construction and building management. Aside from the average construction crew, there are various engineers, surveyors, environmental regulators, and many other professionals dedicated to ensuring property land management for any infrastructure or building project.
Of course, two of these professions often get confused with each other: structural engineers and foundation repair professionals. Read this guide on foundation repair professionals vs. structural engineers to understand the main roles of each, their similarities, their differences, and other considerations before hiring someone for your next project.
Foundation Repair Professionals
Foundation repair professionals are the main go-to resource for any major foundation issue present in the home. They have the knowledge, tools, and experience to handle any major foundation repair issue with intricate precision and attention to detail. Whether the issues remain prevalent in the basement, crawlspace, or concrete slabs, they can assess and determine the proper steps involved to ensure safety and tailor the repairs.
They can even circumvent external problem sources before they metastasize. For instance, if you have tree roots growing below your property, foundation repair professionals can initiate a proper protocol to remove them and ensure no future issues arise. They also address problems relating to poor construction, water damage, and general wear and tear. Naturally, age can affect any property, but foundation repair specialists take all the proper steps to mitigate and treat each home based on its specific conditions.
Structural Engineers
Contrarily, structural engineers represent a broader range of property services. They have the capacity to analyze, design, and research structural components and systems for safety, comfort, and technical factors. Structural engineers also survey any environmental, economic, and technical components to ensure case-specific designs for various applications. Commonly, this includes commercial buildings, towers, stadiums, and bridges. Structural engineers tend to work in tandem with other fields for the construction and safety of these applications.
It’s common for structural engineers to work with construction crews, mechanical engineers, civil engineers, and electrical engineers to provide the appropriate designs and specifications each building requires. They are also responsible for designing wind and weather-resistance structures in buildings and greater support integrity against natural disasters and structural loads, to prevent loss of life and reduce health and safety risks.
Structural engineers have an immense educational background and tend to focus their skills on industry-specific construction projects. Such projects can include aircraft, spacecraft, naval vessels, hospitals, schools, and skyscrapers.
Similarities
It may seem like foundation repair professionals and structural engineers do the same job. There are a few similarities between them, but keep in mind there are differences as well. Both structural engineers and foundation repair professionals have the capability to address the issues associated with various foundations, such as slab concrete, pier foundations, pier and beam foundations, and pedestal foundations.
Foundation repair is an all-too-common facet of any building. Granted, residential and commercial properties experience general wear and tear with age. Foundation issues exacerbate additional problems stemming from wood rot, differential settlement, water damage, and crawl space moisture. Rest assured, both structural engineers and foundation repair specialists have the education, training, and hands-on experience to assess your property for any issues that arise.
Differences
Structural engineers focus on a wide range of real-world applications for various industries. Ships, aircraft, spacecraft, infrastructure, factories, and so on all encompass a structural engineer’s workload. Based on this, it’s understandable that structural engineers must devote a lot of time and attention to various industrial specifications, making them more suitable for all-around general knowledge.
When it comes to residential and commercial properties, you’re better off choosing a foundation repair professional. Foundation specialists remain unobligated to other industries, so their sole focus is home and office repair. Foundation repair specialists further focus their trade on the proper mechanics of long-term quality assurance.
For example, if a homeowner faces excess moisture in the crawlspace, foundation specialists can undergo a crawlspace encapsulation procedure that protects the space with plastic shielding and metal support beams. Such a procedure often results in a stronger structural base for the home and reduces the risk of excess moisture, mold, or wood rot. Unlike structural engineers, foundation repair professionals are not responsible for designing or redesigning structures.
Other Considerations
As you determine which professional to choose from, keep these considerations in mind. Naturally, they may seem like similar professions, but they encompass radically different responsibilities. Structural engineers mainly focus their skills on the design, safety, and overall structural integrity of every part of a building. They also include infrastructure and smaller projects, such as furniture designs, in their list of responsibilities.
On the other hand, foundation repair specialists mainly encompass residential and commercial foundation repairs. They’re focused on the different types of foundations used in older and contemporary structures, along with the respective foundation repairs that go with them. They’re the professionals you hire when you need to address issues relating to sagging and uneven floors, cracks in the ceiling, cracks in the drywall, settlement and moisture issues, and wood rot.
Sometimes a structural engineer isn’t necessary for smaller projects; on that same note, foundation repair professionals may not have the right skills and know-how to handle larger projects. Either way, they are the two most common professionals for addressing general structural support to maintain the integrity of a building.
If you need a foundation repair specialist in the Tennessee area, call The Crack Guys. We provide excellent Tennessee foundation services for all residential and commercial properties. We travel all across the state and to all major counties. Whether you’re looking for foundation repair, crawlspace and basement waterproofing, mold soda-blasting, floor and joist supports, or slab lifting—we’ve got you covered.
Unsure about which issues you’re dealing with? Give us a call! We’ll send someone to inspect the property. After our initial inspection, we’ll work with you on the best treatment options to prevent the issue from escalating. Foundation repair is not something to neglect. If you suspect something is wrong with your foundation, call the Crack Guys today for the best treatment services around.
