Why a Licensed Engineer

Your foundation isn’t just concrete—it protects your home, your investment, and your peace of mind. Cracks, sticking doors, or uneven floors can lead to expensive recommendations, and it’s not always easy to know what work is truly necessary. A Texas-licensed Professional Engineer provides an objective, data-driven evaluation of what’s actually happening.

Choose the level of inspection and analysis appropriate for your situation.

Our foundation evaluations are conducted in general accordance with the protocols prescribed in the Guidelines for the Evaluation and Repair of Residential Foundations (Version 3, adopted March 2022, Texas Section of American Society of Civil Engineers).

Level A • Visual Screening • $

First Impressions

Best for: Routine maintenance checks, or deciding whether more investigation is needed.
Deliverable: Report of First Impressions based on levels of observable distress.
Limits: No elevation measurements or analysis. May not capture true foundation condition (especially if cosmetic repairs have been made). Insufficient to evaluate foundation performance or inform repair planning.

Level B • Performance Analysis • $$

The Engineering Standard

Best for: Buying, selling, or repair decisions.
Deliverable: Report with Foundation Performance Opinion (backed by analysis) and Recommendations.
Limits: Additional invasive investigations (e.g. soil borings, material testing, plumbing test, etc.) may be necessary if more definitive failure mechanism determination is required.

Level C • Invasive Analysis • $$$$+

The Litigation Standard

Best for: Lawsuits, complex insurance claims, or high-uncertainty cases.
Deliverable: Everything in Level B + additional testing as appropriate (often intrusive): soil sampling/testing, plumbing testing, material testing, and specialty surveys.

A "Level B" investigation is the default level of investigation recommended for most scenarios.

Our process

Level B

Level A

Review of Structure, Site & History

Interview, document review, structure & site observations

Distress Observations and Classification

Review of interior & exterior distress (e.g., cracks, separations, door issues)
Classification of relative degree of interior, exterior, and foundation distress

Foundation Elevations and Analysis

Draft scaled first-floor plan to support analysis
Foundation elevation survey to capture performance profile
Engineering analysis (deflection + tilt) View Example

Conclusions

Performance opinion
Repair recommendations (including preliminary pile layout if necessary) View Example

Level A includes the first two steps (history + distress observations). Level B includes everything in Level A plus a foundation elevation survey and engineering analysis. Criterium-Williams may also be contracted to serve as the Engineer of Record for the repair (should structural repair be necessary). This optional service includes stamped (permit ready) repair drawings, bid specifications, repair site visit, post-repair elevations, and final certification.

Why homeowners choose Criterium-Williams Engineers

Criterium-Williams Engineers is the local (Central Texas) affiliate office for Criterium Engineers. You get the responsiveness of a local engineering firm, supported by the technical depth and shared standards of a nationwide network of building inspection engineers.

Engineer-Only Site Visits

We don’t send technicians or data collectors. The Texas-licensed P.E. who seals the report personally visits the site and performs the evaluation.

Transparent, Straightforward Pricing

Standard pricing is provided for Level A & B foundation investigations. Level B includes a sealed report with elevation survey, performance analysis, and preliminary pile layout without add-on fees.

Objective Opinion, Right-Sized Repairs

Repair scopes and pricing can vary widely between contractors. Level B evaluations provide engineering-based recommendations that help align repair scopes and deliver right-sized repairs with peace of mind.

Need clarity before you repair, buy, or sell?

Start with an objective engineering evaluation to support informed decisions.

Schedule an Evaluation View Inspection Services