Glossary

Foundation Inspection

A foundation inspection is performed by a structural engineer and the structural engineer will be looking at cracks, sloping floors, perform elevation readings, etc. Foundation inspections are common before foundation repair companies provide bids or after the foundation repair companies come out to give contradicting bids.

Foundation

The foundation for your home is the concrete structure that supports the framing of your home.  This can be a slab, footing, basement, or crawl space.

Cracks

Cracks in foundations are common and not necessarily a structural issue. Cracks occur in drywall and similarly, may or may not be a structural issue. Contact Resolve Engineering to perform an assessment.

Settlement

Vertical movement, or settlement, in your foundation can occur due to improperly compacted soils, moisture levels within your soil, undersized footings, or various other factors. Many of these are structural issues but some are normal movement within the structure.

Bowing and Tipping Foundation Walls

Lateral movement often shows up in cracks in your foundation wall. This movement is generally caused by hydrostatic pressure being applied to the wall. Resolve Engineering can help you diagnose this lateral movement and provide a solution specific to your home.

Footing

Footings are typically made of reinforced concrete.  Footings run under your perimeter foundation wall and under posts within your home.

Elevation Readings

Elevation readings are used to determine settlement in the foundation.  Resolve Engineering uses a laser level to measure the settlement within the structure. 

Hydrostatic Pressure

Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by a fluid on the foundation wall.  This is a common issue for bowing or tipping foundation walls due to the additional loading to the foundation wall.

Structural Inspections

A structural inspection is performed by a licensed professional engineer to ensure the structural integrity of your home. Engineers will look at the overall structure of the home and provide recommendations on how to repair the issues. Repairs could include framing (joists, roof, rafters, or foundation).

Structure

The structure for your home is the framing, beams, and posts related to your home.  This is basically everything that is above the foundation.

Drywall

Drywall is a construction term for a board made of several plies of fiberboard, paper, or felt bonded to a hardened gypsum plaster core.  This is also known as sheetrock.

Load Path

Load path describes how the load will transfer through the home and how the weight from your roof gets to your foundation.

Beam

A beam is generally a wooden member or a steel member that spans over openings in your structure.  These usually support the roof, walls, or floors above.

Load Bearing Wall

This is an active structural element of your home which holds the weight of essential elements above the wall.  If this is removed, it needs to be done by a professional, temporary supports should be provided during construction, and it should be replaced with a properly sized beam designed by Resolve Engineering.

Wood Rot

Resolve Engineering will verify if structural issues related to wood rot are an actual structural issue or just need to be monitored. Wood rot can occur due to termites, water damage, or age. Depending on the section loss on the joist or other member, will determine if it needs to be replaced, sistered, etc.

Wall Removal Inspections

Wall removal inspections are performed by a licensed structural engineer. These inspections verify if a wall is load bearing or if it is safe to remove. Resolve Engineering will specify the beam size, modifications to the foundation, or any additional modifications to the structure are required.

Miscellanous Inspections

Miscellaneous inspections cover all other types of structural or foundation issues that may arise including retaining walls, patios, decks, covered decks, pergolas, etc.

Decks

A deck is an auxiliary structure on your home that is essentially a wooden platform built above the ground that is typically connected to your home.  Decks are often covered with a roof to protect from the elements.

Retaining Walls

Retaining walls are earth retaining structures.  They are essentially just a wall that’s made of concrete, stone, CMU block or another material to hold back soil or water.

Kansas City (KC) Metro Area

The Kansas City (KC) metro area that Resolve Engineering uses covers the Kansas City area plus some surrounding cities.  These cities include Kansas City Kansas (KCK), Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO), Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Leawood, Leavenworth, Lenexa, Prairie Village, Gardner, Merriam, Mission, Roeland Park, Fairway, Lake Quivera, Mission Hills, Mission Woods, Westwood, Westwood Hills, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs, , Liberty, Raytown, Gladstone, Grandview, Belton, Raymore, Grain Valley, etc.

Contractors

Contractors are the people that perform the actual building of your home.  They provide repairs, remodels, etc.  They also provide all of the materials.  They will use Resolve Engineering recommendations to ensure they put in the correct materials.

Permit

Permits are required by cities for building that is done within the home.  Different cities have different permitting requirements.

Licensed Professional Engineer (PE)

A licensed professional engineer (PE) is an engineer that has passed the FE and PE exams, performed 4 years under a licensed Professional Engineer, and has a 4 year college degree from an accredited university. A structural engineer is a type of licensed structural engineer.

Inspection Cost

The price for inspections varies depending on the type of inspection.  The cost for a verbal inspection is different than a wall removal that requires a drawing for example.  We provide low cost inspections that are comparable with competitors.  Free inspections by contractors are not always preferred because contractors are trying to sell you products that are likely more expensive than that cost of Resolve Engineer services.