Editorial Standards

Three things live on this page: where the numbers in our calculator and guides come from, what it means when we say something is not engineering advice, and what happens once a reader points out a mistake.

Where the pricing comes from

The calculator's ranges are built from published contractor pricing surveys and installation cost research, not a proprietary dataset we are keeping secret. When a guide cites a specific figure, such as a per-pier installation cost or a typical permit fee, the source or the reasoning behind it sits right next to the claim in the text rather than buried in a footnote. We do not accept payment, free work, or discounted quotes from foundation repair companies in exchange for coverage, and no contractor gets a better mention because they advertise with us.

What "not engineering advice" actually means

Jessica Martinez, who writes the guides on this site, researches and writes about repair costs; she is not a structural engineer, geotechnical engineer, or licensed contractor. Nothing published here diagnoses your foundation, tells you which repair method your house needs, or replaces a site visit from someone licensed to make that call. When a guide describes warning signs or repair methods, it is summarizing how those methods are generally used and priced, not issuing a professional opinion about your specific foundation. Whether your foundation needs piering, sealing, or something else is a decision for a licensed engineer or contractor who has actually seen it.

Corrections

If you spot a number, a date, or a claim that looks off, our contact page is the fastest way to flag it. Jessica checks the correction against the original source before anything changes. If the correction holds up, we update the page and move its "updated" date forward; if the change affects a cost figure or a safety-related claim in a meaningful way, we also note what changed at the bottom of that page rather than editing it silently.

What we will not do