Structural repair: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering structural repair

You restore and reinforce load-bearing framing, from beams and joists to posts and walls, working to an engineer's design where the work requires one. Customers depend on you for a safe temporary support plan, correct connections and a repair that carries its loads.

What customers ask

  • Has an engineer designed this repair, and will they stamp it?
  • How will you support the structure while the members are removed?
  • Does the repair fix the cause, such as water, pests or overloading?
  • Will the work need a permit and inspections before it is covered?
  • Who repairs the finishes disturbed by the work?
  • What warranty do you give on the repair?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask for the location and the symptoms, the age of the building and any past alterations, then say that the load path must be confirmed before a repair is priced
  • Inspect the framing from the crawl space, attic or basement, and photograph and measure each damaged member before you quote
  • Put the engineer's involvement, the member schedule and the shoring plan in the proposal, so the customer sees how the work will be controlled
  • Show the sistering, steel or new member details, with the fastener schedule and the bearing points
  • Include the moisture or pest fix as its own line, since repairing framing without the cause leads to the same damage again
  • Give the customer the inspection stages and the dates, and say what must pass before the work is covered

What to put on your profile

  • Post photos of before and after structural repairs, with the member type and the repair method labeled
  • List the repair types you handle, such as sistered joists, post replacement, steel beam installs and header work
  • Show the temporary shoring you use and the way you keep the building stable during the work
  • State the engineers you work with and the permit and inspection process you follow

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a yearly inspection of the repaired area for new movement, moisture or pest activity
  • Suggest a moisture check of the crawl space or the attic after the first wet season, since moisture is the usual cause
  • Mention a pest inspection when the damage shows signs of insects, so the cause is treated before it returns

Licenses and permits

Structural repair contractors commonly need a general contractor license or registration, and structural changes usually require a permit and an engineer's stamp. Check with your state and local licensing agencies and your local building department for the license class, insurance and engineering rules that apply to your work.

Questions

What do I do if I find more damage than the plan shows?

Stop and support the affected area, photograph the new damage, and call the engineer. Do not extend the repair beyond the approved design until a revised scope is approved in writing.

How do I explain a temporary shoring plan to a homeowner?

Describe where the posts or braces go, how long they stay, and that they keep the house from moving while the member is replaced. Make clear that the shoring is part of the job and is not optional.

How do requests reach me on infinibell?

Customers describe the job and pick the pros they want by name, and only the pros they picked see the request. Joining is free. You pay only for the leads you accept, and you can decline a request for free. Every pro is reviewed before going live.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

Edit history

More construction and design guides for pros

Start here

About this guide

Get structural repair requests

Customers pick you by name. Signup is free, and you pay only for leads you accept.

Join as a pro
Sign up free