Compare the diagnosis first and the price last. Two bids are only comparable when they describe the same cause and the same work: same areas, same method, the same depth or torque criteria, and the same engineering and permit responsibility. Lay them side by side on the ten lines below. Wherever one bid is silent, ask for the answer in writing before you compare the totals.
Line 1 — The diagnosis
What does the company say is happening and why? Look for evidence rather than adjectives: floor-elevation readings, crack locations and widths, wall-deflection measurements, notes about drainage, downspouts, grading, trees or plumbing. ASCE Texas Section’s residential guidelines describe a progression from a walk-through to a measured elevation survey to soil and plumbing testing. Ask which of those your bid is based on.
If bids disagree (one proposes drainage, another proposes piers), you have two diagnoses, not two prices. That’s the moment an engineer who doesn’t sell repairs earns their fee.
Line 2 — The exact scope
- Method and product name. See Foundation repair methods.
- Number of piers or anchors, and their locations on a drawing.
- Interior work (slab piers, wall braces) versus exterior work (excavation).
- Whether lifting is included or only stabilization, and the target.
A bid for “piers as needed” can’t be compared with anything.
Line 3 — Installation criteria and records
- Push piers: the target pressure or depth.
- Helical piers: the minimum installation torque.
- Wall anchors: the tension or tightening schedule.
Published evaluation reports for pier systems tie capacity to these installation values and leave the design to a registered design professional. Ask that the final readings for each pier be recorded and given to you.
Line 4 — Engineering
Is there an engineer’s design or letter? Who hired the engineer: you or the contractor? Did they visit? Will you get a stamped document? Is the engineer’s post-repair inspection included?
Line 5 — Permits and inspections
Who determines whether a permit is needed, applies for it, pays the fee and schedules inspections? The FTC lists a contractor asking you to pull the permit as a warning sign. The permit fee is a small line item. It is set by the city’s schedule, not by the contractor, so it shouldn’t drive your choice. See Foundation repair permits and licensing and What foundation repair costs.
Line 6 — Site work and restoration
Excavation, landscaping removal and replacement, concrete cutting and patching, interior finish removal, utility locates, debris haul-off. Silence on these lines is where later change orders come from.
Line 7 — Exclusions and allowances
What’s explicitly not included? Common examples are drainage, plumbing repairs after lifting, cosmetic repairs, and “unforeseen conditions.” Allowances (for example, extra piers at a unit price) are reasonable when stated with a price.
Line 8 — Payment schedule and lien protection
- Deposit size and when it is due.
- Milestone payments, and the final payment tied to completion or inspection.
- Lien waivers with each payment.
In Missouri, the original contractor generally must give you a statutory “Notice to Owner” before taking payment, warning that without lien waivers you may pay twice. Kansas has its own residential lien warning rules. See Red flags.
Line 9 — The warranty document
Attach the actual warranty to each bid and compare: who issues it, what “lifetime” means, the covered area, the failure threshold, exclusions, transfer terms and fees, and your maintenance obligations. See Foundation repair warranties.
Line 10 — Schedule, cancellation and changes
Start date, duration, cleanup, and how changes are approved. Changes should be in writing with a price, as Arkansas’s attorney general advises. If you signed at home, check whether you have a cancellation right.
A comparison grid you can copy
| Bid A | Bid B | Bid C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stated cause and evidence | |||
| Method and product | |||
| Count and locations (drawing?) | |||
| Depth / pressure / torque criteria | |||
| Lift target or stabilization only | |||
| Engineer (who, stamped?) | |||
| Permit (who applies and pays) | |||
| Drainage or moisture work included | |||
| Site restoration included | |||
| Exclusions | |||
| Payment schedule / lien waivers | |||
| Warranty: issuer, term, transfer fee | |||
| Total price |
About “get three bids”
Three is a useful habit, not a rule. In a smaller metro or a busy season you may only get two firms to inspect, and that’s fine if the bids are complete. An incomplete bid with the lowest total is the most expensive kind to compare. Contact companies directly through the links on each record. Our matching form isn’t open yet.