Crawl Space Repair Services in VA & NC

Crawl spaces are a hollow area between the ground and first floor of a property. As the name implies, there is not much room for a person to navigate, though there is plenty of room for problems with moisture and mold to arise. The main purpose of a crawl space is to elevate the floor structure and accommodate the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC components of the home. 

A poorly protected crawl space will leave your property susceptible to moisture buildup. If your home has a wood foundation, this can lead to problems with rotting wood, fungal growth, and pest infestations. As your home’s foundation weakens, so does its structural integrity overall value. For your own safety, ensuring a properly conditioned crawl space should be critical.

Not every crawl space is in need of repair services. There are several detectable signs that your crawl space may be in poor condition. If you notice any of these signs, be sure to contact our crawl space repair experts.

• Musty odors in the house
• High moisture and/or humidity
• Sloping / uneven floors
• Standing water
• Sticking doors
• Drywall cracks
• Cold floors
• Pest/Insect infestation
• Sagging damaged floor insulation

The price of repairing your crawl space depends on a number of different factors. For example, the square footage of your home determines the scale of the project (i.e. how many materials are needed, how long the job will take). There is no all-inclusive answer to how much a job will cost, but our trained crawl space solutions team can provide you with an estimate after inspecting your property.

There are several elements that go into crawl space repair work. Each one of these items serves a primary function that all combine to enhance your crawl space condition. Bay Crawlspace & Foundation Repair utilizes each of these components when working through a repair project.

Insulation serves as a reinforced barrier between the crawl space and your home’s floor. If you feel that your floors are cold despite the thermostat warming the rest of your house, there is a good chance you are in need of crawl space insulation repairs. There are multiple types of materials you can use for crawl space insulation. These include:

• Fiberglass Batt Floor Insulation – This type of fiberglass insulation is common in a lot of homes but oftern underperforms due to the lack of attention given during the installation process. These rolls of fiberglass can be cut to fit your crawl space’s dimensions, but they may not be entirely accurate and therefore may not provide thorough coverage.
• Closed Cell Spray Foam – This form of insulation comes in a compressed can and expands when sprayed on the crawl space areas that need to be isolated. This is an expensive form of insulation and one that can leave behind foul odors. This type of insulation is difficult to remove, which may become an issue if structural repairs are ever needed or if you decide to make adjustments to the crawl space.
• Rigid Foam Board – This process involves trimming 4×8 foam boards to fit the exact dimensions of your crawl space walls. This method costs considerably less than the closed cell spray foam yet has the same protective level. Best of all, this method guarantees full coverage of your crawl space as the installers can modify the panels to cover every square inch.

Our team utilizes the Rigid Foam Board method, as it is the most cost effective and most accurately covers the dimensions of your crawl space. We also recommend rigid foam board insulation because it does not leave behind the foul odor that people complain of after the installation.

Each project comes with its own costs. The scope of work will vary from house to house. After all, some crawl spaces are in worse condition than others. For example, one job may simply require a 6-mil vapor barrier installation. Another job may require installing new insulation after the old insulation fails. Perhaps your job requires a full scope of crawl space repairs including french drains, sump pumps, structural repairs, and a dehumidifier.

Bay Crawlspace & Foundation Repair will be upfront with you throughout the entire process. After our initial inspection, we will be able to gauge exactly what you need and how much it will cost. We will also provide you with an accurate timeline of what to expect while we are on the job.

Many people take on the task of encapsulating their crawl spaces themselves. While this is entirely possible, our philosophy is to let the experts handle it. Not only do DIY repairs often result in amateur quality work, but you can also run up an expensive bill when factoring in all the specialized tools and parts you will need.

A crawl space repair project can also take a long time if you don’t know what you are doing. Throughout that long process there are many opportunities to mess up and go down the wrong path, thus rendering the entire process useless. For example, if you do not prepare your crawl space prior to installing any lining or insulation you could leave the area open to further damage.

Another mis-step we see homeowners make is deciding between hiring a generalist (offers the repairs as a secondary service) or a dedicated crawl space expert. While you may be able to save some money with a generalist, you may also run the risk of cutting corners to get the job done. Bear in mind that each crawl space is different so you are banking on the contractor understanding the ins and outs of each crawl space type and how best to tackle the crawl space repairs from the outset of the project. Hiring a team of trained crawl space repair technicians speeds the process along because they can cut right to the chase of what you need to best situate your crawl space to protect against moisture and damages.