Underfoot Services - Residential Foundation Assesments

We  provide a range of forensic foundation assessment and reporting services.  We can review existing reports for you and assist you with your pre-purchase due diligence.

Inquire About A Foundation Assessment  Inquire About a Pre-Purchase Inspection

Forensic Assessment and Reporting (Ring Foundation) – Insurance Claims

Download our Rubble Ring Foundation Fact Sheet

The purpose of this service is to help property owners identify whether there is any damage to their home’s foundation, which can be followed by a possible reinstatement strategy, if applicable.  As part of the insurance claim process, our forensic foundation report provides critical evidence for property owners whose homes have suffered damage due to earthquake, flooding, or other natural disasters.  A Forensic Foundation Report is equally relevant for property owners wanting robust evidence on the state of their home’s foundation at particular points in time.  Depending on the status of the home one of three reports styles would be applied:

Forensic Foundation Report – Assessment

The primary purpose of this assessment is to identify whether foundation damage was caused by a natural disaster.  It is normally used in cases where no previous damage assessment(s), scope(s) or repair strategy exists

Forensic Foundation Report – Missed Damage Assessment

This assessment is used when a property owner believes there is a risk that damage to their home’s foundation was caused by a natural disaster but was overlooked in previous assessments, scopes or repair strategies done by other organisations.

Forensic Foundation Report –  Previously Repaired Assessment

This assessment is used when a property owner believes that a repair to their home’s foundation does not; meet the reinstatement standard within the EQC Act 1993,  conform with the standard stated in their insurance policy, and / or in some way does not comply with the Building Act 2004.  The repair method used may have included (but is not limited to) plaster, epoxy resin, or jack-and-pack.  It is likely that several assessments, scopes or repair strategies already exist on these homes.

Inquire About A Foundation Assessment  Inquire About a Pre-Purchase Inspection

Ring Foundation: Pre-Sale and Pre-Purchase Inspections

Vendor Preparing for Sale

As a vendor preparing for sale in a post earthquake environment, you may like to be as transparent as possible about your home.  Sadly, some homes have had earthquake repair strategies applied to them  which did not return homes to the standard stated in the EQC Act 1993, or to the standard of the private insurance policy. This is particularly relevant for homes with ring foundations.  When issues with the homes foundation are identified by prospective purchasers it can quickly derail the sales process.  As the current owner of the home, if you want to protect your sales process you may wish to consider investing in one of our Forensic Reports listed above.

Prospective Purchaser

Your biggest investment can turn into your biggest challenge if you do not complete sufficient due diligence prior to buying homes in a post natural disaster environment.  At UFS we only focus on the foundation of the home, not only because it is our area of expertise, it is one area that can be very costly to ‘put right’.  If you invest in a Prospective Purchaser report, we complete a visual inspection and provide you with a report that gives you our opinion on the repair methodology applied to the home you are considering buying.  When you buy a home with an insurance claim you become what is known as a subsequent owner to the claim.  Under some insurance policies, as a subsequent owner you may not be able to access the private insurance claim.  If this eventuates, and there is missed damage to the home’s foundation, the cost to reinstate a ring foundation will often exceed the EQC cap, leaving you immersed in a complex, and often expensive process.

Inquire About A Foundation Assessment  Inquire About a Pre-Purchase Inspection

Forensic Assessment and Reporting (Slab Foundation) – Insurance Claims

Yes, we can assist with a review of slab foundation. We are currently accepting these on a case by case basis.

Report Reviews and Consulting Services

We  provide a report review and general consulting services on request. Contact Us