Start with conditions, not a product
Cracks and sticking doors are clues, not diagnoses. Soil moisture, grading, drainage, framing, and foundation type need to be considered together before a repair plan is proposed.
Build a complete scope
- Existing conditions and likely cause
- Preparation and protection
- Materials, compatibility, and installation details
- Permits, testing, cleanup, and restoration
- Exclusions, warranty terms, and change-order process
Carmel context
Carmel sits on Hamilton County's Crosby-Brookston silt loam and silty clay loam soils, developed on calcareous glacial till that expands when wet and shrinks and cracks when dry — a seasonal cycle that puts consistent pressure on foundations across the whole metro regardless of a home's age. Carmel's population grew from 6,691 in 1970 to 99,757 by the 2020 census, so most of the city's foundations were poured during that fifty-year boom, while the original Old Town core near the town's 1837 founding site carries foundations built long before modern understanding of expansive-clay soil behavior.