Inspected a $10,000 Crawl Space Repair That Needs to Be Done Over
When "Fixed" Doesn't Mean Fixed
WHAT I FOUND IN A KNOXVILLE CRAWL SPACE AFTER A BIG COMPANY LEFT
I'm standing in a crawl space in Knoxville, and I'm honestly frustrated.
The homeowner here already paid thousands of dollars - probably close to ten grand - to have their crawl space fixed by one of the biggest foundation companies in the area.
And now I'm here telling them it needs to be done over.
This isn't about trashing my competition.
It's about showing you what can happen when companies prioritize speed over quality.
Because this homeowner trusted a big name, paid good money, and thought their problem was solved.
But the work that was done here? It's incomplete at best, and dangerous at worst.
If you're thinking about getting crawl space work done, or if you've already had work done and something doesn't feel right - this is what you need to watch out for.
What They Actually Did (And Charged For)
Let me start with what they did do, because on paper, this looks like a complete job.
They installed a six mil black vapor barrier across the crawl space floor. They put in an AprilAire dehumidifier - and honestly, that's decent equipment. They sistered some floor joists that were damaged. They installed supplemental support beams to help with the sagging floor.
If you're reading the invoice, it sounds thorough. It sounds like they addressed everything.
But here's the problem - doing part of the job doesn't fix the whole problem. And in some cases, what they did is actually making things worse because it's creating a false sense of security.
The homeowner thinks their crawl space is fixed. But walk through here with me, and you'll see why it's not even close..
What They Left Behind
So let's talk about what they didn't do - and this is where it gets really frustrating.
There's deteriorated insulation hanging everywhere throughout this crawl space. It's falling down, it's waterlogged, it's useless. And they just left it there. Didn't pull it out, didn't dispose of it, just worked around it.
The subfloor - all the wood above us - is covered in fungal growth. You can see it everywhere. And they didn't treat any of it. They just put a vapor barrier down below it and called it good.
Here's why that matters: you can install the best vapor barrier in the world, you can run a top-of-the-line dehumidifier, but if you leave fungal growth on the wood and deteriorated insulation hanging in the space, you haven't actually solved the moisture problem. You've just covered it up.
That fungal growth is still there. It's still affecting the air quality in the home. And that hanging insulation is still holding moisture and adding weight to joists that are already compromised.
This isn't cosmetic stuff. This defeats the entire purpose of encapsulating a crawl space.
The Structural Work That Wasn't Done Right
Now let's talk about the structural repairs - because this is where it goes from incomplete to actually concerning.
When you sister a joist, you're reinforcing a damaged beam by attaching a new beam right next to it. The key word is "next to" - they need to be touching, bolted together, working as one piece.
In this crawl space, I'm looking at sistered joists with a two-inch gap between them. They're not touching. They're not fastened together. That new joist isn't supporting anything - it's just a piece of wood sitting nearby doing absolutely nothing.
Then we've got the supplemental support beams. Some of them are sitting on cinder blocks that aren't even secured or leveled properly. Others - and this one kills me - are sitting straight in the dirt. No footer. No concrete base. Just wood sitting in dirt.
Dirt settles. Dirt shifts. Dirt holds moisture that rots wood. You cannot build structural support on dirt. That's not a shortcut - that's just wrong.
These aren't small details. This is structural support for the floor above. This is what's holding up the house..
Why This Happens (The Big Company Problem)
So why does work like this get left behind? It comes down to how big companies operate.
These companies are focused on volume. They're running multiple crews across multiple jobs every single day. The goal is to get in, get it done, and get to the next one.
The crews are often rushed. They've got a schedule to keep, quotas to hit, another job waiting. So they do what's on the work order and move on. If something takes extra time - like pulling out all that old insulation or properly treating the subfloor - it slows them down.
And here's the bigger issue: there's usually no owner oversight. The person who sold you the job isn't the person doing the work. The person doing the work isn't checking quality - they're checking boxes on a list. And by the time anyone realizes there's a problem, the crew is three jobs down the road.
The homeowner gets caught in the middle. They paid for a complete solution. They thought they hired a reputable company. And now they're stuck with half-finished work and problems that are still there.
I'm not saying every big company works this way. But I see it enough that it's a pattern, not an exception.
Questions Knoxville Homeowners Should Ask
Before you hire anyone for crawl space work, ask these questions:
Are you removing all the deteriorated insulation, or working around it? How are you treating the fungal growth on the subfloor? What's your exact process for structural repairs - sistering joists, installing support beams? Can I see photos and documentation as the work is happening? And who's actually going to be overseeing the installation - a crew lead, a project manager, the owner?
Pay attention to the answers. If they're vague, if they're dismissive, if they're telling you "don't worry about those details" - that's your sign to keep looking.
You're spending thousands of dollars on work that's supposed to last decades. You deserve clear answers.
Ready for a Second Opinion?
If you've already had crawl space work done and something doesn't feel right - or if you're trying to figure out who to hire in the first place - give us a call.
We'll come out and do a free inspection. I'll show you exactly what's going on in your crawl space, what's been done right, and what needs to be addressed. No pressure, no sales pitch. Just an honest assessment from someone who's actually going to crawl through there and look at every detail.
You can reach out to me directly. We'll get you scheduled, take our time doing a thorough inspection, and give you a straight answer about what you're dealing with.
Your crawl space work should be done right the first time. But if it wasn't, let's at least make sure it gets fixed properly now.
Contact Forever Guard Waterproofing today for your free crawl space inspection.
