{"id":1014,"date":"2026-10-28T15:04:21","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T19:04:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ernsocleus.com\/foundation-crack-what-you-can-observe-and-who-answers-what\/"},"modified":"2026-10-28T15:07:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T19:07:19","slug":"foundation-crack-what-you-can-observe-and-who-answers-what","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ernsocleus.com\/en\/foundation-crack-what-you-can-observe-and-who-answers-what\/","title":{"rendered":"Foundation crack: what you can observe and who answers what"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-video fusion-youtube fusion-aligncenter\" style=\"--awb-max-width:600px;--awb-max-height:360px;--awb-width:100%;\"><div class=\"video-shortcode\"><div class=\"fluid-width-video-wrapper\" style=\"padding-top:60%;\" ><iframe title=\"YouTube video player 1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZtHMadQ9_18?wmode=transparent&autoplay=0&amp;rel=0\" width=\"600\" height=\"360\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture;\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p class=\"ec-mention-ia\"><strong>About this video.<\/strong> The person on screen is an AI-generated avatar in my likeness. The voice is mine, cloned from recordings of my own voice, and the editing adjusts the sound. The image and the voice may therefore differ from my real appearance and delivery. The text is written and approved by me, and I take full responsibility for it. This process lets me publish regularly; it changes nothing about what is said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ec-reponse\"><strong>Hello. There\u2019s a crack in your basement. You want to know what it means, and you\u2019ve been searching online for twenty minutes.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ec-question\"><em>The question, as people ask it: \u201chow do I know if a foundation crack is serious\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>What you observe on a crack<\/h2>\n<p class=\"ec-reponse\"><strong>Grab a flashlight and a ruler. There are four things to note on a foundation crack.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here is what you observe on a foundation crack, concretely, with a flashlight.<\/p>\n<p>Four things can be noted by eye. One: the direction. Vertical, diagonal, horizontal, stair-step in a block wall. You note it. You don\u2019t interpret it.<\/p>\n<p>Two: the width. You measure it. A coin placed next to it gives the scale in a photo. A graduated ruler does better.<\/p>\n<p>Three: whether both sides of the crack have stayed in the same plane, or whether one side is offset from the other. You can feel it by running a finger across.<\/p>\n<p>Four: the length, and how far the line runs.<\/p>\n<p>These four observations, you can make yourself tonight. What I can\u2019t do, and what you can\u2019t do either, is draw a conclusion from them. A direction says nothing on its own. Neither does a width. The assessment belongs to a structural engineer.<\/p>\n<h2>Seen once, or followed over time<\/h2>\n<p class=\"ec-reponse\"><strong>A photo of your crack shows a state. It doesn\u2019t say whether it\u2019s moving. Here\u2019s how to find out.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There is a difference between a crack you saw once and a crack you followed over time. It\u2019s information an owner can produce themselves, and that no one else will produce for them.<\/p>\n<p>A photo taken today shows a state. It doesn\u2019t say whether that state is changing.<\/p>\n<p>Two simple methods exist. The first: dated photos. Always the same framing, always with a ruler or a coin in the picture, once a season. Write the date in the file name.<\/p>\n<p>The second isn\u2019t something you install yourself: the crack monitor. A small plaster patch across the crack, or a glass slip glued on each side, with a date written on it. You ask the structural engineer for it, and they decide whether to install one and where. You don\u2019t add anything to a crack, or seal it, before you have their written opinion.<\/p>\n<p>I won\u2019t tell you what it means if a monitor changes, or if it doesn\u2019t. That\u2019s not for me to say. But a structural engineer who receives a series of dated observations is working with more than a single visit.<\/p>\n<h2>Photograph and date: documenting a crack for the expert<\/h2>\n<p class=\"ec-reponse\"><strong>A photo of a crack with no scale and no date is of no use to anyone. Here\u2019s how to do it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>An engineer who arrives in front of a crack with no history is working with much less.<\/p>\n<p>Here is what any owner can do.<\/p>\n<p>Photograph. Straight on, at the height of the crack, with even lighting. Then a second, wider photo that shows where it is on the wall. A close-up on its own doesn\u2019t say where you are.<\/p>\n<p>Give a scale. A coin, a tape measure, a pencil placed next to it. Without a reference, no one can read a dimension on a photo.<\/p>\n<p>Date it. Every photo, with the day. Your phone already does it, but also write it in a separate file.<\/p>\n<p>Repeat. The same photo, taken from the same spot, a few months apart. It\u2019s the comparison that has value, not the image on its own.<\/p>\n<p>And note the context: heavy rain, a thaw, excavation work on the street.<\/p>\n<p>What you produce there isn\u2019t an expert\u2019s finding. It\u2019s material for the person who will make one.<\/p>\n<h2>The inside, the outside, and what is buried<\/h2>\n<p class=\"ec-reponse\"><strong>There\u2019s one face of a foundation that almost no one looks at. It\u2019s outside, behind the cedars.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A foundation crack has two faces, and people often forget the second one.<\/p>\n<p>Inside, you look at the basement\u2019s concrete wall where it\u2019s bare. Behind the furnace, in the mechanical room, under the stairs, in the storage area. If your basement is finished, a large part of the wall is no longer visible. That\u2019s a fact, not a criticism.<\/p>\n<p>Outside, you look at the portion of concrete that sticks out of the ground. Walk all the way around the house. Look behind the cedars, behind the recycling bin, under the bottom of the siding.<\/p>\n<p>And there\u2019s the buried portion. That one, no one sees. Not you, not me, not an inspector. It would have to be excavated.<\/p>\n<p>When a line shows up in the same place on both sides of a wall, note it as is. The structural engineer will see what to make of it. Photograph both faces.<\/p>\n<p>What it means is for a structural engineer to say. You document.<\/p>\n<h2>The garage and the front steps are not the foundation<\/h2>\n<p class=\"ec-reponse\"><strong>The crack in your garage slab and the one in your foundation are not the same line in the file.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a confusion I see often. The garage slab, the front porch and the outdoor steps are not the house\u2019s foundation.<\/p>\n<p>A garage slab rests on the ground. So does a poured concrete porch, in many cases. These are separate structures from the foundation wall that carries the house.<\/p>\n<p>So when you document, be precise about the location. Write \u201cfoundation wall, north side, basement\u201d. Write \u201cgarage slab, near the door\u201d. It\u2019s not the same line in a file, and it\u2019s not the same line in a declaration.<\/p>\n<p>The reverse is true too. When the garage is attached and shares a wall with the house, the distinction takes a trained eye. That eye is a structural engineer\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>You do three things. Photograph. Name the exact location. Date it. The rest belongs to the expert.<\/p>\n<h2>The structural engineer\u2019s written opinion<\/h2>\n<p class=\"ec-reponse\"><strong>A structural engineer\u2019s opinion is a dated, signed document. Here\u2019s what it contains.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A structural engineer\u2019s written opinion. Here is what that document changes, concretely.<\/p>\n<p>A structural engineer is a professional regulated by a professional order. They take on responsibility when they sign. Neither I, nor a building inspector, nor a contractor produces that document in their place.<\/p>\n<p>What you receive is a dated document. Observations, a position, and sometimes recommendations. You are free to do what you want with it afterwards.<\/p>\n<p>Without that document, the conversation is about impressions. With it, it\u2019s about a dated document signed by a professional regulated by an order.<\/p>\n<p>And there\u2019s the timeline. An engineer works by appointment. The report arrives after the visit. That delay exists whether you\u2019re selling or not.<\/p>\n<h2>Who to call, and for what<\/h2>\n<p class=\"ec-reponse\"><strong>I don\u2019t do the inspection. My role is to know where to look and who to call.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Structural engineer<\/li>\n<li>Specialized contractor<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<div class=\"accordian fusion-accordian\" style=\"--awb-border-size:1px;--awb-icon-size:16px;--awb-content-font-size:var(--awb-typography4-font-size);--awb-icon-alignment:left;--awb-hover-color:var(--awb-color2);--awb-border-color:var(--awb-color3);--awb-background-color:var(--awb-color1);--awb-divider-color:var(--awb-color3);--awb-divider-hover-color:var(--awb-color3);--awb-icon-color:var(--awb-color1);--awb-title-color:var(--awb-color8);--awb-content-color:var(--awb-color8);--awb-icon-box-color:var(--awb-color8);--awb-toggle-hover-accent-color:var(--awb-color5);--awb-title-font-family:var(--awb-typography1-font-family);--awb-title-font-weight:var(--awb-typography1-font-weight);--awb-title-font-style:var(--awb-typography1-font-style);--awb-title-font-size:16px;--awb-title-letter-spacing:0.01em;--awb-title-line-height:1.35;--awb-content-font-family:var(--awb-typography4-font-family);--awb-content-font-weight:var(--awb-typography4-font-weight);--awb-content-font-style:var(--awb-typography4-font-style);\"><div class=\"panel-group fusion-toggle-icon-boxed\" id=\"accordion-1014-1\"><div class=\"fusion-panel panel-default panel-7b7cf5aa9f051b52a fusion-toggle-has-divider\"><div class=\"panel-heading\"><h4 class=\"panel-title toggle\" id=\"toggle_7b7cf5aa9f051b52a\"><a aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"7b7cf5aa9f051b52a\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion-1014-1\" data-target=\"#7b7cf5aa9f051b52a\" href=\"#7b7cf5aa9f051b52a\"><span class=\"fusion-toggle-icon-wrapper\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i class=\"fa-fusion-box active-icon awb-icon-minus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><i class=\"fa-fusion-box inactive-icon awb-icon-plus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"fusion-toggle-heading\">How do I know if a foundation crack is serious?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div><div id=\"7b7cf5aa9f051b52a\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse \" aria-labelledby=\"toggle_7b7cf5aa9f051b52a\"><div class=\"panel-body toggle-content fusion-clearfix\">Hello. There\u2019s a crack in your basement. You want to know what it means, and you\u2019ve been searching online for twenty minutes.<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-panel panel-default panel-8c7dd2c748fca3456 fusion-toggle-has-divider\"><div class=\"panel-heading\"><h4 class=\"panel-title toggle\" id=\"toggle_8c7dd2c748fca3456\"><a aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"8c7dd2c748fca3456\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion-1014-1\" data-target=\"#8c7dd2c748fca3456\" href=\"#8c7dd2c748fca3456\"><span class=\"fusion-toggle-icon-wrapper\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i class=\"fa-fusion-box active-icon awb-icon-minus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><i class=\"fa-fusion-box inactive-icon awb-icon-plus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"fusion-toggle-heading\">Foundation crack: the 4 things to note<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div><div id=\"8c7dd2c748fca3456\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse \" aria-labelledby=\"toggle_8c7dd2c748fca3456\"><div class=\"panel-body toggle-content fusion-clearfix\">Grab a flashlight and a ruler. There are four things to note on a foundation crack.<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-panel panel-default panel-74a65bc3f4ca83f3f fusion-toggle-has-divider\"><div class=\"panel-heading\"><h4 class=\"panel-title toggle\" id=\"toggle_74a65bc3f4ca83f3f\"><a aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"74a65bc3f4ca83f3f\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion-1014-1\" data-target=\"#74a65bc3f4ca83f3f\" href=\"#74a65bc3f4ca83f3f\"><span class=\"fusion-toggle-icon-wrapper\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i class=\"fa-fusion-box active-icon awb-icon-minus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><i class=\"fa-fusion-box inactive-icon awb-icon-plus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"fusion-toggle-heading\">How to follow a foundation crack over time<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div><div id=\"74a65bc3f4ca83f3f\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse \" aria-labelledby=\"toggle_74a65bc3f4ca83f3f\"><div class=\"panel-body toggle-content fusion-clearfix\">A photo of your crack shows a state. It doesn\u2019t say whether it\u2019s moving. Here\u2019s how to find out.<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-panel panel-default panel-15769020c68c05278 fusion-toggle-has-divider\"><div class=\"panel-heading\"><h4 class=\"panel-title toggle\" id=\"toggle_15769020c68c05278\"><a aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"15769020c68c05278\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion-1014-1\" data-target=\"#15769020c68c05278\" href=\"#15769020c68c05278\"><span class=\"fusion-toggle-icon-wrapper\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i class=\"fa-fusion-box active-icon awb-icon-minus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><i class=\"fa-fusion-box inactive-icon awb-icon-plus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"fusion-toggle-heading\">How to photograph a crack for an engineer<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div><div id=\"15769020c68c05278\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse \" aria-labelledby=\"toggle_15769020c68c05278\"><div class=\"panel-body toggle-content fusion-clearfix\">A photo of a crack with no scale and no date is of no use to anyone. Here\u2019s how to do it.<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-panel panel-default panel-7b3c1fc75c254e50f fusion-toggle-has-divider\"><div class=\"panel-heading\"><h4 class=\"panel-title toggle\" id=\"toggle_7b3c1fc75c254e50f\"><a aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"7b3c1fc75c254e50f\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion-1014-1\" data-target=\"#7b3c1fc75c254e50f\" href=\"#7b3c1fc75c254e50f\"><span class=\"fusion-toggle-icon-wrapper\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i class=\"fa-fusion-box active-icon awb-icon-minus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><i class=\"fa-fusion-box inactive-icon awb-icon-plus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"fusion-toggle-heading\">Foundation crack: the face no one looks at<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div><div id=\"7b3c1fc75c254e50f\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse \" aria-labelledby=\"toggle_7b3c1fc75c254e50f\"><div class=\"panel-body toggle-content fusion-clearfix\">There\u2019s one face of a foundation that almost no one looks at. It\u2019s outside, behind the cedars.<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-panel panel-default panel-c35c099f3f8b626d2 fusion-toggle-has-divider\"><div class=\"panel-heading\"><h4 class=\"panel-title toggle\" id=\"toggle_c35c099f3f8b626d2\"><a aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"c35c099f3f8b626d2\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion-1014-1\" data-target=\"#c35c099f3f8b626d2\" href=\"#c35c099f3f8b626d2\"><span class=\"fusion-toggle-icon-wrapper\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i class=\"fa-fusion-box active-icon awb-icon-minus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><i class=\"fa-fusion-box inactive-icon awb-icon-plus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"fusion-toggle-heading\">Garage slab or foundation: not the same thing<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div><div id=\"c35c099f3f8b626d2\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse \" aria-labelledby=\"toggle_c35c099f3f8b626d2\"><div class=\"panel-body toggle-content fusion-clearfix\">The crack in your garage slab and the one in your foundation are not the same line in the file.<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-panel panel-default panel-0c931e46774a40b55 fusion-toggle-has-divider\"><div class=\"panel-heading\"><h4 class=\"panel-title toggle\" id=\"toggle_0c931e46774a40b55\"><a aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"0c931e46774a40b55\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion-1014-1\" data-target=\"#0c931e46774a40b55\" href=\"#0c931e46774a40b55\"><span class=\"fusion-toggle-icon-wrapper\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i class=\"fa-fusion-box active-icon awb-icon-minus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><i class=\"fa-fusion-box inactive-icon awb-icon-plus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"fusion-toggle-heading\">Why an engineer\u2019s opinion changes the conversation<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div><div id=\"0c931e46774a40b55\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse \" aria-labelledby=\"toggle_0c931e46774a40b55\"><div class=\"panel-body toggle-content fusion-clearfix\">A structural engineer\u2019s opinion is a dated, signed document. Here\u2019s what it contains.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h2>Get a value report for your property, and a marketing plan<\/h2>\n<p>Get a value report for your property, and a marketing plan \u2014 comparables, features, opinion of value<\/p>\n<div class=\"fusion-button-wrapper\"><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat button-large button-default fusion-button-default button-1 fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" style=\"--awb-margin-top:6px;--awb-margin-bottom:6px;--button_text_transform:uppercase;\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Request a value report\" aria-label=\"Request a value report\" href=\"\/en\/contact\/\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text awb-button__text awb-button__text--default\">Request my value report<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<h2>Full video transcript<\/h2>\n<p><em>Full transcript of the video above, translated from French. Published October 28, 2026.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Hello. There\u2019s a crack in your basement. You want to know what it means, and you\u2019ve been searching online for twenty minutes.<\/p>\n<p>My name is Ernso Cl\u00e9us. I\u2019m a residential and commercial real estate broker with RE\/MAX Crystal. Before becoming a broker, I earned a diploma in building inspection technology. I\u2019ve walked into hundreds of basements with a flashlight.<\/p>\n<p>Let me tell you right away what this video won\u2019t do. I\u2019m not going to tell you whether your crack is serious. No one can say before a structural engineer has looked at it.<\/p>\n<p>What it will do is show you what can be observed, how to document it, and who answers what.<\/p>\n<p>What all this changes when it\u2019s time to sell is, or will be, the subject of a separate video on my channel.<\/p>\n<h3>What you observe on a crack<\/h3>\n<p>Here is what you observe on a foundation crack, concretely, with a flashlight.<\/p>\n<p>Four things can be noted by eye. One: the direction. Vertical, diagonal, horizontal, stair-step in a block wall. You note it. You don\u2019t interpret it.<\/p>\n<p>Two: the width. You measure it. A coin placed next to it gives the scale in a photo. A graduated ruler does better.<\/p>\n<p>Three: whether both sides of the crack have stayed in the same plane, or whether one side is offset from the other. You can feel it by running a finger across.<\/p>\n<p>Four: the length, and how far the line runs.<\/p>\n<p>These four observations, you can make yourself tonight. What I can\u2019t do, and what you can\u2019t do either, is draw a conclusion from them. A direction says nothing on its own. Neither does a width. The assessment belongs to a structural engineer.<\/p>\n<h3>Seen once, or followed over time<\/h3>\n<p>There is a difference between a crack you saw once and a crack you followed over time. It\u2019s information an owner can produce themselves, and that no one else will produce for them.<\/p>\n<p>A photo taken today shows a state. It doesn\u2019t say whether that state is changing.<\/p>\n<p>Two simple methods exist. The first: dated photos. Always the same framing, always with a ruler or a coin in the picture, once a season. Write the date in the file name.<\/p>\n<p>The second isn\u2019t something you install yourself: the crack monitor. A small plaster patch across the crack, or a glass slip glued on each side, with a date written on it. You ask the structural engineer for it, and they decide whether to install one and where. You don\u2019t add anything to a crack, or seal it, before you have their written opinion.<\/p>\n<p>I won\u2019t tell you what it means if a monitor changes, or if it doesn\u2019t. That\u2019s not for me to say. But a structural engineer who receives a series of dated observations is working with more than a single visit.<\/p>\n<h3>Photograph and date: documenting a crack for the expert<\/h3>\n<p>An engineer who arrives in front of a crack with no history is working with much less.<\/p>\n<p>Here is what any owner can do.<\/p>\n<p>Photograph. Straight on, at the height of the crack, with even lighting. Then a second, wider photo that shows where it is on the wall. A close-up on its own doesn\u2019t say where you are.<\/p>\n<p>Give a scale. A coin, a tape measure, a pencil placed next to it. Without a reference, no one can read a dimension on a photo.<\/p>\n<p>Date it. Every photo, with the day. Your phone already does it, but also write it in a separate file.<\/p>\n<p>Repeat. The same photo, taken from the same spot, a few months apart. It\u2019s the comparison that has value, not the image on its own.<\/p>\n<p>And note the context: heavy rain, a thaw, excavation work on the street.<\/p>\n<p>What you produce there isn\u2019t an expert\u2019s finding. It\u2019s material for the person who will make one.<\/p>\n<h3>The inside, the outside, and what is buried<\/h3>\n<p>A foundation crack has two faces, and people often forget the second one.<\/p>\n<p>Inside, you look at the basement\u2019s concrete wall where it\u2019s bare. Behind the furnace, in the mechanical room, under the stairs, in the storage area. If your basement is finished, a large part of the wall is no longer visible. That\u2019s a fact, not a criticism.<\/p>\n<p>Outside, you look at the portion of concrete that sticks out of the ground. Walk all the way around the house. Look behind the cedars, behind the recycling bin, under the bottom of the siding.<\/p>\n<p>And there\u2019s the buried portion. That one, no one sees. Not you, not me, not an inspector. It would have to be excavated.<\/p>\n<p>When a line shows up in the same place on both sides of a wall, note it as is. The structural engineer will see what to make of it. Photograph both faces.<\/p>\n<p>What it means is for a structural engineer to say. You document.<\/p>\n<h3>The garage and the front steps are not the foundation<\/h3>\n<p>There\u2019s a confusion I see often. The garage slab, the front porch and the outdoor steps are not the house\u2019s foundation.<\/p>\n<p>A garage slab rests on the ground. So does a poured concrete porch, in many cases. These are separate structures from the foundation wall that carries the house.<\/p>\n<p>So when you document, be precise about the location. Write \u201cfoundation wall, north side, basement\u201d. Write \u201cgarage slab, near the door\u201d. It\u2019s not the same line in a file, and it\u2019s not the same line in a declaration.<\/p>\n<p>The reverse is true too. When the garage is attached and shares a wall with the house, the distinction takes a trained eye. That eye is a structural engineer\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>You do three things. Photograph. Name the exact location. Date it. The rest belongs to the expert.<\/p>\n<h3>The structural engineer\u2019s written opinion<\/h3>\n<p>A structural engineer\u2019s written opinion. Here is what that document changes, concretely.<\/p>\n<p>A structural engineer is a professional regulated by a professional order. They take on responsibility when they sign. Neither I, nor a building inspector, nor a contractor produces that document in their place.<\/p>\n<p>What you receive is a dated document. Observations, a position, and sometimes recommendations. You are free to do what you want with it afterwards.<\/p>\n<p>Without that document, the conversation is about impressions. With it, it\u2019s about a dated document signed by a professional regulated by an order.<\/p>\n<p>And there\u2019s the timeline. An engineer works by appointment. The report arrives after the visit. That delay exists whether you\u2019re selling or not.<\/p>\n<p>A crack is observed; it isn\u2019t read. It gets assessed, and it\u2019s a structural engineer\u2019s written opinion that answers. The specialized contractor carries out the work.<\/p>\n<p>What has value is the comparison over time. Photograph with a scale and a date.<\/p>\n<p>A seller\u2019s first question is still the value of their property. I produce a value report and a marketing plan. You can request it through the links below the video.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re already bound by a brokerage contract with another broker, this invitation isn\u2019t meant for you.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t pass verdicts, I don\u2019t put a price on work, and I don\u2019t act as an inspector in any transaction. I observe, and I tell you which expert to call.<\/p>\n<p>Ernso Cl\u00e9us, residential and commercial real estate broker, RE\/MAX Crystal. Your broker who knows buildings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ec-maillage\">Read also: <a href=\"https:\/\/ernsocleus.com\/en\/selling-a-house-with-a-foundation-crack\/\">selling a house with a foundation crack<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/ernsocleus.com\/en\/do-i-have-to-declare-a-repaired-crack-the-cases-that-make-sellers-hesitate\/\">do I have to declare a repaired crack<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/ernsocleus.com\/en\/what-not-to-repair-before-getting-a-written-opinion\/\">what not to repair before getting a written opinion<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/ernsocleus.com\/en\/contact\/\">get in touch<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Ernso Cl\u00e9us<\/strong>, residential and commercial real estate broker \u2014 RE\/MAX Crystal. Your broker who knows buildings.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>About this video. The person on screen is an AI-generated  [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1014","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-vendre"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Foundation crack: what to observe and who answers what<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What you observe on a crack, seen once or followed over time, how to photograph and date it, inside and outside, and the structural engineer\u2019s opinion.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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