Guide
Choosing a crawl space or waterproofing company in Murfreesboro
The company you are connected with is independent, and so is your decision to hire it. These checks apply to any contractor, whoever referred you.
What a proper inspection looks like
- Someone goes all the way in, to the far corners, and not just as far as the access door.
- They walk the outside too: gutters, downspouts, the slope of the soil, where the neighbor's water goes.
- They take moisture readings on the wood and humidity readings in the air, and tell you the numbers.
- They show you photos of what they found, taken under your house that day.
- They explain where the water is coming from before they talk about products.
- They leave a written proposal you can read at your own pace.
Be wary of a visit that ends with one package, one price and pressure to sign before the inspector leaves.
Get it in writing
Tennessee's Board for Licensing Contractors advises homeowners to get a written contract that carries the company's name, address and telephone number, with an expected start date and completion date. Add to that a clear list of what will be done and with which materials, the total price, and when each payment falls due.
The Board also says never to pay more than one-third up front, not to let payments run ahead of the work, and not to pay in cash. Ask for the warranty as a document. Read what it covers, what voids it, whether it passes to the next owner, and who stands behind it if the installer closes.
Check the license yourself
In Rutherford County, Tennessee requires a state home improvement license for remodeling work on an existing home above a small-job threshold, and a full contractor's license for larger projects. The Board's consumer brochure gives the thresholds.
Look the company up at verify.tn.gov, the state's license search, using the exact name on the proposal. Check that the license is active and that the name matches. The Board answers questions about complaints and discipline on (615) 741-8307.
Ask the company for a certificate of insurance showing general liability and workers' compensation cover, sent to you by its insurer or agent.
Permits in Murfreesboro and the county
Murfreesboro's Building and Codes office says a permit is required to alter or repair a building or any part of it, and that normal maintenance repairs are exempt. Laying a liner and rebuilding a wall sit at opposite ends of that scale. Ask the company which side your job falls on and who applies for the permit. The state Board's advice is to make sure the contractor is the one who obtains it.
Outside city limits, Rutherford County's Building Codes office works to the same principle and suggests calling (615) 898-7734 to verify that a permit exists before work begins. Inside Smyrna or La Vergne, ask that town's codes office.
Nine questions for any contractor
- What exactly is causing the moisture at my house?
- What is the smallest job that would fix it, and what is the full version? Please price both.
- Who will do the work: your own employees or a subcontractor?
- What is your Tennessee license number, and in what name is it held?
- Will you send your insurance certificate before the start date?
- Does this job need a permit, and will you obtain it?
- What is the payment schedule?
- What does the warranty exclude?
- Who do I call if water shows up again, and what happens then?
Hiring questions
Should I get more than one opinion?
Yes. The state Board suggests at least three bids. Proposals for the same crawl space can differ widely in scope, so compare them item by item and not only by the total.
The salesperson says the price is only good today. What now?
Treat it as a warning sign. Tennessee's consumer guidance lists being rushed, so that you cannot research the contractor, among the things to avoid. A sound proposal will still be sound next week.
What if something goes wrong after I hire?
Raise it with the company in writing first. Complaints about contractors go to the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. This referral service is not a party to your contract and cannot settle disputes.
Talk to a crawl space company
Say what you have noticed under the house or in the basement. A short description is enough to get the conversation started.
Call from Murfreesboro or nearby
You will be put through to an independent local company that does this kind of work.
Call (615) 555-0113Calls may be recorded. Read the referral disclosure to see how this service is paid for.