Foundation Inspection in Shreveport, LA
Before you pay for piers or leveling, find out what is actually moving and why. Here is how an independent structural engineer's assessment differs from a free contractor inspection, what it costs and when it is worth it. Then compare free repair quotes from independent companies serving Shreveport, Louisiana and Bossier City, LA.
Get a Free Quote Call (318) 633-1685
When an inspection makes sense
- Several signs at once: cracks in the brick, sticking doors, sloping or bouncy floors
- Repair quotes that disagree on the cause, the method or the number of piers
- Buying or selling a home with visible cracks or uneven floors
- A pier-and-beam house that may need leveling, or a slab that may need piers
- Sagging floors over a crawl space you plan to encapsulate
- After a repair, to check the work
A single hairline crack with nothing else going on usually does not need an engineer. See foundation crack repair for how to watch one.
Structural engineer vs. contractor inspection
| Independent structural engineer | Free contractor inspection | |
|---|---|---|
| Who they work for | You | The company selling the repair |
| What you get | A written report: findings, likely cause, recommended repair or monitoring | A proposal for the work that company sells |
| License to check | Louisiana PE license (LAPELS) | LSLBC contractor license |
| Typical cost | About $300–$1,000 (avg ≈ $600, This Old House) | Often free |
| Best for | Large jobs, conflicting quotes, real estate deals | Pricing a repair you already understand |
Both have a place. A sensible pattern is a free inspection or two first, then an engineer when the proposals are large or do not agree. An independent Louisiana-licensed engineer works for you, not the repair company. Ask whether they take referral fees from repair companies. The post on structural engineer vs free inspection covers this in more depth.
What happens during an engineer's assessment
History
The engineer asks when you noticed the problem, whether it is changing, past repairs, and how old the house is.
Elevation survey
Floor heights are read room by room with a digital or laser level and mapped to show high and low spots.
The evidence
Crack patterns in brick and drywall, doors and windows, the slab edge or the crawl space, piers, beams and sills are checked and photographed.
Water and lot
Gutters, downspouts, grading and where water goes after rain are reviewed.
Written report
You get the likely cause, whether the movement is structural, and what repair or monitoring makes sense. It may call for a soil report or, under a slab, a plumbing test.
Foundation inspections around Shreveport and Bossier City
Ground conditions are a big part of what an engineer looks at here. Much of Caddo and Bossier parishes is mapped in clay soils with high to very high shrink-swell potential (USDA NRCS soil data): roughly 43% of Caddo and 55% of Bossier by area, including Red River clays like Moreland and Buxin and upland soils like Eastwood and Keithville. Check your own lot on Web Soil Survey. If the engineer wants more than the soil map shows, a geotechnical soil report runs $1,000–$5,000 in Fixr's guide and $500–$3,000 in This Old House's.
The housing stock matters too. Shreveport's median home was built in 1973 and about 65% of homes were built before 1980 (ACS 2020–2024). Many older homes in districts like Highland, Fairfield and South Highlands sit on piers over a crawl space, where the engineer looks at piers, beams and sills. Most newer homes are on slabs, where edge lift and settlement are the usual questions.
For a sale, know one more report. In Louisiana, a wood destroying insect report (WDIR) is generally issued for sales or refinancing by a licensed termite operator, and it is not a repair guarantee. It is a termite report, not a foundation assessment, so it does not replace an engineer.
What an inspection costs
| Item | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Structural engineer inspection | $300–$1,000 (avg ≈ $600) | This Old House, Oct 2026 |
| Foundation repair, overall | $2,200–$8,200 (avg ≈ $5,200) | Fixr, Jan 2026 |
| Foundation repair, overall (second guide) | $2,224–$8,134 (avg ≈ $5,179) | This Old House, Oct 2026 |
| Piers, per pier (underpinning) | $1,000–$3,000 | Fixr, This Old House |
| Permit | $75–$150 | This Old House |
A separate written engineer's report is listed at $300–$2,000 by Fixr and $500–$1,000 by This Old House. On a job that might need eight or more piers, an engineer's fee is a small share of the total. The Shreveport foundation repair cost guide has the full table and a calculator.
Questions to ask
Choosing an engineer
- Are you a Louisiana-licensed professional engineer (LAPELS), and what is your license number?
- Do you have business ties to foundation repair companies, or take referral fees from them?
- Will I get a written report, and does it include an elevation survey?
- Will you review contractor proposals or inspect after the repair, and at what cost?
Then, for the repair company
- What is your LSLBC license number, and can I see proof of liability insurance?
- Will you pull the permit, and does your written scope follow the engineer's report?
- What does the warranty cover, does it transfer to a buyer, and can I have it in writing?
License. Louisiana's contractor board (LSLBC) changed its thresholds on August 1, 2024. Home improvement registration now covers most projects of $7,500 to under $50,000, but structural work such as foundations, footings and floor slabs is excluded from 'home improvement', so foundation repair over $7,500 generally calls for an LSLBC-licensed contractor. Look the company up at lslbc.louisiana.gov and ask for the license number, proof of liability insurance and the permit. Confirm with the LSLBC if unsure.
Permit. Structural repairs generally need a permit from your city or parish; your contractor should pull it. Shreveport's Permits & Inspections office covers the city and Caddo Parish except Greenwood, LA, and Bossier City, LA has its own office.
Right to cancel. Louisiana's home solicitation law (R.S. 9:3538) gives a 3-business-day right to cancel many in-home sales of $25 or more, but it may not apply when you contacted the company yourself or to emergency repairs already under way. Ask whether a cancel right applies and get it in writing.
Foundation inspection FAQs
How much does a foundation inspection cost in Shreveport?
This Old House (October 2026) puts a structural engineer's inspection at about $300–$1,000, with an average near $600, and lists hourly rates of $100–$500. A written report can add to that. These are typical national ranges, not Shreveport, LA quotes. Free inspections from repair companies cost nothing but come with a sales proposal.
Is a free foundation inspection from a repair company enough?
For a small, clear-cut job it can be. A free visit is a good way to get a price and a scope. It is still a sales visit, because the person measuring the floors also sells the repair. For large pier or leveling jobs, quotes that disagree, or a home purchase, an independent engineer's report gives you an opinion with nothing to sell.
Do I need a structural engineer to buy a house with foundation problems?
It is a good idea. An independent engineer's written report tells you what is moving, how much, and what repair makes sense, which you can use to compare repair quotes and negotiate. Ask the seller for any past repair records and warranties, and whether the warranty transfers to a buyer. Your agent can advise on timing within your contract.
How do I check a structural engineer's license in Louisiana?
Professional engineers in Louisiana are licensed by the Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board (LAPELS). Ask the engineer for their PE license number; you can look up the license on the LAPELS website (lapels.com). Architects are licensed separately, so make sure the person assessing your foundation is a licensed engineer.
Get free foundation repair quotes
Describe what you see, whether the home is on a slab or piers, and whether you have an engineer's report. Your request goes to independent foundation companies serving Shreveport, Bossier City and nearby towns. Share any report with each company so the quotes cover the same scope.
Shreveport Foundation Services is a free quote-matching service, not a contractor. The companies are independent, and some pay to receive requests. There is no cost and no obligation to hire anyone.
Cracks, sticking doors or a soft floor? Get free foundation and crawl space quotes.
Describe it once and independent companies serving Shreveport, Bossier City and northwest Louisiana can reply with no-obligation quotes.