Guide
Foundation Repair Documentation: What to Keep
What paperwork should I keep when I have foundation repair work done?
Keep everything that records what was done, why, by whom, and under what conditions: the scope of work, invoices, dated before-and-after photographs, any engineering reports or specifications, permits and inspection records where required, waterproofing and drainage records, the repair system's product documentation, and any warranty in writing. Not every repair needs every document, but the set you keep is the evidence that lets a future buyer, contractor or insurer understand the work.
We are a referral service, not a contractor. Your request goes to an independent Calgary foundation company.
Published by Calgary Foundation Pros. Last updated August 16, 2026. This is general guidance for Calgary homeowners, not an engineering assessment of any specific property, and it is not a substitute for a professional engineer where one is warranted.
Foundation work happens behind finished walls and under the ground, so its record is the only way the future can see what was done. That record matters for a resale, for comparing any later work, and for standing behind a warranty.
This page goes through the pieces of documentation a repair can produce and what each one is for, with the honest caveat that not every job generates every item.
The scope of work and the contract
The contract and its scope of work say what was agreed to be repaired and how, which is the anchor for everything else. It tells a future reader what problem was addressed and by which method.
Keep the signed scope, the method decided, and any note of why that method was chosen over alternatives.
Invoices and payment records
Invoices record who did the work, when, and what it cost, which is useful for confirming a repair is not DIY-anonymous and for any later question about the work.
Keep the contractor's full business identity with the invoice, so a future inquiry can trace who actually performed the job.
Photographs, dated
Dated before-and-after photographs are among the most useful records you can keep, because they show the condition the repair addressed and the result. A dated photographic baseline is also what lets a later owner or assessor tell whether anything has changed since.
Engineering reports and specifications
Where a structural engineer is involved, their report and specification are the highest-value documents a repair can produce, because they record a measured diagnosis and the fix as designed.
These are the records a future buyer's inspector and a financing or insurance conversation most want to see, and they are what make later contractor quotes comparable.
Permits and inspection records
Where the work requires a permit, the permit and its final inspection record show the work was done under the authority that governs it. Not every foundation job requires one; the record should reflect what the specific work actually required, and it is worth keeping when it exists.
Waterproofing, drainage and product records
Because a large share of foundation problems are water-driven, records of waterproofing membranes, drainage systems such as weep tile or interior drains, and regrading are valuable. So are the repair system's product documentation, which records what material was installed and its properties.
Warranties
If a contractor provides a warranty, keep the written warranty and read what it actually covers: the scope, the term, and whether it transfers to a new owner on a resale. A warranty only does you good if it is in writing and you can show it.
Do not assume a warranty transfers automatically; the transfer terms are part of the document, and whether it passes to a buyer is a matter of what the warranty says.
Where the documentation lives in a sale
Documentation is the bridge between a one-off repair and a clean future transaction. A documented repair is something a seller can show; an undocumented one is a question a buyer has to price. The same records that reassure you after the job are the ones that reassure a buyer before conditions come off.
Questions people actually ask
What records should I keep after a foundation repair?
Keep the signed scope of work, invoices, dated before-and-after photos, any engineering report or specification, permits and inspection records where required, waterproofing and drainage records, the repair system's product documentation, and any warranty in writing. Not every job needs every document, but the ones a given repair produced are the records to keep safe.
What documents prove a foundation repair was done properly?
No single document proves quality, but the set that carries the most weight is a scope of work, an engineering report or specification where structural, a permit and inspection record where required, and dated photographs of the result. Those together show what was done, under what authority, and what the finished condition looks like.
Can a foundation repair warranty transfer to a new owner?
Only if the written warranty says it does. Transfer terms are part of the warranty document, and coverage is limited to what the warranty states. A transferable warranty in writing is a sales asset; assume nothing about transfer until you have read the document.
Do I need an engineering report for every foundation repair?
No. Cosmetic sealing, drainage correction and other non-structural work frequently need no engineer at all. An engineering report matters where the work is structural or load-bearing, such as underpinning, restraint of a bowing wall, or a fix that changes how load travels through the building.
Want someone to look at your specific case?
General guidance only goes so far. Send a description and a postal code and it goes to an independent Calgary foundation contractor.
We are a referral service, not a contractor. Your request goes to an independent Calgary foundation company.