When your floors are soft, your crawl space has moisture damage, or an inspector flags dry rot, the first call most people make is for a free estimate. That estimate protects the contractor. The $350 forensic diagnostic protects you — because we confirm exactly what's wrong before we price anything.
We don't guess and we don't give free estimates that sit in a folder. Your $350 diagnostic includes a full on-site assessment, moisture meter readings, physical probing to map the real failure boundary, written findings with photos, and a lump-sum repair proposal — so you know exactly what the problem is and exactly what it costs to fix it permanently.
$350 credited in full toward your repair when you move forward. You pay for answers, not our drive time.
There's a reason every homeowner in Tacoma has heard a version of the same story: contractor gives a free estimate, starts the job, opens the wall, finds more rot than expected, and the price doubles. It's not dishonesty. It's what happens when you price from what's visible instead of what's actually there.
Dry rot, moisture damage, and wood decay spread through framing invisibly. A sill plate that looks soft in one spot is often compromised for three feet in each direction. Joists that look dry from below can read 28% moisture when you put a meter to them. Subflooring that feels solid can be delaminated across its entire span.
A contractor who quotes from visible damage is guessing. The guess protects them — because when they find more, you're already committed and the price goes up. The $350 diagnostic protects you because we find everything first.
That's not a failure of honesty — it's the predictable result of applying the free estimate model to moisture and rot problems where the damage boundary is invisible until you test for it.
Contractor notes visible rot, quotes $1,800 to replace a sill plate section. Work starts. Framing is opened. Damage extends well beyond the visible area. Scope doubles. Final invoice: $3,900. You're already three days in with open walls and no options.
We run a $350 forensic diagnostic. Moisture readings and physical probing map the full failure boundary. Fourteen feet of compromised framing confirmed before quoting. Fixed-price proposal: $3,400. One number. Confirmed before work starts. It doesn't change.
The math: Diagnostic path — $350 diagnostic (credited toward $3,400 repair) = $3,400 net. Free estimate path — $3,900 final, no warning. You pay $500 less and every surprise is eliminated. The diagnostic pays for itself.
This isn't a contractor walking around making notes. It's a physical investigation — what failed, why it failed, how far the damage has spread — before any number is put on paper.
If you have an inspection report, we read it before scheduling. If you have photos, we look at them. We arrive knowing what we're looking for — not starting from scratch on your time or ours.
Moisture meter on every suspect surface — not just the visibly affected area. We physically probe soft or discolored wood to test structural integrity. We check adjacent framing that looks undamaged, because moisture spreads beyond where the rot has reached yet.
Dry rot doesn't happen without a moisture source. We find where it's entering — failed flashing, plumbing leak, drainage grade problem, or crawl space vapor barrier failure. Replacing damaged material without fixing the source means it fails again. We stop both.
You receive a written report — what we found, where we found it, moisture readings at each test point, the moisture source, and the full repair scope. Not a verbal rundown. A document you can share with an agent, lender, or insurer.
One fixed price for the full repair — including moisture source correction. That number does not change. No variables, no "it depends on what we find." We found everything before we quoted.
You pay for answers, not drive time.
Structural Repair Near Tacoma
We serve Tacoma, Gig Harbor, University Place, Lakewood, Puyallup, Parkland, Spanaway, Graham, Fircrest, DuPont, Fox Island, and surrounding Pierce County. If you're searching for a structural repair contractor near you in the South Sound, call before committing to any free estimate.
On cosmetic work, a free estimate is fine. On structural damage, dry rot, and moisture problems — where the damage boundary is invisible — it's the wrong tool.
| What Happens | Free Estimate | $350 Forensic Diagnostic |
|---|---|---|
| How scope is determined | Visual inspection only | Physical testing, moisture meters, probing |
| Moisture source identified? | Rarely — not in scope | Yes — before any price is quoted |
| What happens when more damage found mid-job | Price increases. Already committed. | Doesn't happen. Full extent confirmed before quoting. |
| Is the price fixed before work starts? | No — it's an estimate, not a contract | Yes — one lump-sum, no variables |
| Written documentation provided? | Maybe a one-page proposal | Written findings with photos and moisture readings |
| Acceptable for FHA / VA lenders? | Estimate alone is insufficient | Diagnostic findings meet lender requirements |
| What the repair addresses | Visible damage — moisture source often ignored | Damage + moisture source — problem cannot return |
| Cost clarity before work starts | A range at best — unknown final cost | One number. Confirmed. It holds. |
These symptoms don't diagnose themselves. Each one maps to a structural cause that extends well beyond what's visible — which is exactly why a forensic physical investigation produces a different (and accurate) scope than a visual free estimate.
| Symptom | Likely Structural Cause | Why It Spreads Beyond What's Visible |
|---|---|---|
| Soft or bouncy floors | Floor joist rot, over-span deflection, or failed blocking | Moisture migrates along the full joist span — adjacent joists are often compromised before symptoms appear underfoot |
| Floor slopes toward exterior wall | Sill plate or rim joist failure at foundation perimeter | Rot at the wood-to-concrete interface spreads laterally; the foundation concrete itself is rarely the cause |
| Soft spot in floor — isolated | Subfloor delamination or localized joist failure | Delamination extends well beyond the soft spot to areas that feel solid when walked — moisture testing confirms actual boundary |
| Musty odor from crawl space | Elevated moisture — vapor barrier failure, drainage problem, or standing water | Framing absorbs ambient crawl space moisture before visible rot appears; structural damage can precede the odor by years |
| Doors sticking or no longer latching | Floor system deflection or foundation settlement altering door rough opening geometry | Indicates ongoing structural movement — not a historical settling event; source must be identified and arrested |
| Visible rot at exterior trim or window sill | Water intrusion through failed flashing, failed caulk joint, or improper drainage grade | Penetrates into the rough opening framing, king studs, and wall sheathing — full extent confirmed only with moisture meter and probing |
| Cracked drywall near exterior or load-bearing wall | Load-bearing wall movement from compromised mudsill, post rot, or beam failure | Crack pattern and direction indicate structural movement; rarely cosmetic when located at exterior or load-bearing wall intersections |
Why this matters for the diagnostic: Every symptom above has a failure boundary that extends further than the visible symptom. The forensic diagnostic maps that boundary using moisture meters and physical probing before any price is quoted — so the number you receive reflects what the job actually is, not what it appears to be from the surface.
The diagnostic model works the same way regardless of what brought you here.
Soft floors, crawl space smell, visible rot, or past water damage. You need the real scope before deciding whether to repair now or plan ahead. The diagnostic gives you that in writing, with no pressure to proceed immediately.
Know about structural issues before the buyer's inspector finds them. Fix at an accurate price and control the narrative — rather than having an inspection report detonate a negotiation mid-escrow.
An inspection report identifies problems but doesn't price them accurately. Our diagnostic gives you the real repair cost — not the inflated number that kills negotiations, and not a lowball that hides the actual scope.
Inspection findings threatening a closing need fast, documented response. We deliver a fixed price escrow can work with, lender-grade documentation, and a timeline commitment. The diagnostic is the entry point — credited toward the repair that saves the deal.
When an FHA appraiser or VA MPR condition requires structural repairs before a loan closes, the lender needs licensed-contractor documentation. Our diagnostic findings and repair documentation meet that requirement. A credit does not clear a lender hold.
Tenant complaints about soft floors or moisture odors need a documented response. Our written diagnostic findings give your owner and insurer something to act on — and immediately identify whether it's routine maintenance or licensed GC scope.
Every structural repair we perform carries a five-year written guarantee. If the same structural failure recurs from our repair within five years, we return and fix it at no charge. That guarantee is in writing, attached to the project documentation, and transfers with the property if you sell.
The diagnostic makes the guarantee possible. Because we know exactly what we repaired and why it failed, we can stand behind it completely. A contractor who guessed at scope cannot make the same guarantee.
5-Year Guarantee — All Structural RepairsUnder Washington State law — specifically RCW 18.27 — general construction work, including structural repair to load-bearing members, requires a registered general contractor. This includes replacing or repairing floor joists, beams, posts, sill plates, mudsills, rim joists, roof rafters, and related structural framing.
Unregistered labor performing structural work leaves property owners with repairs that are uninsured, uninspected, and unguaranteed. When the work involves the structural integrity of a home — the elements that transfer load from the roof to the foundation — Washington requires a registered GC for a reason: it's the difference between work that can be documented, warranted, and re-inspected, and work that cannot.
Realty Repair Co. — APCON LLC
Washington State General Contractor License #APCONL*825QO · General Liability Insured · Bonded · All structural repair work performed and supervised directly by the licensed principal
Specialty trade work — plumbing, electrical, and HVAC — is performed exclusively by appropriately licensed Washington State contractors under GC coordination per RCW 18.27, RCW 18.106, and RCW 19.28. Realty Repair Co. does not hold or perform specialty trade work directly.
Because structural damage from moisture, dry rot, and wood decay extends beyond what's visible. A free estimate based on visual inspection consistently underestimates scope — and when the contractor opens the wall and finds more damage, the price increases mid-job. You're already committed at that point.
The $350 forensic diagnostic uses moisture meters and physical probing to map the actual failure boundary before we quote anything. The lump-sum fixed price we produce from that does not change because we're not guessing at scope.
Full on-site physical assessment, moisture meter readings at multiple test points including adjacent framing that looks undamaged, physical probing of suspect wood, identification of the moisture source driving the damage, written findings with photographs, and a lump-sum fixed-price repair proposal. The entire $350 is credited toward the repair contract if you proceed.
No. The $350 is credited in full toward your repair contract. You pay the repair price only — the diagnostic cost is already accounted for. You only pay $350 with nothing additional if you receive the findings and decide not to proceed.
A home inspection is a broad overview of visible condition. A forensic structural inspection is a physical investigation of a specific failure — moisture meter readings, probing of wood beyond visible rot, identification of the moisture entry path, and written findings documenting the actual failure extent. Home inspectors note that dry rot exists. We find where it ends and why it started.
Yes. We serve Tacoma, Gig Harbor, University Place, Lakewood, Puyallup, Parkland, Spanaway, Graham, Fircrest, DuPont, Fox Island, North End Tacoma, South Hill, Federal Way, and surrounding Pierce County. Call 253-891-9622 to confirm your location. Services include structural beam and post repair, floor joist repair, dry rot and wood rot remediation, crawl space structural repair, subfloor replacement, water damage reconstruction, and sill plate replacement — all under WA GC License #APCONL*825QO.
Because we'd be guessing, and we'd be wrong in a way that costs you money. Photos of visible rot tell us almost nothing about how far the damage has spread — the worst is always behind what's visible. A phone estimate on moisture or rot damage will change the moment work starts. We don't give you a number we can't stand behind.
Within one to three business days in most cases. If you're in a real estate transaction with a time-sensitive closing date, call us directly at 253-891-9622 — we prioritize transaction-driven diagnostics and can often schedule same-day or next-day when a closing timeline requires it.
Yes. Under RCW 18.27, general construction work — including replacing or repairing structural framing such as floor joists, beams, posts, sill plates, and rim joists — requires a registered general contractor in Washington State. Unregistered labor performing structural work leaves property owners with repairs that carry no insurance, no inspection, and no guarantee. Realty Repair Co. operates under WA GC License #APCONL*825QO issued to APCON LLC.
Two compounding factors. First, Tacoma's marine climate averages over 38 inches of annual rainfall concentrated in a wet season running October through May — crawl spaces and exterior framing are under sustained moisture pressure for more than half the year. Second, a significant portion of Pierce County's housing stock was built before 1960, when pressure-treated lumber for sill plates and mudsills was not standard practice. Untreated Douglas Fir in direct or near-direct contact with concrete foundation walls wicks moisture and deteriorates from the inside out over decades, often without any exterior symptom until the failure is advanced. Crawl spaces without vapor barriers — standard in pre-1970 construction — allow ground moisture to saturate the floor system year-round. The combination of climate, age, and original construction practice is why structural moisture damage is endemic in Tacoma's housing stock rather than exceptional.
The diagnostic takes one site visit. You get written findings, moisture readings, and a fixed price for permanent repair — before any work starts. The $350 credits toward the repair if you proceed.
253-891-9622