Most homeowners have never read a structural engineer's report. If you're buying or selling a Utah home and the home inspection turned up something, here's what you should expect a follow-up structural inspection report to look like.
The six things every good report has
1. A clear scope statement
What was the engineer asked to look at? "We were asked to evaluate the cracking visible in the southwest corner of the basement and the sloping floor in the kitchen above." Specific. Not "we did a structural inspection." Scope drives everything.
2. The observations
What did the engineer actually see? Numbered, photographed, measured. "Photo 1: Vertical crack approximately 1/16" wide running from the floor to approximately 4 ft above the floor on the southwest corner basement wall. Crack ends are not marked from prior monitoring; appears stable based on the weathered patina."
3. The findings
What does the engineer think is going on? This is where engineering judgment comes in. "The vertical crack is consistent with concrete shrinkage and is not structurally significant. The sloping floor in the kitchen is consistent with minor differential settlement of the slab; total deflection is approximately 1/2 inch over 12 ft, which is within the range we'd expect from normal expansive clay movement and does not indicate active distress."
4. The recommendations
What should the homeowner actually do? "No structural repair is recommended. Monitor the crack with pencil marks at the ends; recheck in 12 months. Improve grading on the south side of the house to direct surface water away from the foundation."
5. Photos
Numbered, captioned, with scale references where possible. Photos are how a non-engineer reader can verify what the engineer is talking about. A report without photos is harder to read and harder to trust.
6. The signature and seal
Signed by a licensed Utah PE with the seal visible. The seal is what makes the report carry weight with cities, lenders, insurance, and future buyers.
Three things that should make you suspicious
1. Vague language about "potential" issues without measurements
"There is potential for differential settlement which could lead to structural distress" is the kind of language that means nothing. Either the engineer measured something or they didn't. Either there's evidence of distress or there isn't. Hedging without data is sometimes a sign that the report is designed to support recommending repairs that may or may not be needed.
2. Long lists of "recommended further investigation"
Sometimes warranted. Often a tactic to defer responsibility and generate follow-up work. A good report tells you what the engineer thinks, not just what they're not sure about.
3. A repair recommendation without a clear cause
If the report says "we recommend installing helical piers" but doesn't explain what specific problem the piers are solving, that's a flag. Real engineering identifies the problem first and prescribes the repair as a response. Working backwards from "install piers" usually means someone is selling piers.
What our reports look like
Ours are usually 4-8 pages. Specific scope, photos with captions, plain-English findings, clear recommendations, and the signature page. We don't pad. We don't hedge. We don't recommend repairs that aren't needed. If the answer is "your house is fine, monitor and stop worrying," that's the report you'll get.
See our inspections page for fees and turnaround.