Every StructuralRepair.ca guide, by topic
28 pages on residential structural repair in Canada: warning signs, foundations, beams and joists, load-bearing walls, engineers and permits. Written for Canadian homes, updated September 28, 2026.
Diagnose
3 guidesBrick, block and stone walls and chimneys: what cracks, bulges and leaning mean
Brick wall and chimney structural problems: load-bearing solid masonry vs brick veneer, stair-step cracks, bulging walls, lintel cracks and leaning chimneys.
DiagnoseEmergency shoring: what to do when part of a house may be failing
What to do when a floor, ceiling, wall or roof may be failing: get people out, who to call, how temporary shoring works, what not to do, and insurance steps.
DiagnoseSigns of structural damage in a house, sorted by what they mean
Signs of structural damage in a house: which cracks, sloping floors, sticking doors and gaps are cosmetic, which need assessment and which need an engineer.
Engineers
2 guidesStructural engineer reports, letters and stamped drawings, explained
What a structural engineer report, letter and stamped drawings contain, how to read them, what authentication means and what to ask for before a repair.
EngineersWhat a structural engineer does for a house, and how to hire one in Canada
What a structural engineer does for a house in Canada: assessments, letters, stamped drawings and field reviews, P.Eng licensing, fees and how to hire one.
Floors & walls
8 guidesCut joists, notches, holes and new openings: how renovations damage structure, and how it is fixed
How renovations damage house structure: notched and drilled joists, cut studs and top plates, removed posts, and doors or windows cut into load-bearing walls.
Floors & wallsDeck structural problems: ledger boards, footings, posts, joists and guards
Deck structural problems explained: failing ledger boards, heaving or sinking footings, rotted posts and joists, loose guards, sistering joists and permits.
Floors & wallsFixing a sagging floor with a new beam, posts and footings
How a mid-span beam, new posts and proper footings fix a sagging floor, how jacking is done safely, sinking posts, teleposts, crawl spaces and costs.
Floors & wallsHow to tell if a wall is load-bearing: the clues and the exceptions
How to tell if a wall is load-bearing: joist direction, what sits above and below, trusses, exterior walls, blueprints and the exceptions that fool people.
Floors & wallsLVL, steel, glulam or built-up lumber: how a house beam is chosen, and how old beams are repaired
LVL vs steel beams for a load-bearing wall or sagging floor: what each beam type is, how size is really decided, why calculators fall short, and beam repairs.
Floors & wallsRemoving a load-bearing wall: the beam, the load path, permits and cost
How a load-bearing wall is removed safely in Canada: beam options, flush vs dropped beams, temporary walls, posts and footings, permits and 2026 costs.
Floors & wallsSagging floors: why they happen, how much is acceptable and when to worry
Why floors sag, whether a sagging floor is dangerous, how much sag is acceptable (L/360, L/240), how to measure it and the repairs that actually work.
Floors & wallsSistering floor joists: how it works, overlap, fasteners and cost
Sistering floor joists explained: when it works, how much overlap, which bolts, screws and adhesive are used, sistering to level a floor, permits and cost.
Foundations
3 guidesBowing basement walls: how to measure them, how they are fixed and what it costs
How to tell if a basement wall is bowing, how much is acceptable, and the structural fixes: steel beams, carbon fibre, wall anchors and rebuilding, and costs.
FoundationsFoundation settlement: the signs, what is normal and how it is fixed
Foundation settlement explained: uniform vs differential settlement, the signs, how much is normal, how it is measured, and piers and underpinning.
FoundationsHorizontal cracks in a foundation wall: what they mean and how they are fixed
What a horizontal crack in a foundation wall means, how serious it is, how to tell it from a pour line, how to measure it, and the structural repairs.
Planning
3 guidesBuying a house with structural issues: inspections, engineers, costs and negotiation
Buying a house with structural issues in Canada: what a home inspection can tell you, when to add an engineer, estimating repairs, negotiating and resale.
PlanningDoes insurance cover structural repairs? Home insurance, new-home warranties, tax and financing in Canada
Does home insurance cover structural repairs in Canada? What policies exclude, when new-home warranties pay, CRA rules for rentals and how owners pay.
PlanningDo structural repairs need a permit? How building permits work in Canada
When structural repairs need a building permit in Canada, how codes are adopted, when engineered drawings are needed, inspections and the risks of skipping.
Roofs & damage
3 guidesStructural concrete and steel repair: spalling, repair mortars, rusted beams and posts
Structural concrete and steel repair for houses: why concrete spalls, what structural repair mortar really means, rusted beams and posts, and garage slabs.
Roofs & damageFire, flood, leak and rot damage to house framing: how it is assessed and repaired
How fire, flooding, long-term leaks, rot and insects damage house framing, how an engineer decides what can stay, and how damaged structure is repaired.
Roofs & damageSagging rooflines, truss and rafter problems, and snow load on Canadian roofs
Why rooflines sag: rafter spread, cut trusses and damaged gussets, truss uplift vs real sag, snow load warning signs, safe snow removal and roof repairs.
Tools, costs & reference
6 pagesHow much structural repair costs in Canada: 2026 planning ranges
Structural repair cost in Canada for 2026: engineer fees, sistering, beams and posts, wall removal, bracing, piers, roof framing and shoring.
ToolsFloor Sag Calculator
Enter the span between supports and the sag you measured to get a span-to-sag ratio (L/x), compared with the commonly cited L/360 and L/240 floor limits.
ToolsStructural Warning Sign Triage
Tick the structural warning signs you see, say how fast they changed and what happened recently, and get a band from Monitor to Urgent, with who to call.
CalgaryStructural repair in Calgary: permits, engineers, soils, snow and housing eras
Structural repair in Calgary: when the City requires permits and engineering, finding an APEGA-licensed engineer, clay soils, chinooks, snow and house eras.
ReferenceStructural repair glossary
Plain-language definitions of structural repair terms for Canadian houses: load paths, beams, joists, sistering, deflection, settlement, underpinning, P.Eng.
ReferenceStructural repair: frequently asked questions
Answers to common structural repair questions for Canadian houses: cracks, sagging floors, bearing walls, settlement, engineers, permits, insurance and cost.
Describe the problem once. Get a straight answer.
Tell us what you are seeing — when it happens, where, the age of the house and anything you have already been told or quoted. The HAUSE Home desk replies with next steps and, where available, a local contractor for the job.
Cracking sounds, a sagging ceiling or a wall moving? Get everyone out of that area, do not load it, and call a structural engineer or emergency contractor — call 911 if collapse seems imminent.