Sticking To Clients Wants and Needs

This video details a couple recent experiences I had where the client's wants and needs didn't quite match what they were being marketed. I hate sounding like a salesman but it's a part of the game as an educator as well, the trick is selling real solutions. But a client has an end goal in mind - a level floor, a closed crack, a long -term solution, something. They have specifics on how to get there - quickly, cost effectively, low impact, environmental concerns. You have to adhere to these ideas and provide the best possible solutions. Especially for homeowners, what they say is not always what they mean.
As a note - I realized what the issue was with one of the clients in this video that I couldn't quite place while talking but that's the issue with doing all of these in one take: when I evaluated the project with my client, their goals were a warranty, a quick solution, low cost, and minimal impact to the tenants and the public which surrounds them. The solution I provided with polymer cutoff wall accomplished all of this, and the end goals of leveling the flooring and providing a warranty. It was the General Contractor who hired a Structural and a Geo, and they looked for "the best solution". So, my client's fix went from 3 days and ~$50k +/- with no impact to the public, and would have lifted the foundation with a provided warranty, to a 30+ day repair at ~$250k, they will heavily impact the tenant who will have to move out and the public as they shut down the Right-of-Way surrounding the work area including sidewalks and an access point until this thing is done, but I'd never deny the solution of a physical connection in a concrete apron is certainly "better" from the QC/QA side and will accomplish the lifting and the warranty. The client, is not happy with the new solution. At ALL. But I tried. So that's kind of what this video is about - keeping your clients in mind.
Or else, according to my paradigm, I would just recommend caissons tied together with grade beams on sacrificial jacks to absolutely everyone!
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Does your home have cracks in the walls, roof, or foundation? Do doors and windows stick, or swing freely? Is there obvious sloping of your flooring, or does your floor appear "wavy", or creak at night when you step over areas? Are gaps appearing frames and roof-wall or wall-floor transitions? You can guess none of this is exactly "supposed" to happen, but these are all symptoms of foundation movement.
Now, not ALL of them individually is necessarily foundation movement, it could be the flexing of wood seasonally, poor installation, or a myriad of other things. But if it IS foundation movement, how does one take on the arduous task of analyzing foundation movement problems, or even understanding what engineers and contractors are telling you? Who is pushing an agenda or a product, trying to make their dollar while your GREATEST ASSET - YOUR home - is what's at risk?
Hi, my name is Kyle Olsen and I've got 18 years of foundation leveling and stabilization, from the realm of designing and implementing repairs, coordinating engineers and city inspectors, and yeah even the ugly legal side of things. But let's not go there. These videos are designed to help you understand each facet of foundation leveling and stabilization, whether your home is heaving or settling, and I will walk through the process 100% of the way - without pushing a product or service.
I encourage you to like, follow, subscribe, and share, my first several videos are for Homeowners, Flippers, and Realtors, sticking to the basics and trying to avoid some of the Engineering nuances. In the future, I hope to bring Engineers together for furthering education on some of the products and methods out there.
If you have questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to leave a comment below or message me directly. Want to see another video covering something specific or elaborating on something? Just ask! This channel is all about foundation leveling and stabilization, because we believe that as long you're on the level, you won't go downhill...