Build a foundation for selling your home

A home is merely a house when it's up for sale. It's also a possible investment that will undergo immense scrutiny by many people who will ask many questions about everything under the roof and around the walls.

And if shopping for a house is exciting, trying to sell one can bring about all types of emotions.

There is no need for aggravation to be among the feelings of a seller. To avoid possible frustration, a seller should pay closest attention to one aspect above all others before putting a home on the market.

That would be the foundation.

But obvious as it might seem to be sure the base of a house is solid, many sellers fail to focus on the bottom before seeking buyers. This mistake isn't one made only by first-time sellers, though.

It's a mistake that need not be made at all.

Before talking with a Realtor, anybody interested in moving on from a house should first contact experts in the field of foundation services.

How can a seller distinguish an expert from an amateur? Recommendations from friends and online reviews will help, but word of mouth and web research are often undependable.

Dependability is minimum quality that a seller should seek when fixing to hire a company for evaluation and possible repair of a house's foundation.

Fortunately for Western Pennsylvanians, a company out of North Huntingdon goes way beyond being dependable. A Better Choice, Inc., has built a reputation over two decades of making good on guarantees to more than 17,000 customers.

One team with one direction - this is the philosophy of the company constructed by Richard Pack, owner and president of A Better Choice. His five crews are made up of experienced professionals who commit six of their seven days to identifying and eliminating problem spots for sellers.

Bill Richel, long time employee and Vice President of the company, assembles these crews and manages daily operations. Pack's longest-tenured staffer has been with A Better Choice since 1996. His most recent hire was in 2012.

So, when A Better Choice offers its transferable warranty, a client can take comfort in knowing that for-the-long-haul is a promise that Pack also practices as a business owner.

"I could say we're No. 1 in honesty, No. 1 in service," Pack said. "But, really, what I want for somebody to say about our company is that we did what we said we would do and solved your problem as soon as possible."

"That's the promise we make. That's why we've been able to do this for a couple of decades."

What can A Better Choice do? Well, a lot more than waterproofing a basement.

Pack's crews are specialists in the areas of eliminating mold, repairing ventilation systems, stabilizing and strengthening foundations, building retaining walls, and even installing patios and driveways.

Sounds too good to be true that all of that could be handled by one company, but the proof is in the honors bestowed upon A Better Choice. Those include an A-plus rating by BBB, a Super Service Award from Angie's List and certification by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).

All of which is nice, but Pack hardly began his business looking for awards. And, as the longtime office manager for A Better Choice will say when taking a call, wasting time talking themselves up isn't what this company is all about.

But Shirlee will get back to a caller within 24 hours.

It's a call any interested home seller should place. After all, when selling a house, the last thing somebody wants is the bottom falling out of a deal because the bottom of the house wasn't on the up-and-up.

For more information about A Better Choice Waterproofing, Inc. please check out their website at abetterchoiceinc.com .

Rob Rossi is a writer and editor for 535Media.