What about cost?

Jackson admits that the cost of the materials used for the Fortress system is more than 60% of the cost of steel. However, the installed price can be far less than that of current steel alternatives when you consider the higher resale value of the home. And Jackson anticipates that the cost of CFRP materials will drop as they become more widely used.

"Just 5 or 10 years ago, the cost was twice as much as it is today," he says. "Now carbon fibers are produced in larger quantities. The increased production is lowering the cost into a range thats affordable for residential repair and restoration."

Jacksons biggest challenge is educating homeowners about the benefits of using CFRPs for foundation repair. "Many people just don't believe that a thin fiber material can hold up a wall," he says.

Fortress dispels some of this skepticism by guaranteeing the system, when installed by a certified contractor, for the life of the home. However, in the three years since the product was introduced, Jackson has not seen a single failure. "I once heard that if somebody says, We've never had a failure, they'd be lying. But we haven't had a failure yet," he claims.

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