Foundation Repair Questions

There is no useful single figure, because the price is driven by how many support points the house needs, which pier type is used, how deep they have to be driven and how easy the access is. Ask the independent provider to survey the floor and walk the outside first, then put a scope and a price in writing before you decide anything. See what slab repair involves.

Usually a door that has started catching at one corner, stair-step cracks in the brick, gaps opening where trim meets the wall, or a floor that has begun to slope. Most people notice one of these in late summer when the clay is at its driest. Read the warning signs guide.

Neither is better in the abstract. Pressed concrete cylinders are the usual choice for typical residential slabs on ordinary lots, and steel is chosen where the crew has to drive deeper through fill or where the load at each point is higher. The right question is why that type, on your lot. Compare the two side by side.

Arlington Foundation Repairs connects callers in Arlington and the towns around it, including Grand Prairie, Mansfield, Kennedale, Pantego, Euless, Bedford and Hurst, with independent providers for houses and commercial buildings. Availability depends on the provider and the property location. See the full coverage list.

Not for every job, but it is worth considering for a large or unusual repair, or when you are buying or selling. An independent structural engineer works for you rather than for a contractor and can specify what should be done. Ask whether the independent provider will work to an engineer's plan. See how inspections and engineer reports differ.

Yes, and it is the cheapest thing you can do. A soaker hose about a foot out from the slab, run little and often through the dry months, keeps the clay from shrinking away unevenly. Do not soak one side or aim water into an open crack in the ground. Read the watering guide.

Most residential perimeter jobs are measured in days rather than weeks, but interior piers reached by tunneling, crawl space wood repairs and drainage work all extend it. Ask the provider for a realistic window after the survey rather than a number on the phone. See how the process runs.

Width, direction and change matter more than length. Stair-step cracks in brick that are wider at one end, diagonal cracks from door and window corners, and any crack that keeps reopening after being patched deserve attention. Hairline crazing in plaster usually does not. Read how to tell them apart.

No, and that is generally good news. A house over a crawl space is adjusted from underneath with shims, resets and new support points, which is usually less disruptive than slab work. Rotted beams and joists get dealt with at the same time. See what crawl space repair involves.

If the house is still close to level and the trouble is water sitting against one side, correcting the drainage can be the whole answer and it costs far less than piers. If a section has already dropped, drainage stops the cause but will not lift it back. See what drainage correction covers.

It is decided on site as each pier is driven to resistance, and depth often varies from one point to another on the same house. Anyone giving you an exact depth before visiting is guessing. Ask what happens, and what it costs, if the crew has to go further. Read how piers are installed.

Contractors normally offer written terms on pier work, but what they cover varies a great deal. Ask for the document before signing: what is covered, for how long, what would void it and whether it transfers if you sell the house. Terms are set by the independent provider, not by this site. See what you should be given in writing.

It can. A mature tree close to the house pulls a lot of moisture out of clay in a dry summer, which dries the soil under that edge of the slab while the rest stays damp. A root barrier usually deals with it without removing the tree. See how root barriers work.

Repaired is not automatically a red flag, particularly in North Texas where clay moves under most houses. Ask for the invoice, the marked pier plan and the guarantee terms, check whether the guarantee transfers, and have the floor measured now so you have a starting point. See what an inspection covers.

Elevation readings are taken across the floor so movement becomes a set of numbers, the outside walls are walked elevation by elevation, and the drainage and trees around the house are assessed. You should leave with the measurements and a plain explanation, not just a quote. See the full inspection checklist.

Yes. Independent providers survey and repair shops, offices, churches, restaurants and small industrial buildings using the same methods, often phasing the work around trading hours and following an independent engineer's specification. See how commercial work is planned.

Leveling is the lifting stage: bringing a settled part of the house back up in controlled steps and holding it there on piers or pads. It follows a floor survey rather than preceding it, and on an older house the sensible target is stable and much improved rather than perfectly level. Read how leveling is done.

Yes, and it is common enough to be worth ruling out. A line leaking under a slab keeps one patch of clay soaked while the rest dries out, and that difference moves the concrete. If the inspection points that way, testing comes before any lifting. See how the cause is identified.