Frequently Asked Questions

Angi's 2026 national data puts the average foundation repair around $5,174, with most jobs between $2,225 and $8,133, and concrete slab repairs ranging from about $350 to $20,000. Piering is usually priced per pier: Angi lists about $1,000 for a concrete pier and about $2,000 for a steel pier, and a typical underpinning job of about ten piers at $10,000 to $30,000. The number of piers, access, drainage work and permits set the total, and your written estimate sets the price.

It depends on your policy and on what caused the damage, so the policy wording and your adjuster decide. Read the exclusions section and ask your agent before filing. We can give you the written evaluation, elevation readings and photos to send with a claim, but we do not decide coverage.

Often the question is what happens if you wait. Movement from soil and drainage problems can continue, and cracks, sticking doors and gaps can keep growing. A free evaluation tells you how much the floor has moved and what a repair would cost, so you can weigh that against selling as-is or monitoring. For a large or unclear problem, an engineer's report helps you decide.

Foundation work can be done most of the year. Soil moisture affects how a house sits, so a slab measured at the end of a dry summer can read differently from the same slab after a wet spring. We note the season and recent weather on the evaluation and plan the lift with that in mind. Drainage and gutter fixes are worth doing before the rainy months.

As the city's permit page reads, yes. The City of North Richland Hills lists foundation repairs among the projects that need a building permit, applied for through the city's e-portal by a contractor registered with the city (homeowners doing their own work on a home they own and live in register separately with a homeowner affidavit). The city says it is the homeowner's job to make sure the contractor gets the permit, so ask to see it. Confirm current requirements with NRH Building Inspections at 817-427-6300.

Not always, but it is often worth it. ASCE's Texas Section publishes guidelines engineers use to evaluate and repair residential foundations. An engineer gives you an independent opinion on the cause and the repair, which helps with large jobs, older repairs that failed, and real estate sales. We recommend one when the situation calls for it.

A leak under the slab can feed the soil and make a foundation move, so some owners test the plumbing before a repair, after it, or both. Plumbing tests are done by licensed plumbers in Texas, not by foundation contractors. If you schedule one, we plan our work around it.

It depends on how much of the slab has moved and how it is built. Angi's 2026 data puts a typical underpinning job at around ten piers, but some repairs need a few and others many more. The quote shows each pier location on a drawing.

Each has a place. Steel piers can go deeper, which can matter where the clay layer is thick; pressed concrete piles cost less per pier. Drilled piers are another option. We explain the trade-offs for your house, and an engineer can weigh in on the choice.

Not always. Slabs are rarely poured perfectly level, and lifting too far can crack the slab or damage finishes. The goal is to restore support and recover as much of the movement as can be done safely.

Perimeter piering can take a few days to a week or more depending on the number of piers. Interior piers, drilled piers and larger jobs can take longer. The quote gives the expected schedule.

No. Piers support the parts of the slab they sit under. Water that pools against the house or a leak under the slab needs its own fix, or other areas can keep moving.

It varies with the soil, drainage and how the house was built. Angi's 2026 guide says highly expansive clay can mean reshimming every two to three years. Fixing water problems under the house can stretch that interval.

Bouncy floors usually mean the joists or beams span too far between supports, or a support has dropped away from the beam. Added piers or sistered joists are common fixes once we see what is underneath.

Often, because the crawl space gives direct access and no concrete has to be broken. Angi's 2026 data puts the national average around $10,000, but a simple reshim costs far less and a house with rot or many failed piers costs more.

North Richland Hills lists foundation repairs among the projects that require a building permit. Confirm the requirement for your address with the city; we can help prepare the application where the city allows.

Usually it can be brought much closer, but older framing has its own sags and the walls and finishes above have adjusted to the floor over the years. Raising a floor too far, too fast can crack drywall and bind doors, so we level in steps and tell you what to expect.

They can, when water soaking into the ground near the house is part of the cause. They do not lift a foundation that has already moved. Gutters and grading can do a lot for less money, so we look at those first.

To the street, a swale or another suitable outlet on your property. North Richland Hills' drainage guidance says diverting or concentrating runoff onto a neighbor is against state water laws; confirm outlet options with the city.

It depends on the city and the scope. North Richland Hills requires permits for lawn irrigation systems and for concrete work, among other projects. Confirm what applies with the city before the work is scheduled.

Sprinkler changes are licensed irrigation work in Texas, so the owner hires a licensed irrigator for them. We plan our trench routes around the system.

Even moisture is the goal. In long dry spells, a soaker hose set a short distance from the slab can slow the soil from drying and pulling away. Water evenly rather than heavily in one spot, keep it from pooling against the house, and follow your city's current watering schedule.

They can reduce the roots under a foundation when they are deep enough, long enough and installed with the top edge above grade. Arboriculture research also documents roots growing around poorly installed barriers, so they are one tool, not a certain fix.

It depends on the species and soil. In the Kew Tree Root Survey, the average distance of recorded foundation damage was 5 to 7 meters (about 16 to 23 feet) for most species, ranging from 2.5 meters for cypress to 11 meters for poplars.

It can. Cutting large roots close to the trunk can stress or destabilize a tree. That is why we recommend an ISA-certified arborist's opinion before the trench is planned.

That is your decision and an arborist's call. Research reviewed by the ISA says removal is the only sure way to stop tree-related settlement from returning, but a mature tree has real value, and a barrier plus steady moisture is a middle path worth considering.

It depends on how wet the space is and how you use the house. Encapsulation controls humidity more fully but costs much more than a vapor barrier and vents; Angi's 2026 data lists $12,000 to $20,000. Fix outside water problems first, then decide.

Usually roof and yard water: downspouts, grading toward the house and low spots. Plumbing leaks and damp air are other sources. We trace the water before suggesting a fix.

Yes. Sagging floors are usually repaired by reshimming, adding piers or reinforcing joists and beams, all from below. See our Pier and Beam Foundation Repair service.

No. Plumbing repairs in Texas are done by licensed plumbers. We point out leaks we see during the inspection.

Both approaches are used. A vented crawl space relies on outside air moving through, which works well when the ground is covered and the space stays dry. A sealed, encapsulated space keeps outside air out and controls humidity with a dehumidifier. The right choice depends on how wet the space is, the house and your budget.

Fine cracks are common in concrete as it cures and shrinks. Angi's guide describes cracks under about one-eighth of an inch that stay that size as possibly from shrinkage or settling. Cracks that keep growing are a different matter.

They often mean part of the house has moved, because brick cracks along its mortar joints when the foundation under it shifts. Floor elevation readings show whether that is the case.

For a narrow, stable crack, a kit can work. If the crack is growing or lines up with sloping floors or sticking doors, sealing it hides the symptom without fixing the movement.

Not necessarily. A driveway is a separate slab that moves on its own and carries vehicle loads, so cracks there say little about the house. Note that North Richland Hills requires a permit for pouring concrete and replacing or widening a driveway.

If the crack was from shrinkage and the slab is stable, a sealed crack can stay closed. If the foundation is still moving, the crack or a new one nearby can reappear, which is why we measure and look for the cause before sealing.