Before an inspection
How urgent is a foundation problem?
Most develop over months or years, which gives you time to have the house measured and to compare proposals. The exceptions are sudden changes: a crack that opens in days, a wall or ceiling that shifts, a leaning chimney. Treat those as emergencies and get people out first.
What time of year is right for an inspection?
Any. On clay, late-summer readings catch the house at maximum droop, and readings in a wet spring show it at its most swollen. If you can, tell the inspector how the symptoms looked in the opposite season.
Is my house on a slab or on piers?
A house whose floor is near ground height, with a bare concrete garage floor, is on a slab. A house raised a foot or more with vents or a skirt around the base and wood floors is on piers. Say which when you call, since some companies handle one more than the other.
Can a plumbing leak cause foundation movement?
On clay, yes. A weeping drain pipe below the concrete soaks one pocket of soil, which then balloons. That is why inspectors ask about water bills and why a leak test is often recommended before or after a repair.
During a repair
How many days will the crew be here?
Pier count, pier type, access and rain all bear on it, and every firm quotes its own timetable. Ask for the expected duration in writing, along with what could extend it.
Will my yard and flower beds be dug up?
Where supports go in along the outside wall, yes, in a strip beside the house. Plants in the way are usually lifted and replanted, with no promise that they survive. Ask what the crew does about sprinkler lines and paving.
Why do they test the plumbing afterward?
Raising a slab moves the pipes cast under it. A test on the drain lines after the lift shows whether any joint has opened. Portland requires an engineer's letter on the point, and many companies test as routine.
Do I need to be home?
For outdoor work, usually only at the start and finish. For interior piers or crawl space work someone will need access to the house. Settle this with the company when you schedule.
Money, paperwork and rentals
Does homeowners insurance pay for foundation repair?
Settlement and ground movement are standard exclusions. Sudden pipe failures are sometimes treated differently. Only the wording of your own policy counts, so dig it out or phone your agent.
I'm a landlord. Can I call about a rental house?
Yes. The company will need the property address and a way to get in, so arrange access with your tenant before the visit.
Does a repaired foundation hurt resale?
A documented repair is easier to sell than an undocumented problem. Keep the engineer's plan, the closed permit and the warranty. The buying and selling guide explains what the Texas disclosure form asks.
Do you cover commercial buildings?
No. Firms answering this number take residential jobs. For a shop, office or warehouse, look up a commercial structural contractor instead.
Ready for someone to measure the house?
Dial the number and say what you have noticed. A foundation repair firm covering your part of the Coastal Bend answers, books a visit, and afterward sends its report and price under its own name. That firm is a separate business from this website.
Wall, ceiling or floor shifting while you watch? Gas in the air? Get everybody outdoors, then phone 911 or the gas utility.
House foundations only
Call (361) 217-1905Corpus Christi Foundation Repairs refers callers and repairs nothing itself. Calls may be recorded. Details: referral disclosure.