Joists, sub flooring and beams may fail due to rot or termite damage.

Another common cause of pier and beam foundation failure is inadequate support.

A properly trained pier and beam foundation evaluator can usually spot most of the problems during a 30-45 minute inspection under the house.

Texas Lake bed near Dallas shows cracks in clay soil

During a period of drought, such as Texas experienced in 2011 and 2012, failure to properly water will lead to an uneven shrinkage of soil supporting the foundation, and is a major cause of foundation problems and foundation failure.

Maintaining adequate soil moisture is a key part of foundation maintenance in areas with clay soil.  Clay soil has a high index of plasticity, meaning that it is very sensitive to changes in moisture.  From its dry state, clay soil can expand up to 8 inches in the Dallas Fort Worth region.

City managers in Dallas and Fort Worth recognize the critical need to maintain adequate foundation moisture.  During stage 3 and stage 4 water restrictions, most cities still allow foundation watering for up to 2 hours per day.

While proper foundation watering can with patience be accomplished with a hand held hose, it is more practical to install a drip irrigation system or soaker hoses. A soaker hose system is adequate provided that the hose is properly spaced at a distance of 12-18 inches from the slab.  Never place a soaker hose in contact with a slab.

No matter what method is chosen for foundation watering, it is important to protect against overwatering.  Over watering is as disastrous as the lack of water. When clay soil becomes saturated (muddy), it loses the ability to support a foundation. The foundation will fail and crack.

C Channel Steel added to reinforce beam of pier and beam foundation

In the picture above, Granite Foundation Repair reinforced an existing structurally sound beam of a pier and beam foundation with C Channel steel.  The repair enabled the addition of a second story to an 85 year old house.

Sadly, over the years we have seen countless budget repairs of the beams supporting pier and beam foundations:

• Treated wood has been replaced with untreated wood.
• Rugged but failed 6″ x 6″ beams that have cracked have been braced with inferior 1″ x 6″ whitewood
• Replacement beam sections abutting old wood with a sistered piece of whitewood.

These are all temporary fixes that end up costing the home owner a lot more to repair in the end.  The inferior repairs will fail, leading to more cracking and sagging.

If the original beam has structurally failed, look closely for the reason.  Original pier spacing too large? Increased loads on the beam due to remodeling  Failure of a pier?

Did inadequate shim material compress, leading to the failure?   Soft woods and sheet rock should never be used for shims in pier and beam foundations.

Replacement beams should be pressure treated for rot and termite resistance.  Standard untreated lumber will quickly fail.   Treated lumber is dark in color, while untreated lumber is quite light.

The replacement of a beam with pressure treated wood in a pier and beam foundation typically costs $40-$60/linear foot of wood, dependent upon beam size.  A good beam repair in a properly maintained crawl space can provide 75-100 years of service.    It is well worth the investment.

Be certain to get a current copy of the policy before allowing any foundation repair company to perform work at your house.

Granite Foundation Repair can provide a current certificate of insurance.

Don’t be fooled by promises that the foundation repair contractor will be responsible for all injuries. Even when the contractor provides a signed statement, you, the property owner are not protected.  At least one homeowner has lost his property to an injured employee of a foundation repair contractor. It is Texas law that the contractor can not sign away an employee’s right to sue you.

Your best protection is to demand a current copy of the Workers Compensation Insurance Policy.

In this business it is prudent to buy standard, high quality materials at relatively fixed prices.  If a budget or discount foundation repair company has acquired cheap steel or bargain basement concrete, it will fail.

There are three ways to save costs on labor:

• Use poorly trained sub contractors.
• Pay workers for quantity of piers installed, rather than the quality of the installation.
• Don’t buy Workers Compensation Insurance, which protects the homeowner.

Members of the Foundation Repair Association must meet high ethical standards of business and advertising and remain in good standing in the industry.

You may be able to check out a foundation repair contractor at the Better Business Bureau. Not all companies are members and the absence does not mean that they are bad.   To be a member company, the BBB requires registration and an annual fee.

Surprisingly the Fort Worth and Dallas Better Business Bureaus are separate entities operating under one banner.  To avoid confusion, only one BBB will provide a rating. This is the BBB which covers the hometown of the contractor’s corporate headquarters.

A good inspector will not only look at the problem, but also try to determine the cause, to aid in preventing further damage.

Some cracks are normal in any house.   An inspection by a reputable foundation repair contractor can go a long ways toward providing peace of mind.

If there is a problem, it is best to get it repaired, since problems tend to spread with time unless caught early.

A foundation inspection typically takes about an hour and should include:

• Use of a zip-level to record floor elevations in every room.
• Exterior and interior inspection for signs of physical damage and movement.
• Landscape evaluation including drainage, soil movement, location of trees, and condition of retainer walls.
• Contour analysis to determine foundation movement and shifts.
• Discussion with the home owner about concerns and any past problems or foundation repairs.
• Discussion of foundation repair methods and options.

This is a good time for the homeowner to walk with the inspector and ask questions.  If the house has been recently repaired or remodeled, the changes should be identified.  Recent repairs may mask signs of foundation problems.

Check the credentials of the inspector.  The employees at Granite Foundation Repair work under the direction of the local owner, an engineer, who is a Certified Foundation Repair Specialist.  At present there is no licensing of foundation companies in Texas, so to fill the void, the Foundation Repair Association has established a program of certification, continuing education, and annual renewal.

Except in areas of shallow rock, the goal with underpinning should always be to drive it deep enough into the earth so as not to be effected by seasonal changes in moisture. In North Texas that depth is generally recognized by engineers as around 12 feet.

Steel piers are the preferred method for most long term foundation repairs. Steel piers are driven in sections to either load bearing strata or rock.  Depths may be as great as 70 feet.

Pressed concrete pilings are a lower cost alternative to steel piers.   Concrete cylinders are driven to refusal in clay soil. Refusal in the Dallas Fort Worth area typically occurs at a depth of 8 to 15 feet, dependent upon soil moisture and weight of the foundation.   If the installer does not use water injection, depth may be somewhat more limited.

If you can afford the cost differential, always choose steel.    To learn more about the two systems, click here. You will find a very detailed comparison of the systems.

Straight steel pier driven deep to load bearing strata, typically rock. Illustration courtesy Granite Foundation Repair

Pressed concrete cylinders are driven to load bearing strata. Typically compressed clay. Illustration courtesy Granite Foundation Repair.

• The Foundation Repair Association imposes strict requirements of integrity on its member companies.  You can check here for FRA membership. If a company advertises that it is licensed in the art of foundation repair, watch out. There is no license for this trade in Texas.

• Check with the Better Business Bureau for accreditation rating and complaints.  With regard to complaints, problems do sometimes arise.  Check that the company promptly resolved the complaint.

• Confirm a valid liability insurance policy of at least $1 million dollars.  If the unexpected occurs, you need assurance that the contractor can cover the damages.

• Worker’s Compensation Insurance is extremely  important in Texas.  It protects the employee, the contractor, and the homeowner.  This insurance is normally paid by the contractor.   It is not cheap, so many forgo the expense.  If there is no Texas Worker’s Compensation Insurance, an employee injured on your property can sue you for all medical expenses.  Don’t accept a contractor’s promises to assume all liability. A contractor can not limit the employee’s ability to sue you, the homeowner.  The employee can not sue for medical expenses if he is covered by Worker’s Compensation Insurance.

• Verify that the company has a clearly written, understandable and transferable warranty for all foundation repairs.   There is no insurance company in Texas that underwrites foundation repair and there is no State owned trust fund.

• Verify all the terms of the contract. Do not accept any verbal promises.

• Obtain a copy of the installation procedures for the repair method that you are buying.

• Obtain references.

• Obtain in writing that the company will not employ sub-contractors (who might not be insured).

• Don’t be pressured to make a fast decision because of a $500 gift card or a deep discount offer.