February 8, 2013 By

Licensing Foundation Repair Contractors Texas

Licensing of foundation repair contractors is needed for Texas home owners, especially in the Dallas area.  Texas HB 613 legislation has been proposed by Rob Orr, R-Buleson, TX for the 2013 legislative session.

HB613, House Bill 613 would create the Texas Foundation Repair Contractors Act. Plumbers, auctioneers, dog breeders and others are licensed in Texas, but not foundation repair.

Updated April 19 2013: House Bill 613 has come out of committee, to the floor for consideration,  and is now being reviewed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Texas Senate Bill 802, known as SB 802, is in committee. SB 802 mirrors HB 613 to  establish a process to license foundation repair contractors.

Granite Foundation Repair strongly endorses legislation in Texas to require licensing for foundation repair. As a contractor, we hear too  many stories of homeowners being bilked by disreputable  foundation repair contractors.   As Rob Orr stated ” anybody can get into the (foundation repair) business by hanging a shingle”.

You as a homeowner can do your part by contacting Rob Orr’s Austin office at 512-463-0538 and reporting any problems that you have encountered with foundation repair contractors.

The Texas Foundation Repair Contractors Act for Licensing would entail:

House Bill 613 (HB613) is needed to protect the consumer.  In the 2011-2012 Texas Legislative Session,  The Foundation Repair Association, of which Granite Foundation Repair is a member, led a licensing movement in the form of Senate Bill 1399 (SB1399), which died in committee. HB613 contains the essential protections of last year’s SB1399.
In the absence of this legislation, we recommend that homeowners:
  • Seek references for foundation repair contractors
  • Check with the BBB, FRA or Angie’s List

 

 

Filed Under: Foundation Repair Information Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
December 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Best Foundation Repair Method Dallas Steel Piers

Straight steel pier underpinning driven to rock for best foundation repair method.

Steel piers have consistently been shown to be the best foundation repair method in Dallas, Ft Worth and the Metroplex region of Texas.

Granite Foundation Repair has had consistently excellent repair results using steel piers.  Steel piers provide superior results because of prevalent clay soils in North Texas.  Clay resists the installation of pressed concrete, or hybrid steel and concrete pressed piers.

Six reasons why steel piers are the best foundation repair method:

  1. Steel piers are consistently driven to rock or shale.
  2. While concrete piers may stop after 5-15 feet, dependent upon soil moisture, steel piers penetrate thick Texas clay soils. Driven  all the way to rock.
  3. Installation of steel piers requires a 75% smaller access hole than concrete piers.
  4. Minimally invasive installation protects landscape.
  5. Installation depth is not dependent upon operator technique.  Steel piers go through Dallas Ft Worth soils like a hot knife through butter.
  6. Recommended by top professional registered foundation engineers.

We have all been bombarded with advertisements for foundation repair that lasts forever.   As owners of the Granite Foundation Repair, we didn’t want marketing hype.

When it came to repairing our own house, we chose steel piers.  Let’s face it, we could have chosen any method that we wanted.  We wanted the best because we didn’t want future cracks in brick or walls.  We knew from our own experience what was the best foundation repair method for a concrete slab foundation.

As owners, we wanted to draw upon our knowledge and fortunately, we weren’t limited by what was available to us.  Granite Foundation Repair is one of the few companies in North Texas that installs every repair method.   Quite simply, we knew that we couldn’t go wrong with our choice of steel piers.

Almost 10 years later, our choice of steel piers has been proven to be solid.

 

Filed Under: Foundation Repair Methods, Steel Pier for Foundation Repair Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
October 19, 2010 By

Why does soil consolidation cause a foundation problem?

Soil consolidation is a leading cause of concrete slab foundation failure of houses in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. The soil lacks the strength to adequately support the foundation.

Improper preparation of clay soil can cause consolidation, which means that the clay soil becomes more dense with time.  Soil consolidation can continue for decades.

During building site preparation, the developer should assure that clay soil is at the correct moisture content to enable adequate compaction in thin layers using specialized heavy construction equipment.

If you suspect a foundation problem is caused by soil consolidation, you may want to hire an engineering firm to perform soil consolidation testing.  Site testing can run upwards of $2500.

If your house foundation has failed due to clay soil consolidation, you should consult a construction attorney as you may be able to take action against the site developer and or builder.

The weight of a house will facilitate soil consolidation. One way to mitigate future consolidation damage is by having steel piers installed to take the load of the house off of the top soil in the areas where consolidation is taking place.  Sometimes it is necessary to pier the whole house  to fix foundation problems caused by soil consolidation.

Soil consolidation is common in the Dallas and Ft. Worth areas. If you suspect you have a soil consolidation issue, which is causing foundation problems, contact Granite Foundation Repair. One of our registered professional engineers will come out for FREE to perform a foundation inspection. Once a foundation inspection is performed, we can provide you with any foundation problems we see, the methods of repair we recommend and possibly the cause of your issues.

 

Filed Under: Foundation Maintenance, Foundation Repair Information Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
August 11, 2010 By

Do All Foundation Repairs Include a Lifetime Transferable Warranty?

Foundation repair warranties may be transferable for: the lifetime of the structure, for a fixed period, or for a fixed number of property owners.

There is no “standard” warranty for foundation repair. Also, The State of Texas does not warrant foundation repair.

Some companies have established limited trust funds.  The strength of the trust fund is limited by the amount of financial contribution of the company, and by outstanding liabilities should the company fail.

Some contractors warrant that the underpinning will be adjusted if it settles. Other contractors warrant that if the foundation repair pier or piling settles, they will adjust the pier for a fixed fee.

A foundation repair warranty is normally limited to the area supported by the pier.  It is impractical to expect that underpinning in one area of a house will support another part of the foundation.

One company overzealously advertised..“fix it with … and fix it forever”. You will not find that in a brochure anymore.  It is unrealistic to promise that foundation repair will fix all future foundation problems.

Once one area of a house is suitably underpinned, the movement in another area may become more apparent.  This is not a short fall of the foundation repair.  The practical reality is that homeowners seldom take the aggressive stance of totally underpinning a house in order to prevent any future movement.  Such an approach may be too expensive.

No foundation warranty in Texas will cover problems caused by “heave“.  Heave occurs when expansive clay soil expands, raising an area of the foundation off of the structural supports.

Filed Under: Foundation Repair Information Tagged With: , , ,
July 27, 2010 By

Five Common Problems with Pier and Beam Foundations

Until the early 50s, the Pier and Beam foundation was the  most common type of foundation built in the Dallas and  Fort Worth Texas region.  The foundations tend to be robust and long lasting.  Here are the common problems.

1. Decay or damage to wooden beams and/or wooden joists.  May be caused either by excessive moisture, or termites.  Solution: Replace damaged wood and re-shim.

2. Movement of interior piers. Until recently, the support for interior beams was wooden posts either sunk into the ground, or atop a concrete pad.  Most common problem is water induced upward and downward movement of the piers. Solution: assure that water can not get under the foundation.  Once moisture is stable, re-shim.

3. Movement of exterior piers. Cause of movement is often sinking piers.  Exterior piers may be either wooden posts, or concrete perimeter with concrete piers. Solution: Assure proper water drainage away from exterior, and possibly add helical piers. Shim.

4. Shim failure. It is not uncommon to find that a house has been shimmed with a variety of non-standard materials such as plywood, sheetrock, soft wood or even cardboard.  Solution: Replace inferior shim material with steel.

5. Inferior construction. Pier and beam houses built in the early 1900s may have inadequate load supporting ability, or may be failing due to the addition of a second story.   Solution: Add steel reinforcing beams and shim.

Seldom does the cost of repair of a pier and beam foundation approach that of a more recently built slab foundation.

Filed Under: Foundation Repair Information, Pier and Beam Foundation Tagged With: , , , , ,
October 4, 2009 By

Will insurance pay for my foundation repair in Dallas or Fort Worth?

plumbing-leak-foundation-prIt is always best to call your insurance agent and ask if you have coverage for foundation repair.

We at Granite Foundation Repair do not represent ourselves to be insurance experts.  Most of the time though, our clients have told us that the foundation problem was not covered by insurance.

If there is a sudden foundation problem, perhaps from a freshwater plumbing leak, or retainer wall failure, insurance may pay for foundation repair.  Usually coverage does not include slow leaks such as caused by a crack in a sewer line, or a pin hole in a freshwater line.

Bottom line.. call your insurance agent to see if the foundation problem is covered by insurance. It only takes a minute.

Filed Under: Foundation Repair Information Tagged With: , , , , ,
October 2, 2009 By

My house in Flower Mound Texas has a foundation problem. Do I need to fix my foundation problem?

The problem with delaying to fix a foundation problem is that the problem will get worse.  It will cost you more to repair.

Don’t be fooled by a seasonal increase in moisture, which tends to lift a foundation. When a foundation problem is identified, it demands your immediate attention.  With each passing season the severity of foundation problems typically increases and can also lead to problems with roofing and plumbing

Filed Under: Foundation Repair Information Tagged With: , ,
October 2, 2009 By

Can I wait to fix my foundation? Can I delay foundation repair? I live in Fort Worth.

Yes, you can wait to fix your foundation. Keep in mind though that delaying to fix a foundation problem will increase the cost of foundation repair.

The problems with waiting to fix a foundation problem are:

  1. The underlying problem tends to allow for the propagation of foundation problems across the foundation.  This means that the more the delay, the higher cost to  get the foundation repaired.
  2. Structural damage to the house will continue to grow.  More cracks in the walls, more separation of the roof joists, more chance that the plumbing will break.
  3. When a foundation has dropped, a good rule of thumb is that 1/2 to 2/3 of the elevation loss will be regained.  This means that if the foundation has dropped by 6 inches, the best attainable lift is about 4 inches. So the house will remain 2 inches out of level.

At Granite Foundation Repair, our foundation evaluators have tracked changes in houses over the years with owners who have delayed foundation repair.    Consistently we have found that delaying foundation repair causes a large increase in the total cost of foundation repair. That is why at Granite, we strongly urge you to fix your foundation problem as soon as possible.

Filed Under: Foundation Repair Information Tagged With: , , , , ,
October 1, 2009 By

Pier and Beam foundation leveling problems in Dallas Fort Worth

With proper maintenance, which means attention to drainage, pier and beam houses can be exceptionally stable.

At Granite Foundation Repair we often get calls in the rainy season about pier and beam foundation problems including cracks in walls and stuck doors and windows.

There is one way to eliminate seasonal pier and beam foundation problems… stop the water.

Too often we find that the crawl space of a pier and beam house is wet, and often even has standing water.   That is a problem because when the expansive clay soil gets wet, the soil expands, and the pier rises.  As the soil dries, the pier drops.  More often than not, some piers are on stable soil, while others are in the path of water.

Stop the water.  The soil dries.  The house can be shimmed in its new stable state, and no more cracks or stuck doors.

There may still be some movement around the perimeter, but the bulk of the problem is gone for good.

To see if drainage is a problem, check under your foundation the day after a big rain.  Put on some old clothes, open the scuttle hole, and crawl the length and width of the house looking for damp areas.  The goal is to have uniformly dry soil under your pier and beam house.

If you water regularly or not so regularly, this can also be a problem.  After watering, go into the crawl space and check for water or damp soil.

Filed Under: Pier and Beam Foundation Tagged With: , , , , , ,
September 22, 2009 By

Is it necessary for an engineer to sign off on a foundation repair plan in Plano?

Several years ago most Texas cities, including Plano, moved the responsibility for job site inspection out of the city inspector’s office.  To close out a permit, the city requires a Registered Professional Engineer’s seal on a letter attesting that the foundation has been repaired in accordance with the permitted repair plan.

It is possible to inspect a drilled concrete pier to verify steel cage and pier depth prior to pouring concrete.   The introduction of superior pier systems, notably pressed concrete pilings and pressed steel pilings,  eliminated any possibility of in-process inspection short of watching the whole installation process.

Filed Under: Foundation Repair Information Tagged With: , , , , , ,