How to choose a foundation repair company in Houston
Texas issues no license for foundation repair, so start with an independent licensed engineer's evaluation, then get bids against that report rather than against each company's own diagnosis.
License and permits
Texas has no state license for foundation repair contractors. The engineer who evaluates your foundation, however, must be a licensed Professional Engineer registered with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Hire the engineer independently of the repair company.
Texas issues no state license for foundation repair companies. Insurance and references carry the weight here.
Foundation repair in the City of Houston generally requires a building permit, and plumbing lines under the slab must be tested after leveling. Confirm who pulls the permit and who performs the post-repair plumbing test.
Walk away if
- The company's own salesperson diagnoses the foundation and quotes a pier count on the same visit.
- There is no independent engineer's report, or the engineer was chosen and paid by the repair company.
- They skip the under-slab plumbing test before and after lifting. Leveling a slab can break drain lines.
- The warranty is lifetime but the company is two years old.
- They push a decision while you are worried, citing damage that will get worse by next week.
Ask before you hire
- Can I get an independent evaluation from a licensed Professional Engineer before you bid?
- Which pier method are you proposing, and why for this soil and this house?
- Does the price include a plumbing leak test before and after the lift?
- Is the warranty transferable to the next owner, and who backs it if the company closes?
- Will you pull the City of Houston permit?
Houston specifics
Foundation movement in Houston is mostly a water problem. Clay soil shrinks away from the slab in a dry summer, then swells after a tropical storm. Trees pull moisture from one side of the house. A leaking drain line under the slab softens the soil on the other side. Before anyone drives a pier, you want to know what is moving the soil, because piers do not fix a leak.
That is why the order matters: independent engineer first, plumbing test second, bids third. An engineer’s report with a pier plan lets you compare companies on the same scope. Without it, every company diagnoses a different problem and you are comparing stories, not prices.
Reading a foundation bid
A complete bid references the engineer’s report, states the pier type and count, the depth or refusal standard, whether a plumbing test before and after is included, how landscaping and concrete will be restored, the permit, and a warranty that says who honors it and whether it transfers. Pay attention to who holds the warranty if the company merges or closes, which happens often in this trade.
Frequently asked
Is foundation repair licensed in Texas?
No. There is no state license for foundation repair contractors. Engineers who evaluate foundations must be licensed Professional Engineers, which is why an independent engineer's report is the first step.
Why do Houston foundations move so much?
Most of Houston sits on expansive clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry. Long droughts followed by heavy rain move the soil under the slab unevenly, and the slab moves with it.