Round Rock, Texas

Foundation repair in Round Rock

Cracks in the brick, doors that stick, or a repair quote that makes you nervous? Text me what you see, with photos. I’ll help you find a local foundation company, and I’ll tell you why I’d get an independent engineer’s view first.

Text Terry about your foundation

OnHand Home is not a foundation company. I help you find one, and you get their business name before you agree to anything. There is no charge for my help. You pay the foundation company for the work.

What the work involves

A slab-on-grade foundation is a concrete pad poured on the ground, with the house built on top. If the soil under part of the slab moves, that part of the house moves with it.

Foundation companies usually fix this by lifting the low part of the slab with piers pushed or drilled into the ground below it. A pier is a column that carries the weight down to firmer soil. Some jobs only need drainage or soil moisture fixes. Others need piers. An evaluation should tell you which.

The company that wants to do the work is not always the best one to say what the work should be. A quote from a repair company is a sales document. An engineer’s report is a separate opinion, written for you, with no repair to sell.

Signs people notice before they call

Stair-step cracks in brick, running along the mortar joints
Doors and windows that stick or no longer latch
Floors that slope, or a ball that rolls across a room
Gaps between the wall and the trim, the ceiling or the floor
Cracks in drywall that reopen after you patch them
Cracks in a garage or patio slab
Gaps around the edge of the foundation after a dry spell

How worried should you be?

A crack by itself does not tell you. Many houses crack. What matters is whether the crack is growing, and whether the house is moving.

Hairline cracks that stay the same. Mark the ends with a pencil and a date. If nothing moves in a few months, tell the engineer when you call.
Cracks that grow, or doors that keep getting worse. That points to movement. Get an evaluation before you sign anything.
A quote that says you need it done now. Slow down. Ask for the evaluation and the proposed piers in writing, then get a second opinion.
A leak or poor drainage near the house. Water near the slab can move the soil. Ask whether drainage or a plumbing leak is part of the cause.

What changes the price

Foundation quotes vary because the damage varies. Ask each company to list what it will do, point by point.

How much of the slab has moved, and by how much
The number of piers, and the method used to place them
Whether drainage, gutters, grading or a leak also needs work
Access to the foundation, such as fencing, landscaping, patios or air conditioner pads
Interior repairs after the lift: drywall, flooring, doors and brick
Whether an engineer’s report is part of the job, and who pays for it
Warranty terms, and what a transfer to a new owner costs

Questions to ask the foundation company

Use these to compare quotes side by side.

Who is writing the evaluation, and is it independent of the repair?The same company evaluating and selling the repair has a stake in the answer.
Is a Texas licensed professional engineer involved? What is their license number?Texas lists engineers in a public roster. You can check the name yourself.
What is the cause of the movement, and what will fix the cause, not just the symptom?Piers that fix the slab but leave a leak or bad drainage can invite the same problem.
How many piers, where, and why those spots?Ask for a drawing. The count and the locations are the heart of the quote.
What damage inside the house is included after the lift?Cracked drywall, doors and tile are often separate.
What does the warranty cover, for how long, and does it transfer to a new owner?A warranty that does not transfer may not help when you sell. Ask for it in writing, with any fee.
What happens if the slab moves again?Ask who comes back, and at whose cost.
Do you provide a final report or letter when the work is done?A buyer or lender may ask for it later.

Why an independent engineer first

A licensed professional engineer can look at the house, measure the floor levels and say whether the foundation needs repair, and what kind. You pay for that report, but it keeps you from buying a repair you do not need, and it gives you a spec that bids can match.

The Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors keeps a public roster where you can search for an engineer by entering search values. Look up any engineer before you hire them.

Soil, and what I can and cannot say

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension says the deep clay soils of the Blackland Prairie in the Austin area tend to shrink and swell as moisture changes. I cannot tell you which soil sits under your lot. An engineer and a soil map can.
I did not find a Texas state license for foundation repair companies, so I do not claim one. Ask each company what licenses, insurance and credentials it holds, and check them yourself.
The City of Round Rock’s standalone permit list does not include foundation work. Ask the company whether your job needs a City permit.

What happens after you text

You text meSay what is going on, add a photo if you can, and include your ZIP code. The message is already started for you, and you can change it.
I ask a question or twoI check the details a foundation company will need and confirm you are in our area. We are starting in Round Rock.
I look for a foundation companyI check who can take the job. You get the business name before you agree to anything. If I cannot find someone, I tell you.
They quote and do the workThe foundation company confirms the time and the price with you. You pay them for the work. I follow up afterward.

Tell me what is going on.

Text me a short description and your ZIP code. A photo helps.