Most Pearland-area homes sit on a concrete slab poured directly on expansive clay. When that clay shrinks and swells, the slab moves with it. Here is how slab repair works and what to ask before you sign.
The soil under most of the Houston area is dense clay that expands when wet and shrinks when dry. A slab-on-grade foundation rests on that clay, so seasonal moisture swings can lift one side of a house while another side settles. Long droughts followed by heavy Gulf Coast rain make the cycle worse. Large trees near the house, poor gutter drainage, and plumbing leaks under the slab can concentrate the movement in one area.
Slab movement is common, and not every crack means structural trouble. The goal of an evaluation is to separate normal cosmetic cracking from ongoing differential movement that needs repair.
Read more in our guide to signs of foundation problems in Houston homes.
Pre-cast concrete cylinders are stacked and hydraulically pressed into the ground until they reach refusal, then the slab is lifted and shimmed. This is one of the most common methods in the Houston market.
Steel pipe sections are driven or pressed to deeper load-bearing soil. They can reach greater depths than concrete pilings in some conditions.
Holes are drilled, often with a belled bottom, reinforced with rebar, and filled with concrete. Engineers sometimes specify these for heavier loads or specific soil conditions.
We compare these methods in pressed pilings vs. drilled piers. The right choice depends on your soil, the home's weight, and the engineer's or specialist's findings.
Ask whether a plumbing test is recommended. Under-slab leaks can both cause and result from movement. See what a foundation inspection includes.
Texas does not issue a state license for foundation repair contractors, so references, insurance certificates, and written warranties matter. Our checklist: questions to ask a foundation repair company.
Common signs include doors and windows that stick or won't latch, diagonal drywall cracks at door corners, stair-step cracks in brick, gaps between walls and ceilings, and floors that slope. One sign alone is not a diagnosis. An elevation survey shows whether the slab is actually moving and by how much.
The most common approaches are pressed concrete pilings, steel piers, and drilled concrete piers installed under the slab, then the house is lifted and shimmed back toward level. Drainage correction is often part of a lasting fix on Gulf Coast clay.
Usually not. Most exterior pier work is done from outside the house. Interior piers require breaking through the floor in specific spots, which is noisy and dusty but typically done room by room.
It depends on the number of piers, access, depth to stable soil, and any plumbing or drainage work. See our foundation repair cost guide for the factors that drive pricing. Only an on-site evaluation can scope your home.
Pier & Beam Repair · House Leveling · Foundation Inspection · Drainage & Moisture Control · Repair cost guide · Foundation blog
Request a no-obligation slab evaluation from an independent local specialist.