Foundation repair in Midland TX - piers set down to soil that holds your house
Cracks over the doors and floors that slope? We find what's moving, set the right piers and steady your house.
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Does my house need foundation repair?
Foundation repair in Midland, TX steadies a house that moves as the soil under it shrinks and swells, by setting piers down to a layer of soil strong enough to carry it. G&R Midland Concrete and Masonry does this work in Midland and the cities around it.
It usually shows up inside first. Cracks in sheetrock walls or ceilings, cracks above doors, doors and windows that stick, and floors that slope all mean the house has moved, so walk through and note which ones you see and in what rooms before you call. The price turns on how many piers your house needs, which kind they are and how much of the house has moved. The schedule mostly turns on paperwork, like whether a permit or an engineer's report has to come first. Your estimate comes in writing with what's included spelled out, so you can set it next to anyone else's.
How we do foundation repair
I walk the house with you first, look at the cracks and sticking doors you've noticed, and tell you which pier I'd use and why, because the right one depends on how heavy your house is and how far down the solid soil sits. On the job, our crew digs where the piers go, drives each one down until it reaches soil strong enough to carry the house, sets the house on them, backfills and cleans up. Once the repair's done, we talk about keeping the water around your house steady, because a foundation holds better when the soil next to it isn't swinging from soaked to bone dry.
Foundation movement rarely stays in the foundation. A house that shifts can crack a chimney or pull it away from the wall, and that's a chimney repair job once the house is steady. Brick siding tends to crack along the mortar lines, and after the piers are in, tuckpointing cleans out the broken joints and fills them with fresh mortar, which looks a lot better than the caulk somebody smeared in last time.
Foundation repair in Midland: permits, inspections and trees
In Midland, the city's Code Administration issues permits, and its list of work that needs a residential building permit includes repairs, so a foundation repair can call for one. When it does, we handle the paperwork with the city and wait for the permit before we start, and the city inspects the work while it's going in. The city also requires a licensed, bonded contractor registered with the city for most construction, and Code Administration is the office that registers contractors and checks their licensing, so it's worth asking any crew you're comparing whether they're registered.
Trees matter here too. Texas engineering guidelines say a tree or large shrub near the foundation can shrink the soil under it, and pulling it out can let that soil swell back up, especially when the tree was there before the house. So I note what's growing near the walls on the first walk-through, before anyone reaches for a chainsaw. We see the same big trees and flowerbeds tight against the slab on jobs in Odessa and Big Spring.
Foundation and pier work
Get a written foundation repair estimate
We reply within one business day to set a time, and I come out to walk the house with you and look at what you've noticed. The estimate is free, done on site, and there's no obligation.
(432) 219-3791Foundation repair questions from Midland homeowners
How much does foundation repair cost in Texas?
Foundation repair in Texas usually costs about $3,500 to $8,000 per job, and that's a statewide figure, not a Midland price. Quotes are usually counted per pier or per square foot of the area that moved, and the pier type sets what each pier costs, so check which way each quote counts before you compare totals. A repair quote may not cover plumbing under the slab, and cracked lines there add up, so a leak test before work starts is worth it.
What does a Level A engineer's inspection cover?
Texas engineering guidelines describe a Level A inspection as a report of first impressions. The state engineering board has said some homeowners weren't clear on that when they hired the engineer, so ask what level of inspection you're paying for before you book it.
What causes a house foundation to move?
Usually the soil, because expansive soils shrink as they dry and swell as they get wet, and the foundation moves with them. When the soil stays wetter on one side of the house than the other, that side tends to move more.
How do I keep my foundation from moving after it's repaired?
Keep the soil moisture next to and under the foundation as even as you can, since that's the single best way to cut down movement on soil that shrinks and swells. A Texas homeowner's guide says to slope the soil away from every side of the house for at least 5 feet and to have downspouts discharge at least 3 feet from the foundation. We go over this with you once the piers are in.
How do I know a foundation pier has reached solid soil?
Ask the crew, because each pier has to reach a layer of soil strong enough to carry the house and they should be able to tell you how they'll know. One pier maker notes that without soil test data, a helical pier installer judges it by watching how the shaft twists as it goes in. On the walk-through, I'll tell you how we'd judge it for the pier we recommend.
Will foundation repair tear up my yard in Midland?
It can be less of a mess than you'd think. One maker's push piers go in through small, hand-dug access holes, and once the soil goes back, it's usually very hard to see where the work was done.
Book your Midland foundation check today
We pick up until 10 PM on weekdays and 9 PM on weekends, so you can call (432) 219-3791 after work.