Garland, TX · Slab Foundation Repair
Slab Foundation Repair in Garland
Most Garland homes sit on a concrete slab poured straight onto expansive clay. When part of that slab drops, the fix is usually a set of piers driven or drilled below the active clay and used to lift the low areas back toward level.
01 — What this covers
The work itself
- Elevation survey of the whole slab before any recommendation
- Exterior piers along the perimeter where the beam has dropped
- Interior piers through the floor when the settlement is under the house
- Pressed concrete pilings, steel piers or drilled concrete piers, depending on the soil and the load
- Lifting and leveling the slab with hydraulic jacks, then shimming the piers
- Plumbing tests before and after lifting, when the house has older drain lines
- Patching the access holes, backfilling and leaving the yard as close to how it was as possible
- Re-checking elevations after the lift and writing them into the final paperwork
02 — Detail
How a slab fails on Garland clay
A slab-on-grade foundation is a reinforced concrete plate with thicker beams around the edge and, usually, a grid of beams underneath. It's designed to float on the soil. On stable ground that works for a lifetime; on Blackland Prairie clay the ground itself keeps changing volume, so the slab is constantly being pushed up in one place and left unsupported in another.
The most common pattern here is edge settlement: the perimeter dries out in summer, the clay shrinks away and a corner or a whole side of the house drops. The second is heave, the opposite — water gets under the middle of the slab, often from a plumbing leak or poor drainage, and the center rises. They look similar from inside the house, but they're fixed differently, and lifting a slab that has actually heaved makes things worse. That's why the elevation survey comes first.
03 — Detail
The piers: what goes under the house
Piers work by bypassing the clay that moves. They're installed against or under the foundation beam and pushed or drilled down until they reach soil that is stable year round, then the slab is lifted onto them. In the Garland area three types do most of the work.
Pressed concrete pilings are short concrete cylinders stacked one on top of another and pressed into the ground with a hydraulic ram until they refuse to go further. They're the most common residential choice in North Texas because they're quick to install and cost-effective. Steel piers are pipe sections driven much deeper, often to bedrock or very dense soil, and are chosen when the load or the soil calls for more depth. Drilled concrete piers — sometimes with a belled bottom — are holes drilled to a set depth and filled with reinforced concrete; they take longer but are a standard engineered solution.
None of them is right for every house. Ask why a company recommends a particular type and depth for yours, and how many piers the plan includes — the count is the biggest driver of the price.
04 — Detail
Interior piers and plumbing
When the low area is in the middle of the house rather than at the edge, piers have to go in from inside — through holes cut in the floor — or from tunnels dug under the slab. It's more disruptive and more expensive, but if the settlement is under a hallway or a bathroom, piering only the perimeter won't reach it.
Plumbing is the other reason to be careful. Older Garland homes often have cast-iron drain lines under the slab, and lifting a slab can stress pipes that were already weak. A reputable company will suggest a hydrostatic plumbing test before or after the lift, so a leak doesn't quietly undo the repair by soaking the soil under the house.
05 — Detail
What a good slab repair estimate includes
A written estimate should show the elevation readings, a drawing of where each pier goes, the type and number of piers, what happens to landscaping and flatwork near the work area, whether permits or an engineer's letter are included, and the warranty terms — in writing, including whether the warranty transfers to the next owner, which matters a lot when you sell.
If two estimates differ a lot, compare the pier count and the drawings before the price. One company may be lifting a single corner while the other is supporting the whole side; one of them is probably reading the readings differently. That's a good moment to ask for a second look or an independent engineer.
06 — Detail
Before you assume it's the foundation
Not every crack means piers. Brick veneer cracks with temperature, drywall tape lines show up in almost every Texas house, and garage slabs crack by design along their joints. If the readings are within normal tolerance and the cracks aren't growing, the right answer may be better drainage, a watering routine and another look next season. A trustworthy inspection tells you that too.
How we work
Step by step
- 01
Free inspection: elevation survey, crack mapping, a look at drainage, trees and plumbing clues.
- 02
Written plan and estimate with a pier diagram, pier type and count, and warranty terms.
- 03
Scheduling, utility locates and any permit or engineer's letter the job needs.
- 04
Installation: excavating at each pier location, driving or drilling the piers, lifting and shimming.
- 05
Final elevations, backfill and cleanup, and the paperwork you'll need if you ever sell the house.
What it costs
Price follows the pier count. A small repair on one corner is a very different job from supporting a whole side or the interior of a large slab — the written estimate should show exactly how many piers and where.
Questions
Slab Foundation Repair — asked and answered
How many piers will my house need?
It depends on how much of the slab has moved and where. A dropped corner might need a handful; a whole side of a large house can need many more. The elevation survey and the pier drawing in the estimate answer this for your house specifically.
Will the cracks close after the slab is lifted?
Many cracks narrow or close and doors usually work again, but lifting a slab is about stability, not perfection. Some drywall and brick repair after the job is normal.
Do I need to leave the house during the work?
Usually not for exterior piers. Interior piers involve cutting the floor in the affected rooms, so you'll need to clear those areas while the crew works.
What's the difference between pressed pilings and steel piers?
Pressed concrete pilings are stacked concrete segments pressed until they stop; steel piers are driven much deeper, often to very firm soil or rock. Both are common in North Texas; the right one depends on the house, the soil and the warranty offered.
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