Foundation inspection in Richmond and Fort Bend

When an inspection makes sense

Call for an evaluation if you notice any of these, especially more than one:

• Stair-step cracks in exterior brick, or cracks that run from the corners of windows and doors
• Doors that stick, won’t latch, or have uneven gaps at the top
• Sloping or bouncy floors, or cracks in tile
• Gaps where walls meet the ceiling or floor, or baseboards pulling away
• Cracks that are getting wider over weeks or months
• Water pooling against the slab after rain

Inspections are also smart when you are buying or selling a home, after a plumbing leak under the slab, or after a long drought followed by heavy rain. That cycle is the hardest on Fort Bend clay.

What happens during the evaluation

A foundation specialist will typically:

1. Ask what you’ve noticed and when it started.
2. Look at the exterior: brick and siding cracks, the exposed edge of the slab, grading, gutters, downspouts, flower beds and nearby trees.
3. Look at the interior: doors, windows, drywall, ceilings, tile and any visible slab cracks.
4. Measure floor elevations with a digital level or water-based manometer at many points around the house. This produces a map showing which areas are high and low, and by how much. It’s the most useful part of the visit.
5. Explain the results in plain language: whether the movement is within normal tolerance, whether it looks active, and what, if anything, they recommend.
6. Provide a written proposal if repair is recommended.

Repair company vs. structural engineer

Both have a role:

• A foundation repair specialist evaluates the house, recommends a repair, and can do the work. Their evaluation is usually free.
• A licensed professional engineer (P.E.) gives an independent opinion and a formal report, and can design or approve a repair plan. This is a paid service.

An engineer’s report is worth considering when you’re buying or selling, when the problem looks severe or unusual, when two contractors give you very different answers, or when your city or lender asks for one. Some repair companies provide an engineer’s letter after completing a job, so ask about it.

Reading the results

• Small differences in floor elevation across a house are normal. No slab is perfectly flat.
• What matters is how much the slab differs from one point to another, where, and whether it’s getting worse.
• If the specialist says “monitor it,” ask what to watch for and when to re-measure.
• If they recommend repair, ask them to show you on the elevation map exactly where the piers would go and why.

Before you book anywhere

It’s always fine to ask:

• Is the evaluation free, and how long will it take?
• Will I get the elevation readings in writing?
• Do you recommend an engineer for my situation?
• Is there any pressure to sign the same day? (A good company is fine with you taking time to decide.)

Next steps

If repair is recommended, our foundation repair and slab repair and piers pages explain the options, and the cost guide shows typical published price ranges.