Does anyone have a foundation repair experience or anecdote? (Dallas: homeowners insurance, house) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

Zhang Fei · 10-05-2006, 11:26 AM

I'm looking for circumstances and costs. I'm just planning for a worst case scenario. Also, does property insurance typically cover foundation problems?

momof2dfw · 10-05-2006, 11:43 AM

No, homeowners insurance does not cover foundation repairs. Not anymore. There are a few loopholes to get some of the repairs paid by the insurance companies but it all depends on how/why/when the damage was done and caused and knowing the ropes.

Costs. Depends on what kind of work is being done and the kind of piers put in. The extent of the work to be done interior and exterior, etc. A VERY ROUGH guesstimate is around $1000 a pier.

Circumstances. Like in you had a massive water leak under your house? The builder was crappy and it is their fault? (If that is the case you can forget the builder living up to their worthless warranty in most cases). You did not water around your foundation? The big tree right next to your house has its roots up under your foundation? Time for a rootbarrier to be put in (something foundation repair companies do). Your house is on a high elevated spot and it slopes drastically to the street/alley/side because you have no retaining wall to support the dirt that is supporting your house?

Barnum · 10-05-2006, 06:25 PM

Our foundation repair cost us over $8,000 and that was just for the rear of our home. Dallas area sucks...count on foundation problems.

ricwil · 10-05-2006, 10:04 PM

Within Dallas, north Oakcliff, south thru Midlothian lies a white chalky rock layer beginning near the surface which goes down several feet. If you drive "up", to the top of "Cedar Hill" down Hwy 1382 south of I-20 you can't miss the hwy cutout which reveals several feet of rock. You put a house on top where the clay is thin or scraped off and and you've got a managable foundation. We have a 17 yo Cen-tex tract house here that has had very minor problems. Only a subtle, seasonal door stickiness. We don't water around the house and fortunately don't have large trees near. We originally,( 6 years ago), were looking around the Carrollton, Irving, Arlington and Grand Prairie area and found several homes with foundation problems. I agree Dallas sucks but for many other reasons.

Zhang Fei · 10-06-2006, 06:43 AM

Thank you, all. So I'm looking at tens of thousands of dollars if the situation ever arises. Sounds like something to get checked out before buying, as well as deal with via regular preventive maintenance after purchase.

momof2dfw · 10-06-2006, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zhang Fei

Thank you, all. So I'm looking at tens of thousands of dollars if the situation ever arises. Sounds like something to get checked out before buying, as well as deal with via regular preventive maintenance after purchase.

You can get a engineers report for a foundation for anywhere from $250-500. The foundation companies will come out and look for free too. But I would rather get an engineers report. FYI, any report done on a home including an engineers report that is given in writing to an owner they are REQUIRED to disclose such to any potential buyer.

I've said it many times, foundation troubles are NOT going to happen to EVERY home in the Dallas area. I'm a Dallas Native and of all of the homes that I personally have owned, my family and extended family over the last 70+ years only 2 had to have some foundation work. One was my 2nd home thanks to what the builder did when building the house and the other was one of my parents caused by a leaking shower pan and a tree that was allowed to grow right up next to the house. It really can be totally avoidable but sadly there are times when it is not but that is rare. No, you are not looking at tens of thousands of dollars for some minor foundation repairs. My old house only need 7 piers and we had the patio torn up and replaced but actually had it tied into the homes foundation since the builder had not and it only cost us right at $8K and we looked around and found a reputable company that gave a transferrable lifetime warranty.

Sher · 11-06-2006, 08:34 AM

I'm glad to hear that Midlothian may have less foundation problems due to hard rock soil. We have a list of five homes to look at in that area, and a good foundation is of the upmost importance. Too many builders build cheap foundations. Post-tension foundations should be the new standard, or piered beam (not to be confused with the old pier and beam). I'm not an expert on soil or foundations, but I'm cautious when purchasing a home anywhere in Texas. My husband and I are near retirement age, and we don't want foundation repair expenses on a fixed income (or at anytime). Slab foundations seem like a stupid idea because a plumbing break would require breaking up the foundation to get to the leak, unfortunately, most homes have the cheap, but quicker to build slab foundations. On teh other hand, the old pier and beam foundations have just as many problems (I guess). Any one else recommend the Midlothian area for the chances of having and keeping a stable foundation?:

ginamichelle28 · 08-29-2008, 08:33 AM

I will be fixing up a bungalow in Liberty, New York and the foundation is in need of repair. The bungalow sits on a very wet piece of land when it rains. I needed to know if there is any good contractor in the Liberty area that can be recommened.

little elmer · 08-29-2008, 09:59 AM

We're in the midst of a foundation warranty situation with our builder. There's two different companies (with two different repair methods - tunneling and traditional pier) bidding on the job. While the homebuilder (Ryland) will be footing the bill, it does present us with decisions regarding the type of repair and the warranty that each company offers.

To be specific, the traditional pier (Company A) would offer a 20/yr warranty and would require that we move out of our home for a short period (2-3 weeks). An inconvenience, but a per diem would be supplied. The added benefit to this option is that the kitchen tile would have to be replaced (and possibly the master bath tile), which we were having trouble with anyway.

Company B is using a method they refer to as "tunneling", and does not require us to relocate. It will be a mess, and we wouldn't get the possible replacements of tile because they don't go through the floor, but the lifetime transferable warranty is sounding pretty sweet, especially considering the long term growth potential of the Little Elm area.

aeh · 08-30-2008, 08:33 AM

We had foundation work done on the rear of our house, and ours too (like the two others mentioned) was $8K. I think we had 16 piers installed. Our house is P&B in the old part and slab under the new part and the slab part--the 25 year old part of the house-- is what needed the foundation work. The 70+ year old pier and beam foundation didn't have any issues