Why slabs move here
The Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers says most Texas homes sit on slab-on-ground foundations, and that foundations on expansive clays or fills carry an increased potential for movement. Much of Fort Worth fits that description: the city spans clay prairie and sandier Cross Timbers ground, and the clay is what moves.
A slab rests on the soil rather than reaching down to rock. A Texas licensing bulletin describes what happens next: heave when wet, settle when dry. Because the edges of a slab dry first in summer, and the middle stays damp under the house, slabs here tend to fail in one of two shapes.
Settlement or heave: which way did it move?
| Compared | Edge settlement | Center heave |
|---|---|---|
| What happened | Clay under the perimeter dried and shrank, so an edge or corner dropped | Clay under the middle got wetter and swelled, so the center rose |
| What you see | Stair-step brick cracks near corners, doors binding toward the outside walls | Cracks in interior walls, doors binding in the middle of the house, a hump in the floor |
| Common causes | Drought, trees drawing water near the house, gutters dumping in one spot | A plumbing leak under the slab, water pooling against the house, overwatering |
| Usual fix | Piers under the dropped beams, then a lift | Find and stop the water; let the soil settle; sometimes level by lifting the low edges to match |
Getting this right matters more than the choice of pier. The Foundation Performance Association notes that piers will not prevent foundation uplift unless they are designed to do so. A plan that puts piers under a heaving slab without addressing the water treats the wrong problem. That’s what a good elevation survey, read alongside the cracks, is for.
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The methods compared
| Method | How it goes in | Where it fits | Ask about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressed concrete piers | Precast cylinders pushed down one at a time until the soil resists | Common on DFW slabs; quick to install | Depth reached, and whether depth is recorded per pier |
| Drilled concrete piers | A hole drilled to a planned depth, filled with steel and concrete | Where the engineer wants a set depth or a bell at the bottom | Curing time before the lift |
| Steel push piers | Steel pipe driven down using the house’s weight as resistance | Where firmer ground is deeper | Pressure and depth records for each pier |
| Helical piers | A steel shaft with screw plates turned into the ground | Lighter loads, or where driving piers is difficult | Torque records and design load |
| Mudjacking or foam lifting | Material pumped under the slab to raise it | Mostly driveways, walks and patios | Why it’s proposed instead of piers |
Prices for each are on the cost page. The pier type matters less than whether the plan matches the survey and the design reaches stable ground.
Exterior and interior piers
Most piers go along the outside edge of the house: the crew digs beside the beam, installs the pier and lifts. When the low area is under the middle of the house, the plan needs interior piers, and there are two ways in:
- Breakouts: cutting openings in the slab, installing piers, then patching the concrete. Flooring in those spots comes up.
- Tunneling: digging under the slab from outside. It costs more and takes longer, but floors stay put, and it can expose plumbing for inspection along the way.
Ask that every pier, interior and exterior, be marked on a drawing you keep.
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What the repair involves, start to finish
- The contractor’s plan goes to a licensed engineer, who prepares the plans and letter Fort Worth asks for with the permit.
- A plumbing test is run before the lift if the plan includes one, so any leak found later can be pinned on the right cause.
- Holes are dug or slab openings cut, piers installed, and the house lifted in stages while the crew watches for new cracking.
- Shims and caps lock the slab at its new height; holes are backfilled and openings patched.
- After-lift elevation readings are taken, and the plumbing may be tested again.
Expect some new hairline cracks or a door that needs adjusting. Lifting a house that settled over years puts some strain on finishes.
After the lift
The piers carry the slab where they were placed, but the clay around them still swells and shrinks. The FPA warns that improper drainage can cause continued movement of a repaired slab. Gutters that drain well away from the house, ground that slopes away from it, and steady moisture in dry spells protect the repair. The drainage page covers each step.
If plumbing under the slab was damaged, Texas law reserves that work for licensed plumbers, and Fort Worth needs its own plumbing permit for it. The slab leak page explains the test and what it finds.
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What slab repair costs
HomeGuide puts concrete slab repair at $1,000–$10,000 depending on the damage, and repairs for settling at $4,500–$20,000. Most of the difference comes down to how many piers, of what type, and whether any go inside. Before agreeing to a large job, compare more than one written plan, and keep every reading, permit and warranty for the day you sell.