Houston Foundation Repair
Houston Foundation Repair is a thriving industry. This is largely due to geoexclusive soil characteristics. Houston sits in one of the most unique geographically diverse areas in North America where 4 regions meet: piney forests from the north, prarie from the west, coastal plains from the south, and swamp and marsh from the east. This diversity brings together different soil types not found in other places.
There are soil types such as loams, clays, sands, and mixtures of each. Because these soils react differently to temperature and moisture, they can cause problems for concrete slab foundations. Clays expand when wet and contract when dry. Loams and Sands are vulnerable to erosion. Ultimately, the shifting of soil beneath a home's foundation can lead to stress and failure.
Please see our Foundation Warning Signs page to learn what symptoms to look for.
Perma Pile
The Perma Pile System, designed by structural engineers, uses pre-cast concrete cylinders driven hydraulically into the soil beneath the foundation. Each pile is driven to the proper depth to properly support its specified load, assuring permanent repair. A Cap Block is then placed securely on top of the pile, providing a stable base for the next level of piers. The final step in the process is the installation of steel shims between the piles and the foundation, or Grade Beam.
CableLock
The Cablelock Foundation Repair System was devised as a way to get around the Perma Pile patent. Contractors realized that they could completely avoid paying royalties by simply casting a cylinder with a hole in the center of it and pulling a cable through the hole. A Cablelock Foundation Repair begins with a smaller diameter cylinder which is pressed into the ground first with an eyebolt and a cable attached to it. The cable is then threaded through larger diamter cylinders, which are pressed into the ground behind the smaller cylinder.
Bell Bottom Piers
Bell Bottom Piers were originally used by contractors before the invention of the Perma Pile System. They were originally designed to provide additional support for new construction concrete slabs. They were never intended for foundation repair or to completely support the weight of a concrete slab foundation.