Grading corrected around the house
Soil is reshaped so the ground falls away from the foundation for the first several feet instead of holding water against it.
Drainage Correction and Root Barriers
Clay moves because its moisture changes. Keep the moisture under a house even and the house mostly stays put, which is why correcting water and controlling tree roots is often the cheapest useful work anyone does on a Fort Worth foundation.
- Referral Service
- Slab & Pier and Beam
- Residential & Commercial
Signs That Need Attention
- Water standing beside the house a day after rain
- Downspouts emptying straight onto the ground at the wall
- Soil that has shrunk away from the slab edge in summer
- Ground sloping back toward the house instead of away
- A large post oak or live oak within a tree height of the wall
The pattern to look for is one side of the house staying wet while another bakes dry. That difference is what tilts a slab. A shaded north side under a tree canopy and a sunny west wall with a downspout draining onto it can be moving in opposite directions at the same time, all year, every year.
What the Service Includes
Which of these applies depends on the lot. The inspection looks at where the water goes during a storm and where the roots are, not just at the cracks.
Gutters and downspout extensions
Roof water is the biggest single volume hitting the soil. Getting it collected and discharged well clear of the wall is simple and effective.
Surface and French drains
Where a low area cannot be regraded, a drain line collects the water and carries it to a point where it can safely leave the lot.
Root barriers along the tree side
A vertical barrier set between a large tree and the foundation limits roots drawing moisture from directly under the footing.
Soaker hose guidance for dry spells
Even watering around the perimeter during a long dry summer keeps the clay from shrinking away. The watering guide explains where to run the hose and how often.
Irrigation checked for leaks and overspray
A sprinkler zone soaking one flower bed for years does the same damage as bad grading. Broken heads and leaking valves are worth flagging.
Your Options
Sometimes water correction is the whole job. If the readings show only mild, seasonal movement and there is an obvious cause outside, fixing the grading, the gutters and the watering habit can be enough, and it costs a fraction of underpinning. Ask any company whether that option was considered before they quote supports.
Where the house has already dropped, drainage work belongs alongside the structural repair rather than instead of it. See slab foundation repair and foundation piers, and read our guide to watering your foundation through a Texas summer.
Ask about the inspection first, or see local notes for Keller, where mature post oaks around 1990s homes are a regular factor, and the rest of the service area.
Drainage Correction and Root Barriers Questions
Can fixing the drainage alone stop foundation movement?
Sometimes, when the movement is mild and the cause is obviously outside. Correcting grading, moving roof water away and watering evenly in summer can settle a house that was only reacting to a wet side and a dry side. It will not lift a corner that has already dropped. The elevation readings are what tell you which situation you are in.
Do I have to remove the tree?
Usually not, and it should not be the first option. A root barrier set between the tree and the house addresses the moisture the roots are taking from under the footing while leaving the tree standing. Removal is a last resort, and it has its own risk: soil under a slab can rebound and heave once a large tree stops drawing water from it.
How often should I water the foundation in summer?
The aim is steady, not heavy. Short, regular runs of a soaker hose set back a foot or two from the slab edge, often enough that the soil never opens into a visible gap, is the usual approach through a long dry spell. Flooding the beds once a two weeks does more harm than good. See our watering guide for the detail.
Arrange a drainage assessment in Fort Worth
Call to describe where the water goes and what the slab is doing.