Foundation Repair

danstar25

I have a 2 story concrete slab home in Texas.

I have had a total of 6 foundation companies come out to do estimates.
Prices range from 4k to 10k with 4k being concrete piers and the 10k being steel piers.

Obviously the companies with the steel beams say they work better.
And I am sure they do but they are double the price.

Can anybody offer up some facts or know of any studies done on this?

TrapperL

If you started with the foundation companies instead of a forensic engineer, you got off to a bad start. You need an engineer that is going to represent your interests and give you a plan of action. The best one in Texas, and I've worked numerous jobs with him, is Homer Parker out of Round Rock, Texas. I'm not affiliated in anyway to Homer. He's a great guy that can make it as detailed as you can understand it or as easy as it takes for you to know exactly what's going on with your foundation and why. But trying to make heads or tails out of information from someone who's trying to sell you something is not good business on your part. Homer travels several surrounding states but if you don't want to contact him, look in the phone book. The report is not near as expensive as you might think.

Daniel Holzman

You kind of left out all of the important details. Like exactly what is the problem? And what kind of solution are you looking for? Given that you are in Texas, I am going to guess that you have expansive clay soil, and you are experiencing issues with differential settlement of your slab, leading to cracking of the foundation, out of level doors, possibly cracks in your plaster walls. But of course you did not say any of that, so possibly I should try out for the Mentalist TV show, or else I am so far off I should be on "It's Worth What?".

You had six foundation companies come out and offer opinions. Here is an alternative strategy for designing a fix. You hire a structural engineer familiar with foundation issues in your region. You pay the engineer a reasonable fee, perhaps $500 or $1000, they do an in depth analysis of your specific foundation problem, and recommend a specific solution that they believe is cost effective. Your type of problem absolutely requires a hands on investigation, including perhaps a soil boring, to identify the exact problem, and come up with the optimal solution. Here on the internet chat forum zone, we can speculate all day, especially since you have not given us any pertinent facts, but at the end of the day we cannot help you, except to point you in the direction of hiring a local professional who can do the inspection, and offer an unbiased opinion on a reasonable fix.

danstar25

Thanks for your replies, however, I was not looking for answers on how to solve my foundation problems.

I was simply asking if anyone has the facts or knows of any studies done on concrete piers vs steel piers?

I have already hired a structural engineer, not affiliated with any foundation company. He did suggest steel piers in his recomendations but again the price is much higher.

BOUTYM

Check out the lower parts of this page:

http://www.foundationrepairofmissour...t-sinking.html

danstar25

Thanks alot, thats what I was looking for.