From first measurement to final elevations: what a foundation repair week looks like

How long it takes, in one paragraph

A typical slab foundation repair takes two to three days of work at the house, and because most of the work happens outside, most families stay home throughout. Before that, expect an inspection usually within 48 hours of booking, a written estimate the same day or within 24 hours, and whatever time your city needs for a permit. After the lift, the crew backfills, cleans up and re-measures the elevations, and you should wait 8 to 12 weeks before cosmetic repairs so the structure can settle.

Those timelines come from our own process at FCS Foundation & Concrete, where I am the structural analyst who measures the house and writes the plan. Every job is different, and a large lift or one combined with plumbing or drainage work takes longer. But the sequence is the same on nearly every house, and knowing it in advance takes a lot of the worry out of the week.

Before the crew arrives: inspection, plan and paperwork

The process starts with the evaluation. I come to the house, take an elevation survey to map the high and low points of the floor, look at the drainage outside and the warning signs inside, and work out what is causing the movement. Then I explain what the readings mean in plain terms. If no repair is needed, I say so and put it in writing.

If repair is warranted, you receive a written plan with the method, the pier count, an itemized price and financing options, usually the same day and always within 24 hours. Once you approve it, the paperwork begins. Permit requirements vary by city and by the scope of the project, and many cities in the area require permits for structural foundation work. We handle the permitting as part of the job, so the start date depends partly on your city.

• Inspection, usually within 48 hours of booking
• Elevation survey, movement mapping and diagnosis of the cause
• Written, itemized estimate with method, pier count and financing, within 24 hours
• Permit, where the city requires one, handled by our office
• Crew scheduled, usually within days of approval and permit

Getting the house ready

There is not much you need to do, but a little preparation makes the work go faster and protects things you care about. The crew needs room to dig at each pier location, so ask during the estimate which walls they will work along. Move outdoor furniture, pots and anything stored against those walls.

Plants in beds along the foundation sometimes have to be moved to reach the beam. If there are shrubs or perennials you want to keep, tell the crew lead on the first morning. If interior piers are part of the plan, clear the room and expect flooring in those spots to be lifted. Take a few photos of existing cracks inside and out before the work starts. They are useful for comparing afterward.

If you have pets, plan for open holes in the yard for a day or two and keep them inside or away from the work area. The same goes for children. Make sure the crew can get through any side gates, and leave room in the driveway or at the curb for a work truck. If you have a sprinkler system, tell the crew where the lines and heads run along the foundation so they can work around them, and plan to check the system once the backfill is done.

Day one: excavation

The first day is mostly digging. The crew opens a hole at each pier location along the foundation, deep enough to get beneath the beam, and stacks the soil beside it. Our in-house crews work to keep noise down and the site tidy, but this is construction, and you will hear it. Most work is exterior, so you can keep living in the house normally.

If interior piers are needed, the crew opens small sections of the slab in those rooms. This is the most disruptive part of an interior job, and it is the main reason interior piers cost more than exterior ones.

Weather rarely changes the plan. Our FAQ notes that we repair foundations year-round, and movement is often most visible after dry summers and heavy spring rains. A hard rain can pause digging in Dallas clay, and if it does, the work picks up where it stopped rather than starting over.

Day two: piers go in and the house comes up

The crew installs the piers we specified, whether pressed concrete, steel, drilled or hybrid. If you want to know why your plan uses one type over another, I explain the choices in my comparison of steel and concrete piers. Once the piers are in, the lift begins.

Lifting is done in small, controlled increments while the elevations are watched, so the slab comes up evenly rather than one corner at a time. You may hear creaks and notice doors that bound for months start to swing freely again. You may also see new hairline cracks open or existing ones change as the structure moves. Our FAQ is candid that additional cracking, misaligned doors and even roof or plumbing damage are risks of moving a house, and while the crew takes precautions, those effects are not covered. Good companies tell you this before the lift, not after.

Day three: backfill, cleanup and re-measurement

Once the slab is supported and shimmed, the crew backfills each excavation, compacts the soil and cleans up. Then the elevations are measured again to confirm the result, and that final reading is part of your documentation. Our process also includes third-party engineer review of the work.

Many jobs finish within these three days, and some smaller ones are done sooner. Larger lifts, interior piers, or a plan that combines the foundation with drainage correction or an under-slab plumbing repair add time, and your estimate will say so.

Before the crew leaves, walk the site with the lead. Look at the backfilled areas, check that beds and walkways are back in order, and open and close the doors that used to stick. You receive the documentation that matters later: the final elevations and the lifetime transferable warranty for the pier work. Put them somewhere you will find them in ten years, because the next buyer of the house will ask for them.

The plumbing test after the lift

Lifting a slab moves the pipes buried in it, and that is why our warranty requires a passing plumbing test after the work. The test is a domestic water pressure test and a sewer hydrostatic test by a licensed plumber, and proof of a passing test has to reach us within 30 days of completion, or the warranty is void. If either test fails, a leak locate is needed.

I mention this because it is the step homeowners most often forget. Put it on the calendar the day the crew leaves. A clean test protects the warranty, and if the lift did stress a line, it catches the leak before it can start moving soil under the slab again. Keep the results with the rest of your foundation paperwork; I explain why in what to do after foundation repair.

The weeks after: doors, drywall and patience

A lifted house keeps adjusting for a while. Doors may re-seat, and drywall cracks may close or shift over the following weeks to months. That is why our FAQ recommends waiting 8 to 12 weeks after the work, depending on how much was done, before you patch drywall, repoint brick or repaint. Patching too early often means patching twice.

When you are ready, cosmetic repair is a separate trade. A drywall specialist's view of what a good patch involves is in this guide to drywall cracks and stains. Payment for the foundation work is due within 30 days of completion under our warranty terms, so plan for that alongside the plumbing test.

• Within 30 days: passing plumbing test sent in, and payment completed
• First weeks: doors and windows settle into their new position
• 8 to 12 weeks: cosmetic drywall, brick and paint repair
• Ongoing: steady watering and drainage to protect the repair

If you are on a deadline

A sale is the most common deadline I work around. Buyers and lenders want a clear answer, and because we usually inspect within 48 hours and quote the same day, a written evaluation or estimate can often be in hand within a couple of days of the call. If repair is needed before closing, the permit and crew schedule set the pace, so call as early in the option period as you can. Before you hire anyone on a tight timeline, the questions I suggest asking a foundation company still apply.

If the repair happens before the sale, the paperwork becomes part of the listing. Buyers, their inspectors and lenders usually want to see the final elevations and the warranty, and they want to know the warranty transfers. Ours does, as long as the transfer is requested in writing within 30 days after the title changes hands. Ask for every document in writing the day the job is finished, and hand copies to your agent.

Whatever your timing, the first step is the same. Our evaluation is free and carries no obligation. I measure the house in Dallas or anywhere in our service area, explain the readings, and give you the timeline for your specific job along with the estimate.

Questions people ask me