Slab foundation repair
Many houses in Midland and Odessa sit on a concrete slab poured on the ground. When part of that slab drops, this is how the repair usually goes.
A slab-on-grade foundation is a flat concrete floor with deeper beams poured around the outside and, in larger houses, a grid of beams across the middle. The outside beam takes the most abuse. In the Permian Basin it bakes in the sun most of the year, then gets hit by roof runoff, sprinklers and the odd summer cloudburst. The soil under the center of the house stays far more stable. When the edge soil swells or collapses and the center doesn't, a corner or one side drops away from the rest.
How does a dropped slab show up?
- Brick cracks that start low at one corner and widen as they climb
- Doors on one end of the house that scrape at the top of the frame
- A gap where the garage door meets the floor on one side
- Tile cracking in a straight line, or a crack showing under old carpet
- Trim, siding or a porch post pulling away from the brick
What happens during a slab repair?
- Elevation survey. The contractor measures the floor in every room and draws a map of the high and low areas.
- Cause. They look at downspouts, sprinkler heads, grading, trees and signs of a plumbing leak.
- Pier layout. Supports are spaced under the beam where it has dropped. Interior piers are added only if the survey shows the middle has sunk too.
- Lift. The slab is raised as far as it can safely go and then locked onto the piers.
- Cleanup. Holes are backfilled and compacted. Cosmetic cracks are handled after the house settles into its new position.
Could a leak under the slab be the real problem?
It's worth ruling out. A slow leak keeps one patch of soil wet in a place where the rest of the ground is dry, and that can swell the soil and push a section of slab up instead of letting it drop. Lifting the rest of the house to meet a high spot can crack things further. If the high area sits near a bathroom, the kitchen or the water heater, ask whether a plumbing test should come before any piers.
Will my floor be perfectly level afterward?
Flatter, usually, but rarely perfect. A slab that has been out of level for years may crack tile or drywall as it comes back up. Ask for the lift target in writing and how door adjustments and touch-up repairs are handled.
Does slab repair need a permit?
Inside the City of Midland, residential permits cover repairs, so ask Development Services or your contractor about your scope. Odessa's Building Inspection Division publishes a residential footing and foundation inspection checklist. Out in West Odessa or Gardendale, ask the contractor and Ector County what's required.
We don't quote prices. Foundation work can only be priced after someone measures the floors and works out why the house is moving, and the price is agreed between you and the contractor.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Will my floors be torn up?
Most slab repair is done from outside by digging beside the perimeter beam. Interior piers, if they're needed, mean cutting small openings in the floor at those spots.
How do I know if the plumbing is leaking?
An unexplained jump in the water bill, a warm patch on the floor or the sound of running water are clues. A plumber's leak test is the way to confirm it.
Related services
- Pier-and-beam foundation repair
- Foundation piers
- Foundation evaluation and crack repair
- Foundation drainage
More background: Midland and Odessa foundation guide.
New cracks in the brick, or a door that suddenly drags?
Call and get connected with a foundation repair contractor who works in Midland and Odessa.