Are Repaired Foundations Really “Performing Their Intended Function”?
Howdy,
If you’ve read many home inspection reports in Texas, you’ve probably seen a familiar line: “The foundation appeared to be performing its intended function at the time of inspection.”
It sounds reassuring. It sounds official. But here’s the question I can’t shake: how can we say a foundation is performing its intended function if parts of it have been jacked off the soil it was designed to float on?
“Slab-on-ground foundations are designed to float on the load-bearing soil — not be partially lifted up by pilings”
What ‘Intended Function’ Really Means
Most residential foundations in our area are slab-on-ground (also called slab-on-grade). They are engineered to sit directly on the supporting soils and move with them as moisture changes — especially in our expansive clay.
In simple terms, the original design intent is: the slab and the soil act as one system. The slab “floats” on the ground below. When the soil moves, the slab moves with it.
That doesn’t mean movement is good or desirable. But it does mean that minor, slow, seasonal movement is baked into the design. The “intended function” is for the structure to remain useful, serviceable, and safe while sitting on soil — not while being partially propped up off the earth via concrete pilings that are only 6” in diameter. (That’s typical foundation repair FYI)
What Happens After Foundation Repair?
When a home undergoes foundation repair using underpinning (precast pressed piles, pilings, steel piers, etc.), the rules of the game change. Now, portions of the slab are:
- Lifted off the load-bearing soil in spots
- Pinned to relatively rigid points in deeper soil
- Forced to behave more like a frame than a floating slab
The slab is no longer behaving the way it was originally engineered. Parts of it are now hanging from man-made supports while the rest still rides on seasonal clay movement. That’s where we start to see:
- Heaving or sinking in new locations
- Locked-in edges and a sagging interior
- Cracking patterns that wouldn’t occur in an unaltered slab
So back to the question: can we still say that slab is performing its “intended function” if it’s no longer functioning as designed?
The Reporting Gap No One Talks About
Here’s where it gets even stranger. In Texas, home inspectors are expected to comment on foundation performance — but there is no specific requirement that we identify or document previous underpinning, even though it can drastically change how a foundation behaves.
To make things worse, many repairs are not obvious on the surface. Landscaping, concrete patches, and age can hide the work. Sometimes, the only way to truly tell if a home has been lifted is with a foundation elevation survey and a trained eye that understands the patterns.
Yet in practice, many reports simply default to: “performing its intended function at the time of inspection” — even when the slab has likely been altered from its original design and even without a foundation elevation survey.
Gas Meters, Roof Repairs… and Silence on Foundations
Here’s something most homebuyers never hear: TREC requires home inspectors to report the exact location of the gas meter — but does not require us to report evidence of previous foundation repair.
That’s not a joke. It’s the rule.
So every Texas inspection report will reliably tell you: “Gas meter located on left side of home.” But it may never clearly say: “Home appears to have undergone prior underpinning.”
At the same time, inspectors are required to report certain roof-related repairs and deficiencies, because roof problems are recognized as a major cost item. Yet foundation repairs — which can easily outpace a roof in cost and long-term impact — don’t get the same consumer protections.
Side-note: Should the foundation repair industry be licensed?
“We’re required to document where the gas meter sits in the grass, but not whether a home has been structurally jacked off its soil.”
That’s a problem. Not because gas doesn’t matter — we can pretend that it does anyways — but because the financial and structural implications of foundation work are far greater than any of the other things that home inspectors are required to highlight in an inspection report and it’s not even close.
So What Should Home Inspectors Be Doing?
I believe home inspectors need to raise the bar on how we talk about foundations, especially in a high-movement, expansive clay region like ours. That doesn’t mean guessing or fear-mongering. For starters, It means:
- Calling out physically evidence of signs of previous foundation repair when visible or detectable
- Avoiding lazy boilerplate performance opinions and give actual professional custom opinions on the foundation
- Performing level B foundation elevation survey drawings to tell a more complete story about the foundation
- Learning how to interpret elevation surveys — atypical readings can reveal hidden foundation repair
- Recognize that the foundation repair industry runs the show — not home inspectors, not even engineers — and they will recommend repairs based on any visible damage, even a sticking door.
Most importantly, we owe it to homebuyers to explain that a slab that has been lifted, pinned, and altered from its original design is not the same as a slab that has never been touched — even if it “appears to be performing it’s intended function at the time of the inspection.” What does that even mean?
I don’t expect my position to be validated by anyone else — not real estate agents, other home inspectors or especially not by anyone making money off foundation repair. But I do believe Texas homeowners deserve reporting that puts their long-term interests ahead of closing real estate deals.
So next time you read “the foundation appears to be performing its intended function,” ask yourself: Is this slab really doing what it was designed to do if it’s been partially lifted off the ground?
What are the long-term implications of my biggest investment ever being partially jacked up off the earth?
Nothing good.
Need an Honest Foundation Performance Opinion?
If you’re buying a home, selling one, or living in a house with previous foundation repair and you’re not sure what it all means, I can help. Imperial Pro Inspection provides independent foundation evaluations and clear reporting — without a repair sales pitch on the other end.
Schedule Your Evaluation
Neil Arnold
Professional Home Inspector, TREC#23450
Support Root Barrier Code Reform
Root barriers should be a standard part of new home construction across Texas. They’re one of the most effective tools we have to manage soil movement and protect foundations before damage begins. I’ve started a petition to push for that change — if you agree, I’d be grateful for your support.
Sign the Petition Howdy [ˈheɪ-ow-dee] — Southeast Texas regional greeting.
Used once for formal, twice for informal. The slower it’s said, the warmer it feels. A word reserved for friends and family — never for foes.