The Truth About Foundation Damage: Why I Installed a Root Barrier at My Own Home

Howdy,

I walk foundations for a living. I see movement, cracks, and stuck doors every single week across Sugar Land, Richmond, Katy, and the rest of Fort Bend County. And after years of helping other people, my own home finally reminded me what the real enemy is: tree roots stealing moisture from Houston’s clay soils.

My house was built in 2018. I watered the lawn, told myself things looked “normal,” and kept working. Then one brutally hot summer, I noticed stone veneer pulling away, trim lines opening up, and hairline cracks that felt like they showed up overnight. That’s when I stopped procrastinating and installed a 3-foot-deep root barrier at my own home.

Tree roots: the #1 cause of foundation damage

Homeowners often blame “bad concrete” or “cheap builders.” In reality, tree roots are the number one driver of foundation damage in our area. They don’t just push on concrete — they rob moisture from the clay next to your foundation.

Expansive clay shrinks when it dries and swells when it’s wet. If the clay under one side of your home is drier (smaller) than the other side (bigger), the house doesn’t move evenly. That uneven movement is what shows up as:

• Diagonal cracks in drywall
• Stone and brick veneer separations
• Doors rubbing or not latching
• Tile cracks and sloping floors

What I saw at my own home

At my house, the pattern was textbook Houston:

• Young shade trees planted too close to the slab edge
• Hot summer + drought conditions
• Veneer gaps and trim separations showing up fast after the dry spell

I knew exactly what was happening — the roots were winning the tug-of-war for moisture at the foundation. So I installed a 3-foot-deep root barrier between the trees and the house to:

• Cut off feeder roots reaching under the slab edge
• Slow down moisture loss at the foundation
• Push the tree’s “zone of influence” farther away from my home

Two oak trees, epic damage: a Sugar Land case you need to see

If you want to see how bad it can get, watch this case from Sugar Land — two large oak trees planted too close to the house and too close to each other:

That home had:

• Severe veneer cracking and separation
• Interior drywall cracks running from ceiling to floor
• Sticking doors and visible floor movement
• Concrete flatwork and walkways pulling apart

After the root barrier was installed and moisture was better controlled, many of those interior cracks didn’t just stop — they compressed and closed back up. That’s not magic. That’s the soil rehydrating and the structure rising back toward a more balanced position.

How root barriers actually work (without the jargon)

There’s a great write-up from Professional Engineering that explains it in more technical detail, but here’s the simple version:

• A root barrier is a vertical wall in the soil that blocks roots from reaching the area under and next to your foundation.
• Most of the trouble-making roots are in the top 2–3 feet, so depth matters. (I’m a fan of ±36 inches in our soils.)
• Once you cut off the root path, the tree looks for water somewhere else instead of underneath your slab.
• If you combine a barrier with smart foundation watering, the clay can swell more evenly again — and in many cases, lift the settled portion of the home closer to level.

Why I believe root barriers are true foundation repair

Most foundation repair companies focus on underpinning — piles and piers driven under the slab to lift or “stabilize” it. There’s a time and place for that, but in many cases the first step should be soil and moisture control, not steel and concrete.

If a tree is clearly contributing to movement, why would we skip the root barrier and jump straight to invasive underpinning? To me, that’s like having heart surgery without ever changing your diet.

That’s why I installed a root barrier at my own home. And it’s why I believe:

• Root barriers + moisture management = cause-based repair
• Underpinning without soil repair = short-term patch with long-term side effects

For homeowners who want an inspection-only, soil-first strategy, I also operate Pier-less Foundation Services — a separate foundation monitoring company focused on data, ZIPLEVEL® elevation surveys, and long-term performance, not selling repairs.

Who should seriously consider a root barrier?

If you check any of these boxes, a root barrier evaluation should be on your short list:

• You have large oaks, elms, or other thirsty trees within about 5–15 feet of the slab.
• You’ve noticed new cracks or sticky doors after droughts or watering restrictions.
• One side of the home has big trees and more damage; the tree-free side looks cleaner.
• You’re thinking about foundation repair bids but haven’t had an unbiased inspection yet.

In many of those situations, a properly designed root barrier is the first real repair you should be talking about — not the last resort.

My recommendation, as a homeowner and an inspector

Before you invite foundation repair companies to sell you underpinning, get someone in your corner who understands soil, moisture, and trees — not just piles and piers.

• Start with an independent foundation inspection and, when appropriate, an elevation survey.
• Identify whether trees and moisture patterns are driving the movement.
• Consider root barriers and watering strategies before you sign up for invasive work.

I believe in this enough that I’m pushing for change. I’d like to see root barriers become standard on new construction across Texas, especially in high-PVR areas like Fort Bend County.

If you agree, you can add your name here:

Sign the petition for root barriers in new homes