Foundation raising in El Paso TX - a house lifted back close to where it was
Sticking doors and cracked walls? We put piers under your foundation to hold it against more settling or lift it back close to level.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Can a settling foundation in El Paso be raised back up?
Foundation raising in El Paso means setting steel piers, such as helical piles, under a foundation that has settled, cracked or heaved, so the piers carry the house instead of the ground that moved. Depending on the plan, they either hold the house where it is or lift it back close to where it was.
Most people call after a door starts sticking or a crack shows up over a window, and the first thing to sort out is whether the house needs to stop going down or needs to come back up. The price moves with how many piers the house needs, how hard the footing is to reach, what's in the way, like a walk or a patio, and the finish work after. The schedule usually turns on the engineer's report and the permit more than the digging. Your estimate spells out what's included and what isn't, so you can line it up against other bids.
How do you know your foundation is settling?
Doors and windows sticking
A door that used to swing shut now rubs at the top, or a window won't slide, because the frame twisted when one side of the house dropped. Left alone, it usually gets worse as the frames rack further.
Cracks off door corners
Diagonal cracks running out from the corners of doors and windows, or stair-step cracks in brick, usually mean part of the foundation is settling unevenly. The longer it goes, the wider they open and the more there is to patch once the house is steady.
Floors that slope
A floor you can feel running downhill, or baseboards and trim pulling away from the wall, means the slab under it has moved. Waiting tends to spread the movement, which usually means more piers and more finish work later.
How we handle foundation raising
Before anything gets dug, I tell you whether the plan is to lift your house back close to where it was or just hold it where it is, and close is the honest word, because a house that has settled doesn't come back to exactly where it started. Then we dig down to the footing, either a pit at each pier or a trench along the wall, and I'll tell you which, since a trench opens up that whole side of the yard. Our crew sets the piers, does the lift or the hold, repairs the cracks, backfills and cleans up. When we finish, we check that the doors and windows work and take final readings of how the house sits. The work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
If a driveway, walk or patio sits right over the footing, we use concrete cutting to take out a clean section instead of hammering it apart, and we patch it back once the piers are in. When settling has wrecked the driveway too, concrete driveway building lets us pour a new one after the house is steady, on a base we dig out and pack instead of just raking level.
Holding the house where it is
This suits a house that settled a bit and that you've learned to live with, where the goal is to keep it from going down further. The piers take the load, and we don't try to push walls or floors back up.
Lifting it back close
This suits a house where doors won't close or the floors slope enough to bother you, because the piers raise it back toward where it was. Expect close, not perfect, and expect some old cracks to shift as it comes up.
Get a foundation raising estimate for your El Paso home
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at the house and write up a free estimate on site, with no obligation to go ahead.
- Based in
- El Paso, TX 79901
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
What happens when you call us about a settling foundation in El Paso?
Here's how a pier job runs with us, from your first call to the walk-through at the end.
Call and set a visit
You call or send the form, and I come out to look at the house, measure and ask how you use it. Pull out any engineer's report you have, because it shapes the plan.
Get a written estimate
You get it in writing, with whether we're lifting or holding, how many piers, and what's included and what isn't, like crack repair, waterproofing and backfill. That way you can hold it up against other bids line by line.
Paperwork, then the dig
We sort out any paperwork the job needs before we start, then our crew preps the ground and goes to work. The yard stays open until the piers are set and backfilled.
Walk the house together
When the work's done, we go through the house with you and try the doors and windows. Ask for a copy of the final readings so you have a record if anything moves later.
Why El Paso homeowners call Formcraft for foundation raising
I write your estimate myself
I come out, look at the house and write the estimate, and our own crew does the digging and pier work. You're talking to the person who answers for the job, not a salesman.
In business since 2013
I framed houses for years before switching to concrete, so I've seen what a bad foundation does to the walls sitting on it. We've been in business since 2013, and that's still the kind of problem we get called to fix.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured. That matters on a job where we're digging right beside your footing.
Check your engineer first
If you're still hiring an engineer, the Texas engineering board, TBPELS, urges extreme caution with engineers found through a website and asks owners to check that the engineer is legitimate first. Bring us the report once you have it and we'll go over it with you.
On a pier job, what counts is what's under the house, so I'd rather see it before anyone talks numbers. Send us the details or call (915) 265-1446.
Foundation raising and the dig around it in El Paso
The City of El Paso requires a permit to repair, alter or move a building, and you apply at the city's One Stop Shop. We check with the city whether your job falls under that, and when it calls for a permit, we handle the paperwork. The city's permit paperwork also says every subcontractor on a permitted job has to be registered with the city and properly licensed, so it's a fair question to ask anyone you're comparing.
Around El Paso we often find a driveway or patio poured right up against the house over the footing, so part of the plan is deciding what gets cut and what stays. We run into the same thing on jobs in Socorro and Horizon City.
Questions about foundation raising in El Paso
How much does foundation raising cost per pier in El Paso?
Foundation repair with piers in El Paso usually costs about $450 to $4,000 per pier, which is the going rate around here, not our price. Where your job lands depends on how many piers the house needs, how hard the footing is to reach and the finish work after. Your estimate gives you the number for your house.
Can we stay home during foundation raising?
Usually, yes. One pier maker says its helical piles go in with portable equipment, even in tight indoor spaces, without vibration, and that the building stays in use with little inconvenience to the people inside. Expect digging noise outside and a torn-up stretch of yard until we backfill.
What does a Level A engineer's inspection cover for a foundation in Texas?
A Level A inspection is a first look, which Texas engineering guidelines call a report of first impressions, not a full evaluation. Some homeowners have told the state engineering board it felt less than thorough. Ask which level of evaluation an engineer offers before you hire them, so you know what you're getting.
How do I get ready for digging around my foundation in El Paso?
A Texas One Call system has to be notified before any digging starts, because city ordinance requires it, and on a pier job that call comes before the first pit or trench. We make that call so the utility lines get marked. Clearing plants and anything stored along that wall helps the dig go faster.
Will my foundation crack again after it's raised?
It can, and I won't promise you otherwise. The piers take the weight off the ground that moved, which is what was pulling the walls apart, but drywall and concrete still shift a little. Hairline cracks can still show up, and anybody who promises a house that never cracks is overselling.
How do I water around my foundation after it's raised?
Aim for about even moisture on all sides instead of soaking one spot. Texas foundation guidelines say near uniform soil moisture around the foundation may help, and they warn against overwatering. If your engineer gives you watering guidance for the house, follow it.
Concrete work that often goes with a pier job
Concrete cutting
When a walk, patio or driveway sits over the footing, a clean saw cut opens just the section we need and leaves a straight edge to patch against.
Concrete driveway building
If settling cracked the driveway too, a new one poured on a dug-out, packed base can go in once the house is holding steady.
Foundation raising across El Paso and nearby cities
Formcraft El Paso Concrete Company is based in El Paso, TX, and we work across the city and the cities around it, in Texas and over the line in New Mexico. The 12 areas below have their own page, including Canutillo and Santa Teresa, though they aren't the only places we go.
El Paso, TX
Get your foundation looked at in person
When you call (915) 265-1446 or send the form, tell us where the cracks show, which doors or windows stick and whether you have an engineer's report, so I come out ready.