Foundation repair in Georgetown, Texas
If there is one home-services category that defines Williamson County more than any other, it's foundation repair. The combination of Houston Black and Branyon clay soils — both with very high plasticity index — the long Central Texas drought-flood cycle, and a housing stock that includes both pre-1990 pier-and-beam, 1990s-era conventional slabs, and post-2010 post-tension cable slabs means that almost every Georgetown home will need foundation attention at some point in its life. The good news is that most foundation issues are gradual, well-understood, and addressable. The hard part is figuring out whether you have a real problem, a cosmetic problem, or a drainage problem that looks like a foundation problem. This guide pairs with our Best Foundation Repair Companies directory.
How clay soil moves your house
Houston Black clay can shrink up to 30% of its volume during drought. When clay shrinks, the soil under one part of your foundation drops away while the soil under another part stays supported (a tree pulling moisture, a leaking irrigation line, a downspout pouring water on one side). The result is differential settlement: parts of your house drop, others don't, and the rigid concrete foundation has to bridge the gap. Cracks open in brick veneer, drywall, and corner moldings. Doors stick. Floors slope. Long enough, and structural framing telegraphs the movement into wall cracks at corners and ceiling-line cracks above doorways.
The corollary is that prevention is mostly about moisture control: keeping the soil under your slab evenly moist year-round so it doesn't shrink in drought and doesn't saturate in flood. That means functional gutters, downspout extensions that move water at least 6 feet away from the foundation, French drains where grading sends water toward the house, and — counterintuitively in drought — watering the foundation perimeter with soaker hoses through dry summer stretches.
Slab type matters
Three slab generations dominate Georgetown housing:
- Pre-1990 pier-and-beam. Common in older central Georgetown near the Square and in some 1970s ranches. Repairs typically involve installing or releveling piers under the perimeter beam. Easier to access (crawlspace) but the framing is older and may need additional repair work after leveling.
- 1990s–2010 conventional slab-on-grade. Reinforced with rebar (not post-tensioned). Common throughout Sun City and similar-era subdivisions. Drilled-pier repair is straightforward; pressed concrete pilings are the typical method.
- 2010+ post-tension cable slabs. Common in Wolf Ranch, Santa Rita Ranch, and most newer construction. The slab is reinforced with high-tension steel cables. Drilling into a post-tension slab without the as-built engineering plans can sever a cable, which is dangerous and expensive. Always request the original post-tension plan before any repair drilling.
Warning signs to take seriously
- Stair-step cracks in brick veneer wider than a credit card
- Doors that suddenly stick or won't latch
- Visibly sloped floors (the marble test — place a marble on a hard floor; if it rolls steadily, the slope is real)
- Drywall cracks at door corners that reopen after patching
- Gaps between baseboard and floor or between baseboard and wall
- Cabinets pulling away from walls or counters tilting
- Exterior visible separation between brick and frieze board
What a real foundation repair scope includes
- Engineer-stamped report from a Texas-licensed Professional Engineer (PE) before any work. The PE survey establishes baseline elevation differences across the slab and identifies the repair pattern. Do not sign with any contractor that produces only a sales drawing — insist on a PE report.
- Pier type and depth: pressed concrete pilings (most common, typically driven 12–25 feet to refusal), steel piers (more expensive but driven to bedrock for deeper support), or helical piers (post-tension safe and used in some specific applications).
- Pier count and locations mapped on the plan, with elevation targets at each pier.
- Lifetime transferable warranty at minimum — the Foundation Performance Association industry standard. Transferable matters at resale.
- Drainage scope as part of the repair: gutters, downspout extensions, regrading, French drains.
- Post-repair PE report documenting the achieved elevations, archived for resale.
Texas does not license foundation repair contractors directly — this is the opposite of the licensing regimes for plumbers, electricians, and HVAC. The PE report and the warranty are the homeowner's only real protection.