Buying a Home That's Had Foundation Repair

What to ask the seller for

• The original engineer's report, if there was one, and the repair scope that was bid from it.
• The contractor's invoice showing exactly what was done - pier count, type, locations.
• The warranty document in full, plus written confirmation of whether it transfers to you and how.
• Any post-repair elevation survey confirming what the work achieved.
• Any plumbing test results from before and after the repair.
• Whether any drainage or grading correction was done at the same time - if not, the cause may still be active.

How to read what you get

• A documented repair with an engineer's report, a clear scope, and a transferable warranty is often genuinely reassuring. The problem was found, addressed, and recorded.
• Repair with no documentation at all is the harder case. You cannot tell what was done or whether it was adequate, and no warranty is likely to transfer.
• Look for whether the cause was addressed, not just the symptom. Piers with no drainage correction on active clay is half a job.
• Movement continuing after a repair is the signal that matters most. A fresh elevation survey answers it.

Practical steps inside a Texas option period

• Move fast - the option period is short and engineers book up.
• Get your own independent engineer rather than relying on the seller's documentation alone.
• If the warranty is transferable, start the transfer process during the option period. Some have deadlines tied to the sale.
• Get bids on any recommended work while you still have negotiating leverage.
• Remember that in Texas, foundation issues are a common and negotiable part of a transaction. Documentation is what turns fear into a number.

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