Foundation engineer inspections

If you're about to spend five figures on piers, the most useful thing you can buy first is an independent engineer's evaluation. It tells you whether repair is needed, what kind, and gives you a baseline to judge the finished work.

What it costs

HomeAdvisor's June 2026 guide lists a structural engineer's inspection at $340 to $780. A repair company's inspection is often part of selling the repair, so it isn't the same thing.

What you should get

The Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers says evaluation and repair design should be done by a Texas-licensed engineer acting objectively. A measured evaluation under its guidelines produces:

• Relative floor elevations, drawn to scale, adjusted for floor coverings
• Deflection and tilt compared with tolerances
• Notes on drainage, trees and other factors affecting the foundation
• A recommendation: repair now, or monitor

After the repair

The guidelines say the engineer or their representative should take floor elevations again after the work, and can provide a letter of substantial completion stating the repair generally conforms to the design. Ask for both up front. They're also the kind of paperwork an HOA, a buyer or a future inspector may want to see.

Plumbing

When a house is lifted or jacked, the guidelines call for plumbing tests. Ask whether testing is in the plan and who pays for any line that breaks.

Check the engineer

• Look them up on the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors' public roster.
• Ask whether they have any business tie to the repair company.
• Ask for the report in writing, with the elevation drawing.