Get the readings inside the option period
A general inspector will note evidence of movement. That is useful, but it is not a measurement. What you want before the option period closes is an elevation survey across the whole floor and a straight opinion on what it means.
That turns a scary inspection line into a number you can negotiate against or walk away from with confidence.
Ask for the prior repair paperwork
Plenty of DFW homes have been piered at some point. That is normal here and it is not a reason to run. What matters is documentation.
- Who did the work, and are they still in business.
- How many piers, what type, and where they were placed.
- Whether the warranty is transferable to you.
- Whether an engineer signed off on the plan or the result.
- Whether drainage was addressed at the same time.
What we look at on a pre-purchase evaluation
We take elevation readings across the floor, walk the exterior for grade and drainage, look at the crack pattern, and check whether doors and windows line up with what the numbers say.
Then we tell you whether the house is moving, whether it has already moved and stopped, and what a repair would actually cost if you decide to proceed.
Negotiating with real numbers
A written scope with a placement count and a price is far stronger at the table than a vague inspection note. Sellers argue with adjectives. They have a harder time arguing with a proposal.
Some buyers ask for the repair to be completed before closing. Others take a credit and hire their own company after. Either works, and having the numbers is what makes the choice yours.
When we tell buyers to slow down
Active movement with no documented cause, evidence of a plumbing leak under the slab, or a repair history that nobody can produce paperwork for. None of those are automatic deal killers, but each one deserves more information before you commit.
We do these evaluations for buyers, agents, and investors across Arlington, Fort Worth, Mansfield, and the rest of DFW, and we will tell you when a house is fine just as fast as when it is not.
Common questions
People Ask Us This
- Does foundation repair hurt resale value?
- Documented, properly performed repair with a transferable warranty is a selling point compared to an unrepaired house with visible movement. Undocumented work is the problem.
- How fast can you get out during an option period?
- Call us and tell us your deadline. Real estate evaluations get scheduled around option periods because that is the whole point.
- Do I need an engineer report too?
- Sometimes. If the movement is significant or a lender is involved, a structural engineer's report adds an independent opinion. We will tell you when we think it is warranted.
Written by
Taylor Yates
Co-owner of Imperial Foundation Repair in Arlington. Spends most of his week on job sites and in front of homeowners.
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