Most folks don’t think much about their home’s foundation… until something goes wrong, especially a hairline crack.
A door won’t close. A crack shows up in the drywall. Maybe the brickwork starts pulling apart. And suddenly, it’s not just an annoyance anymore, but a full-blown threat to the very home you poured love, time, and thousands into.
Here in North Texas, we’ve got some of the most unpredictable soil in the country. One season it’s dry as a bone, and the next, it’s soaking up water like a sponge. And when your home’s foundation isn’t built to accommodate that rise and fall, that’s when things start to shift – literally:
- Doors go out of alignment
- Countertops start to separate or slope
- Hardwood or tile floors buckle or crack
- Water pools around the foundation after rain
- Pipes shift and start leaking behind walls
- Windows warp and won’t open or seal properly
And it doesn’t just move a little. In some areas, we’re talking several inches of rise and fall. That movement puts serious pressure on your foundation.
The foundations that survive it? They’ve all got one thing in common…
A Builder Who Believes In Testing, Planning, And Doing Things Right
The right foundation for your home isn’t based on averages, assumptions, or what “usually works.” It’s based on the exact soil your house will sit on, and how your builder chooses to respond to it.
If you want a home that lasts, you need a builder who prioritizes these three things before signing off on plans:
Priority #1: Test Every Lot, Every Time – No Exceptions (to avoid hairline crack)
Good builders don’t guess what kind of soil you’ve got. They find out. That means drilling deep (we’re talking 25 feet or more) and sending those samples off to a soils engineer. The report that comes back tells you exactly what you’re working with, and what kind of foundation will stand the test of time. The thing to remember, though, is no two lots are alike (even on the same street). So if a builder tells you, “we’ve built nearby, we know the soil,” that’s your cue to walk.
Priority #2: Engineer the Right Foundation for That Specific Site
Once you’ve got the soil report, that’s when the real work begins. A quality builder brings in a structural engineer to design a foundation based on that specific land, accounting for how much the soil might rise or fall, how much moisture it holds, and how much weight it can bear. Around here, that might mean a slab-on-grade foundation with 70 to 80 piers driven deep into stable earth.
It’s not the cheapest way to build, but it’s the right way when you want your build to last.
Priority #3: Design Toward the Upper End of Engineering Standards
In most Texas municipalities, soil testing is required before you build. But the level of engineering that follows can vary a lot. Some engineers will do just enough to meet code. And while that might technically pass inspection, it doesn’t do much to protect you from future issues.
We’ve been building in this region long enough to know which engineers take soil movement seriously, and which ones just check the boxes. We always aim for the upper end of the standard, because we know what happens when you don’t.
Bottom Line: When a Builder Takes the Ground Seriously, Everything Built on It Holds Up
The truth is, all homes in North Texas will move a little. But when you engineer properly from the start, you reduce the amount of shifting and avoid the frustrating stuff – like cracks, sticky doors, or uneven floors – that come from foundations that weren’t built to handle the soil.
And in my opinion, strong foundations aren’t built with concrete and steel alone.
They’re built with careful testing, smart engineering, and by a builder who does what’s right, not just what’s required.
Of course, the foundation is just one piece of the puzzle. There are plenty of other risks most folks never see coming until it’s too late.
That’s why I’ve put together a free guide you can download today:
The Texan Home Building Playbook
Inside, you’ll find the 8 most common (and costly) traps to avoid when building a custom home in Texas, and how to make sure you get the home you actually want, with none of the stress you don’t.
Grab your free copy here and start your build on solid ground.
Read about the journey of Victor. Victor Myers Custom Homes proudly partners with NAHB, TAB, and Dallas BA.
