Guide
Buying or selling a house with a foundation problem
A foundation that has moved, or one that has been repaired, does not stop a sale in Texas. It does have to be disclosed, and the paperwork behind it decides how the conversation goes.
The rule
What Texas sellers must tell buyers
Section 5.008 of the Texas Property Code requires sellers of previously occupied single-family homes to give buyers a written disclosure notice. The Texas Real Estate Commission publishes the standard form.
Several of its questions bear directly on foundations. The form asks whether the seller is aware of:
- known defects in the foundation or slab, and in interior walls, exterior walls, ceilings, floors, doors and windows;
- settling, soil movement or fault lines;
- previous structural repair;
- improper drainage;
- structural modifications or repairs made without necessary permits.
The form is a statement of what the seller knows on the day it is signed. It says on its face that it is not a warranty and not a substitute for any inspections the buyer may want.
Selling
If you are the seller
- Answer the foundation questions from what you know. A past repair is a fact to state, not to bury.
- Gather the engineer's letter and drawings, the city permit and the engineer's completion report.
- Find the repair warranty and read its transfer terms. Some require notice or a fee within a set period after closing.
- If you have noticed movement and done nothing, consider an inspection before listing so you can answer questions with a document.
Buying
If you are the buyer
- Read the notice for the items above before you make an offer, not after.
- Ask for the repair file: engineer, permit, completion report, warranty.
- Look the address up in the city's permit records. Frisco's are searchable on its eTRAKiT site.
- Have your own structural engineer look during the time your contract allows for inspections.
- Ask the repair company in writing whether its warranty will pass to you and what it needs from you.
Sale questions
The repair was done before I owned the house. Do I still disclose it?
The notice asks what you are aware of. If you know the house has had structural repair, say so, and pass on whatever papers you were given when you bought.
Do I have to repair the foundation before I sell?
The disclosure rule is about telling, not fixing. Whether to repair first, offer a credit or sell as it stands is a decision to make with your agent, ideally with an inspection report in hand.
Foundation repair in Frisco and nearby
Describe the problem, book the inspection
This number is for foundation repair on houses. Say where the cracks are, which doors stick and how long it has been going on. If part of the house shifted all at once, there is a gas smell, or brickwork seems about to come down, clear the house and dial 911 or the gas utility before anything else.
Ready to have someone look at it?
Phone and say what you have noticed. The foundation repair company on the other end is independent of this site and takes on houses in your part of Collin or Denton County. Ask it for a time to come and inspect.
Call (972) 430-3959Your call may be recorded. Read how referrals are paid for and what happens to call details.