Warranty is the single most-used selling point in this industry and the least-read document in the folder. It's also one of the few things that materially affects your home's resale value, so it's worth twenty minutes of your attention before you sign anything.
What the Warranty Usually Covers
Most foundation warranties in Texas cover the piers the contractor installed, at the locations they installed them. If a piered section settles again, they come back and re-lift it at no charge for materials and labor on that section.
What It Usually Doesn't Cover
- New movement elsewhere in the house. If you piered the north side and the west side drops two years later, that's a new job.
- Cosmetic damage. Drywall cracks, brick mortar, tile, doors, paint — almost never included, either from the original movement or from the lift.
- Plumbing. Lines broken by movement, by the lift, or leaking under the slab are typically separate.
- Landscaping and hardscape. Sod, shrubs, and sometimes patios and walks.
- Damage from causes the contract excludes — plumbing leaks, flooding, tree roots, new construction, and in many contracts, "failure to maintain proper drainage."
That last exclusion is the one that bites people. Many Texas foundation warranties require the homeowner to maintain positive drainage and reasonable moisture around the perimeter. If your gutters have been dumping at the corner for three years and that corner settles again, the contractor may decline the claim — legitimately, under the contract you signed. Fix your drainage, and keep receipts.
Seven Questions to Ask Before Signing
- Is it transferable, and what does transfer cost? Transferable warranties are worth real money at resale. Some transfer free, some charge a fee, some allow only one transfer.
- Who backs it? A warranty from the installing contractor is only as good as that contractor's continued existence. Some are backed by a third-party administrator or a manufacturer, which survives the contractor closing.
- Does "lifetime" mean your lifetime, the structure's, or your ownership period? Definitions vary and the contract will say.
- Does it cover re-lifting, or only the pier hardware? Enormous practical difference. Hardware-only warranties are close to meaningless.
- What voids it? Read the exclusions section in full, especially maintenance obligations.
- Is there an annual inspection requirement? Some warranties require periodic inspections to stay in force.
- How long has the company operated in Wichita Falls? A fifteen-year track record locally makes a lifetime warranty meaningful. A company formed last year makes it a hope.
Why It Matters When You Sell
A documented, transferable foundation warranty converts the scariest item on a Texas buyer's inspection report from an unknown into a solved problem with paperwork. Buyers and their agents in this market are foundation-aware and will discount hard for uncertainty. A folder containing the engineer report, the repair contract, the pier location drawing, the completion certificate, and the transferable warranty is one of the best-value documents a Wichita Falls seller can hand over. More in selling a house with foundation problems.
Keep This Paperwork
- Pre-repair elevation readings
- Structural engineer report, if one was done
- Signed contract and full scope of work
- Drawing showing pier locations and depths reached
- Post-repair elevation readings
- Warranty document with transfer instructions
- Any static plumbing test results
- Receipts for drainage work — proof you met maintenance obligations
Scan it. Put it somewhere you'll find it in eight years when you list the house.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a lifetime foundation warranty actually worth anything?
It can be worth a great deal — but its value is a function of what's covered, whether it transfers, who backs it, and how likely the company is to exist in a decade. Read the exclusions and check how long the contractor has operated locally. Those two things tell you most of what you need to know.
Can a foundation warranty be voided?
Yes. Common voiding causes include failing to maintain drainage and moisture, new plumbing leaks, adding construction or heavy loads near the piered area, and having another contractor perform work on the foundation. Read the maintenance obligations and keep receipts showing you met them.
Does the warranty transfer if I sell my house?
Usually, if it's written as transferable — often with a transfer fee and a form to file within a set window after closing. Confirm the process before closing, not after. An untransferred warranty is a value you paid for and gave away.
What if the contractor goes out of business?
If the warranty is backed only by that contractor, it generally goes with them. Third-party-administered or manufacturer-backed warranties survive. This is the strongest reason to ask who stands behind the paper before you sign.
Does the warranty cover the cracks in my walls?
Almost never. Foundation warranties cover the foundation work. Cosmetic repair — drywall, brick mortar, tile, paint, door adjustment — is typically excluded whether the damage came from the original movement or from the lift itself. Budget for it separately.
Related Reading
- Selling a House With Foundation Problems in Wichita County
- How to Read a Foundation Repair Estimate (and Spot a Bad One)
Cities We Serve in and Around Wichita County
- Wichita Falls Foundation Repair
- Burkburnett Foundation Repair
- Iowa Park Foundation Repair
- Electra Foundation Repair
- Lakeside City Foundation Repair
- Pleasant Valley Foundation Repair
- Sheppard AFB Area Foundation Repair
- Holliday Foundation Repair
- Henrietta Foundation Repair
- Archer City Foundation Repair
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