Foundation drainage and water control
With close to four feet of rain a year and clayey subsoils that drain slowly, managing water is a big part of keeping a Longview foundation stable.
The goal around a foundation isn't bone-dry soil. It's soil that stays at about the same moisture all the way around the house and through the year. In Longview, the usual problem is too much water in one place: a downspout emptying at a corner, an uphill neighbor's runoff, or a flowerbed that holds water against the beam. Because the sandy surface soils here often sit on a slower-draining clay layer, water that soaks in can linger right around the foundation.
Is drainage part of your problem?
- Downspouts that dump at the foundation or into a bed beside it
- A yard that slopes toward the house on the uphill side
- Puddles along the foundation, or a muddy strip that never quite dries
- Water or wet soil in the crawl space after rain
- Soil washing out from under the edge of the slab on a slope
Common fixes
- Gutters and buried downspout lines that carry roof water well away from the house to daylight or a safe outlet
- Regrading so the ground falls away from the foundation on every side. The ASCE Texas Section's guidelines suggest a slope of about 5 percent (6 inches in 10 feet) away from the foundation where practicable.
- Swales and surface drains to steer uphill runoff around the house
- French drains to collect water moving through the soil, laid with continuous fall to an outlet
- Crawl space drainage for raised houses that hold water underneath
What about the pines and oaks?
Large trees close to the house pull water out of the soil and can make one side drop during dry spells. The ASCE Texas guidelines also caution that removing a tree can let the soil swell back, so a waiting period may be advised before lifting. Talk to an arborist before taking down a big tree near the foundation.
Drainage from the street?
If water from a street, ditch or public drainage channel is reaching your yard, contact the City of Longview. Inside other city limits, call that city's public works office.
Pricing comes from the contractor after they've taken floor readings and figured out why the house is moving. We don't quote prices, and any number you hear before someone has measured the house is a rough guess.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Do foundation companies do drainage work?
Many do gutters, downspout lines, grading and French drains, or work with someone who does. Ask whether drainage is included in the bid or quoted separately.
Can drainage alone fix a foundation?
Sometimes, when movement is seasonal and mild. If a section has clearly dropped, drainage usually goes along with piers rather than replacing them.
Related services
- Slab foundation repair
- Pier-and-beam and crawl space leveling
- Foundation piers (concrete, steel, helical, drilled)
- Foundation evaluations and crack repair
More background: Longview foundation repair guide.
A door that stopped latching, a crack in the brick, or a floor with a dip?
Call and a local foundation contractor will come take floor readings and tell you what they see.