Founded 1990 • With Angi since April 2009
Douglas Foundation Repair specializes in concrete slab foundation repair and maintenance. DFR provides concrete raising and other foundation maintenance services. We install 3 types of piers based on many factors--SmartPiers(R), Steel Piers, and Helical Piers.
Verified Reviews
Showing 1-25 of 92 reviews
Susan P.
07/22/2020
I had used another company before them and work and recommendations were not done properly. Douglas however was excellent. They were very thorough and took time to review my situation. I would highly recommend them and I would definitely hire them again.
Description of Work
They did some foundation work.
Category
foundation repair
connie R.
03/02/2017
Chip W.
11/17/2016
In a word, the experience was uneventful, which is the highest praise possible. The appraiser arrived on time, was knowledgeable, and gave me a quote before leaving. The scheduling was simple and straightforward. The work was planned for 2-3 weeks out. The office called and asked if they could come a week earlier than planned, which was great for us. The work was completed as requested. The site was left clean and tidy. I am very happy with this company.
Description of Work
I wanted to replace skirting that was about 60 years old.
Category
foundation repair
S D.
09/28/2016
The company didn't feel my erosion issue constituted their time to bother with me. I find it interesting that they would take the customers word on the issue since they are supposed to be the experts. I would have been glad to pay a service fee because I fwas looking for guidance and trusted them. Now I'd be afraid to use them for fear their quality and integrity have been replaced by being dollar driven. So disappointing.
Description of Work
I needed someone to look at my foundation to determine how much erosion had occurred and to provide guidance on how much damage has been done and how to get the problem corrected. Basically I was curtly told in an email that my issue was erosion and my inquiry was being sent to someone who has never contacted me. It is unfortunate as I had such a high opinion of Douglas and it was years ago that I had him come out (still have the business card) so it is true that people remember and call back.
Category
foundation repair
Service Provider Response
Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback for us, and for contacting us for our advice. Our clients mean a lot to us, even when it is only for advice. We are always happy to provide information and guidance even when you need services we do not offer. In your form submission to our website on Wednesday September 07, 2016, you stated that you have noticed that the rains have washed away the top soil down to a level that you don't think is good. We explained that when there is an active erosion issue around a foundation it is much better for you to handle the issue immediately by adding topsoil with the proper grade for the water to drain away from your foundation. Our company does not do that type of work. Our company only does foundation repair by installing piers into the ground which was not stated as your issue. Since your drainage issue is not within our scope of work we can only advise you to either grade the top soil for proper drainage or call a qualified landscaping or drainage company which we did in our email to you. You are obviously a very conscientious homeowner that takes a proactive approach to solving problems on your property. Because of your diligence, you have the opportunity to correct your drainage issue quickly before damage is done to your foundation. Many people wait too long to correct this type of issue, and we admire and respect your approach. If you are noticing symptoms of foundation problems such as cracks in the drywall of your home, doors and windows sticking or not working, floors sloping or anything else. please don't hesitate to contact us and we'll be happy to set an appointment for an evaluation for you. Fortunately, it sounds like you will be able to correct the situation before it becomes a foundation issue. The most important thing to keep in mind is that water should drain away from the foundation. If any water runs towards the foundation or pools around it then that will eventually create issues that may need to be addressed in the future. I sincerely apologize if we did not meet your expectations in our communications with you. The next time you need help with a foundation issue I ask that you reach out to me personally and I will be happy to stop by. Sincerely, Douglas Plauche, OwnerMelissa H.
07/27/2016
Sorry it's taken so long to get this review done. The work was done on 9/15/14. The workers showed up on time and did a good job. I had several doors that were not closing correctly and all were corrected and still open and close as they should. Unfortunately I was at home recovering from foot surgery while the work was being done and do not recommend you be in the house while the work is done. A couple of times I thought the cabinets would come off the wall but all was fine (the kitchen area really had to be raised, I think 2"). Also these guys are not gardeners, they are house levelers and do a good job with that. If you have shrubbery or plants where they will be digging you want to keep, it is best you remove them and repot them temporarily, the put them back yourself. If I had not been recovering from foot surgery I would have done that as I lost a small shrub and rose bush. But in all fairness as I said they are not gardeners and the rose bush was old. There also was A LOT of dirt leftover that comes from under the house, so make plans on what to do with it before they start. I didn't realize it would be so much and they were trying to finish up and leave so I had them spread it out over part my lawn thinking the grass would grow back there. It has not and I need to resod the area. I had another area that is lower and water gathering when it rains, so I should have had them put it there. Hindsight. Overall I do give them an A, am pleased with work, and will use them again on another property I have that needs leveled.
Description of Work
House Leveled
Category
foundation repair
Tom P.
09/19/2015
It went great. The contractor was not only on time, but early. For just inspecting my home and not charging anything for the service, he was extremely helpful. He made measurements of the home in various places, inspected the damage in the room and came to the conclusion that while there was flooding damage there was no evidence of foundation damage as well. Very friendly and courteous throughout the entire process. I'd consider Douglas Foundation for any problems I might have in the future.
Description of Work
Came to my house to inspect a recently flooded area of the house. There is obvious signs of water damage to the floor, but I wanted to make sure the foundation was not damaged as well.
Category
foundation repair
Service Provider Response
Thank you, [Member Name Removed]. A college professor once told me "if you're early, you're on time...if you're on time, you're late". We do our very best to not only be prompt and courteous, but early when we can. Of course, Austin traffic doesn't always make that the easiest task, but we do our best. It was a pleasure meeting you and working with you on this project. I hope you'll call us in the future if the need warrants.Sedley D.
04/13/2015
Everything went well. They installed piers about half the perimeter of the house. One disapointment I had was that in order to install the piers they had to break through the concrete, and the new concrete they fill the holes with doesn't match the existing concrete and it's a bit messy around the edges.
Description of Work
installed concrete piers
Category
foundation repair
Service Provider Response
Thanks, [removed member name]--sometimes to get the best access to the beam supporting your home, foundation repair must be done "through" existing concrete. Unfortunately, there is no way to match the concrete shading or texture from what was originally poured years ago. One solution to this problem may be to have your concrete sealed and stained using a concrete refinishing company, or have a thin layer of concrete poured over the entire area to cover the patch and make the surface evenly colored and smooth. Please give us a call if you have any additional questions! We were very pleased with the results of your project and appreciate your confidence in our abilities!Ron F.
01/05/2015
The service went good, they were real good. I wasn't there, because it was at my daughter's house, but the workers were good. We had no complaints. They did a few little extra things like patched the cement in the walk way, and it wasn't their job, but they said they would. They were prompt every day. I would recommend them, and my daughter has also already recommended them.
Description of Work
I used Douglas Foundation Repair. They did the foundation. They raised up the whole house and did the levelling.
Category
foundation repair
Service Provider Response
Thank you, ['member name removed] and thanks to your daughter, as well. Our crew enjoyed working with you and your daughter on the home. Your recommendation and confidence in our company are very much appreciated. If we can assist any further, please let us know!Debbie P.
12/31/2014
Everything about the service provided by Douglas Foundation was excellent, from the initial inspection and evaluation, to the final engineer's report once the work was completed.
Description of Work
Douglas Foundation Repair leveled my 65 year old pier and beam house.
Category
foundation repair
Service Provider Response
Thank you, [member name removed]--we appreciate your feedback and are here to help hiwever we can. It was a pleasure working with you on your home!!Laurie A.
12/23/2014
They did interior repairs to my foundation. They were professional and clean. We had a lot of rain before so the place was muddy. They were on time at 8 every morning.
Description of Work
I used Douglas Foundation.
Category
foundation repair
Service Provider Response
Thank you very much, (member name removed) ! We enjoyed meeting you and we're here for whatever you need, just give us a call.We appreciate the opportunity to repair your foundation and hope you have a terrific holiday season!Mark D.
10/07/2014
Our experience with them was excellent. They were very professional, and quick to respond in coming out and solving the foundation problems. They were definitely the most professional out of the 3 companies that we had out. They were absolutely excellent with responsiveness. We would highly recommend them and would absolutely use them again in the future.
Description of Work
.
Category
foundation repair
Sara J.
10/04/2014
We used Douglas Foundation for a foundation repair estimate. We ended up using a different company for the actual repair simply for name recognition so that when we sell our house the transferrable warranty will appeal to more buyers. I was very pleased with Douglas' service. He was on time and very thorough in his estimation process. He was also recommended as a great provider by the Structural Engineer that we used for an unbiased consultation on our foundation. I would recommend Douglas Foundation based on their friendliness and professionalism.
Description of Work
Foundation repair estimate
Category
foundation repair
Sara C.
08/25/2014
The foundation failed the city inspection. The work they did was great. They used a ton of wood and installed several concrete piers. Unfortunately I am going to need to hire an additional foundation repair company to finish the repair so that the house is stable and habitable. The part that really irked me was that it was obvious to me from the beginning that the repair would not be sufficient to make the house stable. I had an engineer and an architect review it to confirm that my suspicions were right. I was not surprised that it failed inspection. Yes they "technically" did what the contract stated. It was totally MY fault for not specifying -- "repair enough to use the house" in the contract. It was also my fault for not knowing that what they were proposing would not repair the foundation enough to use the house. I have contacted them on and off for weeks. Once I get a more thorough report from an independent engineer, I expect to file a more formal grievance on the work. It was also very odd that the person I talked with and who was "managing" the work, was never there when I stopped by.
Description of Work
They repaired a pier and beam foundation for me. They added several piers and tons of beams.
Category
foundation repair
Service Provider Response
At Douglas Foundation Repair, we have a very long track record of doing the right thing for our clients and the houses we work on. We were hired to add new beams to the foundation structure and to shim the house upon the the existing piers to bring it to a more "level" condition. As far as our operations manager not being at the site when you dropped by, sorry he was not there when you went by but he did speak with you each day. He does not hang out at each job, but has other projects going on. That said we always had a foreman on your job that was able to speak with you at your convenience. Starting with the first evaluation, we provided you with tons of information so you could choose your best strategy for your repairs. Of course we offered to install piers to replace the existing failing piers as this is what we do, but you could only afford 5 new ones replacing the worst of the worst, so that is what we installed along with the new beams. We have had independent engineers come out to the project and they comment that the work we did was absolutely wonderful. And we stand by our work that was contracted. And as you say, what we actually performed was excellent. The problem is your budget is short of what the house required and for some reason that is our fault. Hmmmm. Your complaint against my firm is about what was not done and not contracted for so it makes no sense at all. Classically, the problem is budget vs actual need. When if became painfully obvious to you that you had to have new piers we asked if you wanted a price for the piers and you said no thanks, you would hire someone else. Sara, we were always responsive and considerate. Our performance of work contracted is exceptional and if we were hired to install new piers, the new piers would of been done first rate too. Thank you. Douglas Plauche. OwnerROBERT H.
08/06/2014
Chris was great! On time, called ahead, informative, and clearly honest. After assessing the condition of my current foundation and hearing my questions and concerns, it turned out I didn't really need a full, or even partial repair. As it turned out I just need some better water diversion, away from the house, in a particular place. Anyway, it was a pleasure to deal with someone who was honest and wasn't just trying to sell me something. Hat's off! If you need foundation work I'd definitely start off talking to these guys!
Description of Work
Chris Godwin, from Douglas Foundation, was just here to give me a bid for some foundation work.
Category
foundation repair
Service Provider Response
Wow, thank you for the review. Just love that you appreciate we are here to help and you take the time to say so publicly. Thank you! Stick to the hydration program, pay attention to changes to the performance of your home and you will take care of your home's foundation. Your neighbors will be curious how you do it. Haha. All the best. DouglasDebbie P.
06/06/2014
They were very conscientious about all of the measurements and things they had to do beforehand to be able to give me an accurate quote. They were very good about doing all the things they promised. They were professional. They started as soon as they got here and they worked diligently the whole time they were here. I was very pleased with how they approached the work and how they did it and how they cleaned up. I would absolutely use them again.
Description of Work
I used Douglas Foundation Repair to level my foundation.
Category
mudjacking, foundation repair
Ryan B.
03/27/2014
The team was flexible with scheduling as I travel a lot for work. As you can imagine, given the scope of work involved, I wanted to be present as much as possible. They accomodated as well as they could and had crews working on days that normally didn't, which I certainly appreciated. The process of watching your house be lifted is nerve racking and very neat all at the same time. They jack up the house using hydraulic jacks simultaneously, you can literally feel the house moving. Aside from the roller coaster ride, the team was professional and knew what they were doing. It is extremely dirty, hard work and these guys earn it. My house was a disaster zone for a week, but it had to be done. Now for the not so good: Once they completed the lift, they leave a couple of the holes exposed around the foundation until the plumber can do the hydrostatic test (to make sure there weren't any pipes broken with the house moving up and down). They do this to mitigate some of the expense should there be a leak. Caught a break, no leaks, good news. Only downside was that no one came back out to fill the left over holes, was actually forgotten about (keep in mind, they have a lot of projects going on so not a huge deal, holes were covered up with plywood). They immediately sent a crew to patch the remaining holes, which was great. The downside, I was not there to oversee this portion of the work. Needless to say, they filled some of the holes with the concrete that was busted up from the backporch/inside foundation. Thus, there are rocks and big chunks of concrete thrown into holes that were previously filled with only dirt. Compared to the rest of the work they did, this was really sloppy and almost an afterthought (rush and get it done so they could put their folks back on other jobs). Overall, I am pleased with the work they did, their guys were professional and busted their butts, only thing is the final patching that disappointed. I'm not sure how this would compare to other companies, but just make sure you are there to oversee the final steps.
Description of Work
Supported foundation with their Smartpier system, 30 total piers inside and out. House was 5 inches off from the lowest to the highest point of the house, drywall was cracking, doors would not close, tile was cracking.
Category
foundation repair
Taylor M.
03/20/2014
I had a very pleasant experience with them. They actually told me that the work was not even worth doing so they never finished up with the quoting process. They just gave me an advice which I did. They were very honest and very nice.
Description of Work
I got an estimate from Douglas Foundation Repair four or five months ago for foundation repair.
Category
mudjacking, foundation repair
Chinhua W.
03/19/2014
One of my rental properties has some gaps between the ceiling and walls. I was very worried. Gary from Douglas Foundation came and did the measurement. He told us the shift is very minor. He recommend to install gutters and measure again next year. The evaluation is free too! Very knowledgeable and honest. I trust them and installed the gutter as he recommended. Will definitely give them a call if there is any foundation issue.
Description of Work
Foundation Repair Evaluation
Category
foundation repair
Douglas S.
03/19/2014
The seller agreed to pay the cost when I bought the house. It was really top quality work. I did a lot of research. They showed up when they said they would and they did the work in the amount of time they said it would take. It was about a week's job. They cleaned up after themselves. It was a big job. I didn't have any complaints. The pricing was comparable to anybody else doing the same amount of work but that was not what I based my decision on.
Description of Work
I used Douglas Foundation Repair.
Category
foundation repair
Jonathan Z.
03/17/2014
Darrel Montgomery came out to the house to meet with me. According to the measurements Darrel took, no foundation repairs are needed at this time. Darrel was extremely professional and took time to answer some of my questions. He suggested that I have them come back out to take readings again within a year. I was not charged for the service, and was not pressured to make any unneeded repairs.
Description of Work
I requested an inspection and estimate of my foundation.
Category
foundation repair
Mimi P.
03/14/2014
Michael P.
02/24/2014
Jon H.
02/23/2014
This was one of my more frustrating experiences with contractors... and an expensive lesson to me. Here's why: 1) After site evaluation the service providor, I was told that no additional piering was needed and leveling could be done with existing piering. This turned out not to be the case and leveling crew only brought materials for 1 pier pair ... more were obviously needed. If this material was needed for the job, why wasn't it brought with the crew and why wasn't I told up front it would be needed. 2) Paid for whole house area to leveled but lifting work was only done on problem areas and even this was cut short because lift supervisor and measuring equiptment was needed at another job. 3) I waited a month for a schedule date that I could be off work and present for the work (this was requested by the company) and crew was available. Bad weather earlier in the week forced my date onto a Saturday that was obviously overbooked... and I paid for it with lack of attention to my job. 4) Got caught in a round of finger pointing. Lift supervisor implied the evaluator did not properly evaluate what was needed to be successful. Overall supervisor (whom I talked to on phone on day of job) did a great job explaining why they could not be successful leveling my house and how the lift supervisor had to leave for another job. With enough separation between the evaluator, the overall supervisor, the lift supevisor and the crew lead (who spoke no english), there was plenty of plausible deniability and rationale why the job was completed but my house is not leveled. The Bottom Line is I am out about $3K to an outfit that took on a job without identifying to me or themselves what it would take to have a successful outcome. It was not a professional transaction. Do hire an engineer. Don't depend on this service provider to evaluate and design a plan to successfully level your house by themselves.
Description of Work
Attempted to level pier and beam house and address 2 problem areas under bathrooms and kitchen. Met with representative for site evaluation and was told that leveling could be performed without additional piering. Pricing was based on square footage of entire house with contract for whole house leveling. Crew showed up and was able to raise area under bathrooms (required additional blocks on ground piering to make progress). The crew did not have additional materials and was unable to level kitchen area. In process of leveling a noticeable hump was introduced in open floor area. The lift supervisor was in a hurry and had to leave for another job after less than 2 hours (he left with the leveling measurement device). The remaining crew spent the rest of the day replacing original shims with metal ones, this included siestas in the front yard and under the house.
Category
foundation repair
Service Provider Response
Really? An "F"???? You are exaggerating your project on all levels. (no pun intended) Per contract, we installed cribbing and jacks throughout the foundation to lift as possible, concentrating on the center of the home. We replaced all of the poor existing shims on the existing piers. We got the center of you home up 1" without damage to the tile floors. That is exactly what you paid for. So giving us an F is absurd. We spent two hours of actual lifting and dropping your home to try to make you happy. We know what we are doing and your house would not cooperate without breaking. At one point, you took over the job because you wanted different results than we could provide. You actually commanded yourself to foundation contractor foreman and thought you could do better. You had my crew lift and lower the home over and over, failing to make the changes you wanted yourself. Your home is what dictated the results, not my crew or the effort. Finally, after you had us try everything possible several times over, we said "enough, the home is done". Yes, i understand you are just dissatisfied with the results. Do not be dissatisfied with the effort. We, for free, added 4 piers and 16' of beams trying to make you happy. Yes the evaluator said it should be able to come up fine on the existing beams and piers, but once we actually started jacking on the house, your beams were weak and needed additional support. No way that is typical but it is possible. We performed 100% of the contract terms, always with your goals in mind. Your home just needs more beams and piers, plus you have to be ready to remodel the home if you try to "level" it better. Finally, Alfred was on the job the whole time, he only speaks English and our foreman is bilingual. Lunch time is siesta time. My crew deserves the break in the middle of the day. I provide water and ice for them to drink too.David M.
02/21/2014
Everything went according to schedule, with the exception of a couple of rain events getting in the way. Basically they dug about 2'X2' holes down to the bottom of the perimeter beam. This was done at roughly an 8' space around the outside of the house. After the holes were dug, steel pipes were pushed in using a hydraulic jack between the bottom edge of the perimeter beam, and the top of the pipe. The pipes were in one-foot lengths that would stack on top of each other to the required depth. Some went as deep as 31', the shallowest was ~ 25'. All of this was followed by a small amount of lifting on the lowest edge of the house, and then some cleanup work. I was really impressed with the work crews. They conducted themselves very well, and were all very courteous. The amount of residual mess was surprisingly very small, considering the huge volume of dirt that was dug up for each hole. When the holes are re-filled, the dirt does not pack completely back into place, so there will be about 1 wheelbarrow-full for each hole dug that is left over. You can choose to keep this dirt, or they will haul it away. I chose to keep mine, and they put the dirt where I directed out in the yard. We did lose a couple of shrubs that were in the way and had to be temporarily re-located during the digging process. We also had to call them back out after it had rained, as the dirt in a few of the holes had settled. They came out in a week or so and topped-off all the low spots. Thus far the house is holding up well. There was no added interior damage caused by the foundation repair. The door still works well, and everything appears to be in a "steady state". Hopefully the same will be true after the upcoming summer.
Description of Work
Installed steel piers around entire perimeter of the house. The goal was to stabilize the foundation, as we had one exterior door which was very sticky and cracks in the tile flooring.
Category
foundation repair
Service Provider Response
thanks [remove member name] Really appreciate you taking the time to give your review. Amazing how invasive the project is during the job, and then when we are all done, not so bad. In fact we hear all the time that we leave the job better than we found it. Pretty cool. Thanks again. DKathleen S.
02/17/2014
My elderly Aunt had foundation work done on her home a year ago, and I found that she paid an exorbitant amount and I feared the work was very poor, to not completed, creating the need to find out what work really happened. The inspection performed by the representative from Douglas Foundation arrived on time, inspected the home foundation, graded the previous work done, and offered sound comments and suggestions. The representative was knowledgeable and helpful. At least the previous work was performed satisfactorily enough so the house is in no danger.
Description of Work
Inspection of foundation repairs performed by another foundation company.
Category
foundation repair
Service Provider Response
Hi [member name] Foundation assurance. That is what we do. thanks for the review. DouglasOther local Pros in your area
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