Case studies

Real Oklahoma foundation jobs and engineer evaluations: what was found, why, and what repair was specified. Names and addresses removed.

How deep did steel piers go across a large Tulsa apartment complex?Across 396 logged piers at a 34-building Tulsa complex, refusal depth ranged 2 to 40 ft, median 12 ft, at a median 9,000 psi driving pressure.
How did downspouts help crack the foundation of a 2007 Bristow house?Downspouts discharging at the foundation eroded two corners. The engineer called it a defect and specified piers, slab leveling and downspout extensions.
What did an engineer specify for a previously piered Sand Springs house?21 perimeter steel piers at least 10 ft below the footing, 10 to 15 interior helical piers with foam, and a duct camera check, for active clay and additions.
What did an engineer specify for a south Tulsa slab with failing walls?4 perimeter steel piers, 10 to 15 interior helical piers with foam, crack stitching, new retaining walls and channel drains, for active clay movement.
What did an engineer specify for an 80-year-old Tulsa basement house?15 exterior steel piers, a rebuilt stairwell wall, new beams and posts, porch foam and a new sump pump, for age-related settlement and basement water.
What did an engineer specify when old piers stopped holding in south Tulsa?Cracks reopened along a previously piered garage wall; the engineer said to repressurize those piers or replace them, add 3 new piers, and level the slab.
Why did a 1928 Tulsa basement wall need a full rebuild?Years of lateral soil and water pressure bowed the lower block wall inward, so the engineer ruled out crack repair or bracing and called for a rebuild.
Why did a 1953 Tulsa crawl space home need drainage work along with piers?Surface water was entering the crawl space and old concrete piers at one corner had stopped holding; the engineer specified steel piers plus drainage fixes.
Why did a 1970 Claremore slab house on a sloped lot crack everywhere?The engineer blamed changing moisture in the clay under the footings and slab, and specified perimeter piers, polyurethane slab leveling and a leak test.
Why did a Bartlesville commercial building need piers and floor leveling?Its perimeter had settled while the interior slab heaved; the engineer specified 13 steel piers to shale or rock, then interior leveling, plus gutters.
Why did a Bixby engineer want a tree removed before piering a corner?Cracking was worst at the corner beside a tree on active clay; the engineer listed tree removal first, then 3 steel piers at least 10 ft below the footing.
Why did a Claremore church addition's floor drop 1 to 3 inches?The engineer found soil consolidation under the slab and a possible void or plumbing leak, and specified 16 steel piers at least 12 ft deep plus slab support.
Why did a Tulsa house with 23 piers need pier work again in 2026?Footings kept moving at existing pier locations, and drainage was poor. The engineer specified adjusting the old piers or adding new steel piers, plus gutters.
Why did a Tulsa slab home get wall piers but no slab repair?Brick cracks showed the east wall footing had moved, but floor differential was under 1 in., so the engineer specified 7 steel piers and no slab work.
Why did an Edmond slab house settle again two years after piering?The engineer found more settlement at piers installed in 2023 plus erosion and poor grading. The fix: adjust or replace 7 piers, add 1, and improve drainage.
Why did an engineer pick helical piers for a Tulsa crawl space home?A clay tile stem wall and a light converted garage gave push piers little to push against, so the engineer specified 10 helical piers at least 20 ft deep.
Why did one corner of a Mannford walk-out basement house settle?The engineer tied it to possible fill consolidation on the south side and roof runoff concentrated at the southwest corner, and specified 8 steel piers.
Why did only one side of a 1958 brick home in The Village need piers?The east side had settled up to about 1.2 in. on highly plastic clay, so the engineer specified 4 steel piers there and monitoring on the west side.