Why did a Tulsa house with 23 piers need pier work again in 2026?

Reviewed by Preston, Oklahoma foundation repair consultant · Updated 2026-10-14

Tulsa20261-story wood frame residence, brick veneer and sidingslab: poured concrete footings with stem walls and slab floor

In short: A one-story Tulsa slab house had 23 perimeter piers installed in 2002, and 14 of them were adjusted after a 2022 inspection. By 2026 it again showed veneer movement on all four sides at the pier locations ¹. The engineer specified adjusting the existing piers, or placing new steel piers where an old pier is missing or cannot be adjusted. The scope also included re-grading and gutters with downspouts at every eave ¹.

What did the house show?

The house is a one-story wood-frame residence with brick veneer and siding. It sits on poured concrete footings with stem walls and a slab floor ¹. The file records a long repair history ¹:

• 2002: 23 perimeter piers installed by another contractor.
• 2021: that contractor proposed adjusting 14 of the piers and injecting high-density polyurethane foam.
• 2022: the same engineer inspected and recommended pier adjustment and under-slab injection. Afterward the west slab was replaced, the east slab stabilized and 14 piers adjusted.

At the June 2026 inspection ¹:

• Masonry veneer movement on the north, west, south and east sides.
• Interior ceiling and wall cracks consistent with exterior footing movement at the pier locations marked on the engineer's sketch.
• No excessive slab cracking.
• Grades that do not slope away enough, and missing gutters, splash pads and downspout extensions.

What did the engineer find was causing it?

The record describes continued exterior footing movement at the existing pier locations, together with poor surface drainage around the house ¹. This was the second adjustment cycle in about four years after the 2002 installation.

What repair was specified?

• Install steel piers or adjust existing piers at the footings at the sketch locations. The report states that if a pier is not in place or cannot be adjusted, a new pier should be placed at that location ¹.
• Full recovery to the original position is not guaranteed ¹.
• Re-grade so water drains away, and install gutters with downspouts and splash pads at all eaves ¹.
• Camera-inspect the in-slab ducts, and get a wood-destroying-organism inspection ¹.

The report's general conclusion also contained standard wording that the house had not moved enough to warrant piers. That wording conflicts with the item-by-item recommendations, which do call for pier work ¹.

What does this case show about Oklahoma foundations?

• Perimeter water is a recurring driver. ASCE's homeowner guide for shrink-swell soils recommends keeping soil sloped away on all sides (at least 3 inches of fall in 5 feet) and discharging downspouts at least 3 feet from the foundation ². This house had neither adequate slope nor gutters ¹.
• The moisture zone can be deep. Researchers writing on expansive-soil damage note that the zone of seasonal moisture change can extend from 3 to 40 feet deep. They identify differential water content as the biggest problem in expansive-soil areas ³.
• The repair history was documented. The file included records going back to 2002, including a seller disclosure. The engineer tied the 2026 distress to specific existing pier locations and allowed for adjustment or replacement pier by pier ¹.

Related

• Pier Uplift or Movement After Repair
• Steel Push Piers
• Surface Drainage and Grading
• Drainage Solutions
• Working with Engineers
• Real Estate, Disclosure and Inspections - Foundation Issues in Oklahoma