Plano, TX · Collin County · USDA soil survey 2026-08-28
Foundation repair in Plano, TX: what the soil says, what it should cost
Also covers McKinney: same county, same soil survey legend, same ground.
76% of the mapped ground in Collin County is high or very high shrink-swell soil (USDA soil survey; acre-weighted LEP 9.85%, class very high). Published national ranges put a typical repair at $2,224–$8,134, piers at $1,000–$3,000 each. Check the soil under your own address below; then read what an independent engineer costs before you sign.
- 76% high or very high shrink-swell
- 35 map units with data
- Every price cited
- No contractor rankings
How much does foundation repair cost in Plano?
We do not have Plano-specific price data and won't invent an “average for Plano.” What published national guides report, with the figures the guides themselves publish:
- Typical job: $2,224–$8,134, average $5,179. Source: This Old House — Foundation Repair Cost, updated 2026-03-06
- Piering / underpinning: $1,000–$3,000 per pier. Source: This Old House — Foundation Repair Cost, updated 2026-03-06
The pier count and depth move a Plano number, and they depend on the soil under that specific house and how far down stable material sits. On very high shrink-swell soil, quotes for the same house commonly differ on pier count alone; an engineer's report is what pins it.
| Repair | Published range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Crack repair (epoxy / polyurethane injection) | $250–$800 per crack | Bob Vila — How Much Does Foundation Repair Cost?, updated 2024-05-29 |
| Mudjacking / slabjacking | $500–$1,300 per job | Bob Vila — How Much Does Foundation Repair Cost?, updated 2024-05-29 |
| Piering / underpinning | $1,000–$3,000 per pier | This Old House — Foundation Repair Cost, updated 2026-03-06 |
| Drainage system | $2,800–$6,500 per job | Bob Vila — How Much Does Foundation Repair Cost?, updated 2024-05-29 |
| Settling / sinking repair (all methods) | $4,500–$20,000 per job | Bob Vila — How Much Does Foundation Repair Cost?, updated 2024-05-29 |
Holding a Plano quote? Read it against the Collin County soil record before you sign.
What the soil under Collin County does
Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO, county legend TX085, top 152 cm, weighted by mapped acreage. Coverage: 96% of mapped acres carry usable data across 35 map units. Built 2026-08-28.
- very high67%
- high9%
- moderate20%
- low4%
The largest mapped unit in Collin County is Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes (35% of surveyed acres, very high, LEP 12%, moderately well drained); next is Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes at 8%, very high with LEP 12%. McKinney sits on the same legend.
Where the expansive soil is: largest map units in Collin County
The hyper-local view: Plano neighborhoods sit on different ground, and the address lookup tells you which unit is under a given house.
| Map unit | Share of surveyed acres | LEP | Class | Drainage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes | 35% | 12% | very high | Moderately well drained |
| Houston Black clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes | 8% | 12% | very high | Moderately well drained |
| Austin silty clay, 2 to 5 percent slopes, moderately eroded | 6% | 4.85% | moderate | Well drained |
| Heiden clay, 3 to 5 percent slopes, eroded | 5% | 11.99% | very high | Well drained |
| Austin silty clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes | 5% | 4.85% | moderate | Well drained |
| Houston Black clay, 2 to 4 percent slopes, eroded | 4% | 17% | very high | Moderately well drained |
| Tinn clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently flooded | 4% | 9.7% | very high | Moderately well drained |
| Heiden clay, 5 to 8 percent slopes, eroded | 4% | 11.53% | very high | Well drained |
| Tinn clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes, occasionally flooded | 4% | 10.46% | very high | Moderately well drained |
| Altoga silty clay, 5 to 8 percent slopes, eroded | 3% | 4.47% | moderate | Well drained |
Check the soil under an address
USDA soil survey, read for the top 60 inches under the address. Free, no account, nothing is sent to a contractor.
Usually 1–3 seconds. The USDA service occasionally takes longer.
Is it worth fixing? Do you actually need this?
In this soil class, seasonal movement is expected and foundation repair is common. That does not make every quote right; it makes the pier count the thing to check.
- Get an independent structural engineer's report before signing. It specifies how many piers, where, and to what depth; contractor bids on the same house routinely differ on pier count.
- Ask what the contractor's plan does about moisture. On expansive clay, piers without drainage and moisture control treat half the problem.
- Cosmetic drywall cracks alone are not a pier job. Doors that stop closing, stair-step brick cracks and sloping floors are the signs an engineer looks for.
We are not engineers and this is not an engineering opinion. We report public soil-survey data and published price ranges. Nothing here states that a specific house is or is not structurally sound; a licensed structural engineer who has seen the house can.
Does homeowners insurance cover foundation repair in Texas?
Usually no. Standard homeowners policies exclude earth movement (settling, shrinking, expanding and cracking of the foundation), so damage from expansive soil is not covered. Damage that results from a covered sudden event, such as a burst pipe flooding under a slab, can be, and separate earthquake or flood policies cover those perils.
Full answer for Texas → Source: HO-3 Special Form policy text (exclusion: "settling, shrinking, bulging or expansion, including resultant cracking, of pavements, patios, foundations, walls, floors, roofs or ceilings"), as filed with the Oklahoma Insurance Department
Finding a structural engineer in Plano for an independent opinion
A contractor's free inspection produces a bid. A licensed structural engineer who does not sell repairs produces the scope that bid should be written to: whether movement is active, what is causing it, and the pier count and depth if any. Published cost: $300–$1,000. Source: Bob Vila — How Much Does Foundation Repair Cost?, updated 2024-05-29
Verify a license with the Texas board, and ask whether the engineer sells or installs repairs. What the report should contain →
Foundation repair types people in Plano search for
Monthly Google searches for each phrase with “Plano” attached (Google Ads, pulled 2026-08-28). Each links to the cited cost range and when that repair is the right one.
- Pier and beam foundation repair in Plano, about 10/mo: shimming or replacing interior piers and sills; usually cheaper than slab piering, and the first thing to rule out on an older house with sloping floors.
- House leveling in Plano, about 10/mo: a sales word, not a method. It means either piers or slabjacking, which are priced very differently; ask which.
- Basement waterproofing in Plano, about 10/mo: gutters, downspouts and grading before any system; interior drain and sump on slowly drained soil.
Finding and comparing foundation repair companies in Plano
Google shows a map pack of 3 contractors for “foundation repair Plano”; we don't rank them and don't take money to list them. A good bid and an aggressive one differ in scope, not in company name, so get the engineer's scope first and have every Plano company bid to it. On expansive clay, a bid with no moisture plan is treating half the problem. What a comparable quote itemizes →
Plano foundation repair: questions people ask
How much does foundation repair cost in Plano?
We don't have Plano-specific price data. Published national figures put a typical job at $2,224–$8,134 (average $5,179); piers run $1,000–$3,000 each, and the pier count is what moves a Plano quote.
Does homeowners insurance cover foundation repair in Texas?
Usually no. Standard homeowners policies exclude earth movement (settling, shrinking, expanding and cracking of the foundation), so damage from expansive soil is not covered. Damage that results from a covered sudden event, such as a burst pipe flooding under a slab, can be, and separate earthquake or flood policies cover those perils.
Is it worth fixing foundation issues? Do I actually need this?
In this soil class, seasonal movement is expected and foundation repair is common. That does not make every quote right; it makes the pier count the thing to check.
How do I compare foundation repair companies in Plano?
Get an independent engineer's report first, then have every company bid to that scope: same pier type, count and depth. Compare the warranty terms (transferable? covers the house or only the pier?) and the moisture plan, not the sales pitch. We don't rank contractors.
Where do I get an independent opinion in Plano?
A licensed structural engineer who is not selling the repair. A report costs about $300–$1,000 and specifies whether movement is active and what work, if any, is warranted.
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