The short answer
For a permitted repair in McKinney, Frisco or Plano, an engineer is part of the process whether you hire one or not: the city wants an engineer’s letter and drawings with the permit application. Hiring your own, independent engineer is optional, and worth it when a lot of money rides on whether, or how, the house gets repaired.
We’re not engineers or contractors. This page explains how independent licensed engineers evaluate foundations, with links to their own guidelines.
Engineer, contractor or home inspector?
| Compared | Licensed professional engineer | Foundation contractor | TREC home inspector |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can diagnose the cause and recommend repairs | Yes; Texas treats it as the practice of engineering | Proposes a repair plan; the permit letter comes from an engineer | No; an engineering opinion requires a PE license |
| Has a stake in the repair | Not if you hire them independently | Yes; they sell the repair | No |
| What you walk away with | A report, and sealed repair documents if hired for them | A written plan and price | An opinion on foundation performance in the inspection report |
| Typical cost | $550 average for a general report (HomeAdvisor) | Set by the contractor | Part of the home inspection |
The Texas engineering board says a TREC inspector’s visual inspection is not engineering, and that inspectors may not give an engineering opinion on a foundation without a PE license. That line is why a flagged foundation on an inspection report usually leads to an engineer.
When the city requires one
| City | Engineer’s role in a foundation repair permit |
|---|---|
| McKinney | Engineer’s letter and drawings before the permit; final engineer’s report to close it |
| Frisco | Stamped engineer’s letter and pier drawings with the application; engineer’s inspection report when the repair is complete |
| Plano | Plans and an engineer’s letter, sealed by a Texas engineer |
| Allen | The fee schedule lists the permit but doesn’t say; ask the city |
The permit guide has the sources for each. In these cities, the question isn’t whether an engineer is involved; it’s who that engineer works for.
When it’s worth hiring your own
- You’re buying a house with visible movement. An independent evaluation during the option period tells you what you’re taking on. The Foundation Performance Association recommends buyers get a baseline elevation survey even when nothing looks wrong.
- Two contractors’ plans disagree badly. One says eight piers, another says the whole perimeter. An engineer can say which matches the house.
- A repair didn’t hold. Before paying for more piers, find out why: drainage, a leak, heave, or piers that didn’t go deep enough.
- An insurance claim turns on the cause. Whether a plumbing leak caused the movement is often the disputed point.
- You might not need a repair at all. Some movement is normal on Texas clay, and ASCE Texas notes an owner may reasonably choose cosmetic repairs instead of underpinning. An engineer with nothing to sell can tell you if that’s you.
When you may not need your own
If the signs are minor and stable, the city’s process already includes an engineer, and two contractors’ plans broadly agree, a separate engineer may add little. The engineer who seals the repair documents is the engineer of record under the ASCE Texas guidelines, with approval authority over changes, so the design still gets a licensed review.
What an engineer actually does
ASCE Texas sets out three levels of investigation. Level A is a walk-through and history, labeled a report of first impressions. Level B adds a relative elevation survey and a scaled drawing with deflection and tilt compared to tolerances. Level C adds soil, plumbing and material testing. One DFW contractor says reports here are generally limited to visual observations and an elevation survey, without soil tests unless stated, so agree on the level before you pay.
ASCE Texas also describes its document as guidelines, not standards, and the state engineering board has said the Engineering Practice Act sets no technical standards for repair methods. Two competent engineers can reach different designs. What you should expect from either is a clear explanation of what they measured, what they concluded and why. The inspection page explains how to read an elevation survey.
Questions to ask an engineer
- Are you a Texas-licensed professional engineer, and will you visit the house yourself?
- Do you have any business relationship with the contractor I’m considering?
- Which level of investigation does your fee cover, and will you take elevations?
- Will you say whether repair is needed, or only how to repair?
- If I hire you for the design, will you check the work and provide a letter afterward?
- When will I get the written report?
What it costs
| Service | Typical cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| General structural report, average | $550 | HomeAdvisor |
| Structural engineer for a foundation | $340–$780 | HomeAdvisor |
| Structural report | $300–$1,000 | Angi |
| Report on foundation damage | $500–$1,000 | This Old House |
| Report to choose a repair method | $500–$3,000 | HomeGuide |
Against a pier job, that’s a small share of the total, and in McKinney, Frisco and Plano part of it may already be in the contractor’s price. Ask.
Want a contractor to look at it? Call to schedule an inspection.