Cracked tile and ceilings after two years away: settling, foundation movement or an insurance claim?

Slab foundations move throughout their lives. Evaluation guidelines presented at a Post-Tensioning Institute session note that even a correctly designed and built slab keeps moving with the soil, and that expansive soil can rise or fall as much as 12 inches at the surface. Clay shrinks as it dries and swells when it gets wet. Inconsistent watering in dry weather leaves soil unevenly moist, the Texas contractor directory Foundation Compass notes, which matters for a house that sat with no one tending the yard.

Texas engineers usually judge a slab by tilt and deflection. According to the PTI material, ASCE's Texas Section uses limits of 1% tilt and L/360 deflection (1 inch over 30 feet), as did the now-defunct Texas Residential Construction Commission. Builders' tolerance allows about 1.5 inches out of level from the day the slab is poured, so one elevation survey cannot prove movement; two surveys taken months apart can. The same guidance lists framing problems, poor construction and wind among causes of cracking that have nothing to do with the foundation.

An independent structural engineer's inspection in Texas typically costs $350 to $1,000, Foundation Compass says, and $500 to $750 usually buys laser elevation mapping, photos and a written report. Ask whether the fee covers a sealed report and whether the engineer has ties to repair contractors. A suspected under-slab leak calls for a separate plumbing test.

Insurance is the hard part. The Texas Department of Insurance lists earth movement and continuous water leaks among the risks most policies do not cover, and names damage to foundations or slabs as coverage usually added by endorsement. TDI also says most insurers stop coverage once a house has been vacant 60 days or more. Sudden and accidental release of water is on TDI's list of commonly covered risks, so a sudden plumbing failure is the case where a claim has footing.