Home Foundation Repair Houston Tx

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   Does my concrete patio need to be attached to my home’s foundation?
   I am currently getting bids on building a concrete patio with a patio cover that matches my home (same shingles, brick, paint, hardieplank, etc). My home’s backyard faces the west and the sun is pretty bad in the afternoons, so I would like the patio to span the width of the house (36′) and stick out 20′ to meet with my detached garage on the northwest corner. The patio cover would be attached to the home’s frame. We currently have a small concrete patio slab that connects to the home’s foundation via expansion joints. I’ve gotten three conflicting opinions on the concrete patio:
   1) One contractor says he can pour concrete over/around my existing concrete patio and put a stamping on it so it looks even
   2) Contractor #2 says I must remove existing concrete and re pour entire patio slab, and that the new slab needs to be connected to the home’s foundation by driving re bar into it since the patio cover will also be attached to the home’s structure
   3) Contractor #3 says I must remove existing concrete and re pour entire patio slab, but I do NOT want to attach concrete patio slab to home’s foundation because if I ever need to repair my home’s foundation then accessing the tension rods will be very painful and expensive.
   While I don’t like the first contractor’s idea too much (his quote is the most expensive, anyways), I don’t know if contractor #2 or #3 is right. My geographic area is Houston, TX (hot, humid summers, mild winters for the most part, hurricanes are main weather concern). Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

   • ANSWER:
     im no contractor or concrete person, but i wouldnt know why the patio would need to be attached to the houses foundation.

     C1–i suppose one could pour over/around existing concrete. if you dont mind running the risk of separation (how is his so high if hes not tearing anything out???)

     C2–i know that the new roof would be connected to the old, but shouldnt the existing house footing support that?

     C3–so hes saying not to attach it?

     sounds good to me.

     other than your attaching the 2 roofs, what reason is there to tie into the houses foundation??

     oh, yeah…wont you need a footing on this patio being that it is going to be supporting the weight of a roof?
     wouldnt be a bad idea to have one anyway, in case you want to enclose it and make it an extension of the house.

     added–i forgot. a city inspector could probably tell you–MAYBE.
     but when they get involved, theres all kinds of permitting fees to pay…

     actually. i think i would contact a city college or university and ask an architect teacher.

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