Areas served · Texas
Forensic Engineering in Houston
In and around Houston
What we investigate in Houston
Houston's structural losses trace to two forces working the slab from below and the sky above: the high-plasticity gumbo clay that heaves and drops foundations, and the extraordinary rainfall this metro absorbs. We investigate what actually failed and document it to a standard that holds up, and a licensed engineer responds within 24 hours.
The conditions we see in Houston
Houston sits on high-plasticity expansive clay, the Houston Black soil series known locally as black gumbo, a classic Vertisol that swells when saturated and shrinks to hard, cracked ground in drought. That seasonal movement drives cracked slabs, sticking doors, and separated foundations, which is why slab-on-grade is the dominant residential foundation across the region. The clay makes distinguishing true structural distress from cosmetic settlement a real engineering question.
Rainfall compounds it. Hurricane Harvey was the wettest tropical cyclone in United States history, with peak accumulations near 60 inches in southeast Texas and more than 40 inches falling across parts of the Houston area over four days. Layered underneath is regional land subsidence: decades of groundwater withdrawal from the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers dropped water levels by as much as 300 feet and lowered the land surface as much as 10 feet in places, compacting sediments and moving the structures the ground once carried.
How we help in Houston
The evaluations Houston cases usually call for
- Foundation and slab evaluation
When a slab cracks or a wall separates over Houston's gumbo clay, the question is whether it is clay movement, drainage, subsidence, or a construction defect. Our licensed engineers evaluate the structure and the soil behavior together and document which cause is responsible, not the one that looks obvious.
Our structural engineering services- Flood and water loss investigation
After a rainfall event like Harvey, we determine what the water did to the structure and whether the damage came from the flooding, a pre-existing condition, or a defect. We also investigate the product and component failures that surface afterward, grounding every finding in the physical evidence.
Our forensic engineering services- Hail and storm damage
We evaluate hail and wind damage across Houston, separating fresh storm damage from wear, prior repairs, and conditions that predated the storm.
Our hail damage services in Houston
Fire origin & cause
Fire origin and cause in Houston
Greater Houston is a major petrochemical and refining hub along the Ship Channel, and industrial fires and explosions tied to equipment failure, leaks from pipes, valves, and vessels, and process upsets are a recurring loss driver. When a process fire follows an equipment failure, the cause is rarely obvious in the wreckage, and the finding decides the claim or the case.
Our NAFI-certified investigators work to NFPA 921. They examine the scene systematically, trace burn patterns back to the area of origin, evaluate the electrical and mechanical systems, and eliminate causes until the evidence supports one conclusion, including whether the fire was accidental or incendiary. We preserve the evidence before it is lost, then support the finding with a written report and testimony at deposition and trial.
Fires we investigate
- Residential and commercial fires
- Industrial and petrochemical fires
- Explosions and process upsets
- Electrical and appliance fires
- Vehicle fires
Common questions
Forensic engineering in Houston, Texas
A different question about your case? An engineer, not a call center, answers within 24 hours.
Is foundation cracking in Houston usually the gumbo clay?
Often, but not always. The Houston Black expansive clay moves slabs across the metro, yet drainage, subsidence, plumbing leaks, and construction defects produce similar cracking. We evaluate the evidence before assigning a cause.
Can you assess flood damage after the water recedes?
Yes. Much of the structural evidence remains after a flood event, and we evaluate the foundation, framing, and finishes to document what the water caused and what predated it.
Do you charge travel to reach Houston?
No. We work Houston-area cases from our Omaha lab and Los Angeles office with no travel charges, and a licensed engineer responds within 24 hours.
Have a loss that needs answers?
Tell us what happened. An engineer, not a call center, will review your case.