Foundation repair in Oklahoma: clay soil and local permits

In the 12 Oklahoma counties covered here, between about 20% and 55% of mapped land has soil rated high or very high for shrink-swell. This soil swells when wet and shrinks as it dries, which USDA notes can damage buildings. City permit rules for repair work differ too. That is a good reason to hire a repair company that already works in your city.

Clay soil by county

USDA soil survey data rates each soil for shrink-swell, meaning how much it swells and shrinks. The table shows the share of mapped land in each county where the main soil is rated high or very high. That rating means a linear extensibility (how much the soil swells) of 6% or more:

The shares cover whole counties, including rural land. They describe the area rather than the ground under one house.

Permits for foundation work

Ask your repair company how these general repair rules apply to your foundation job:

• Oklahoma City requires a permit to alter or repair a structure. The permit is issued through its Development Center.
• Tulsa requires a permit for building repair that goes beyond storm cleanup. When damage is structural, its plans examiner can require construction plans.
• Moore requires building permits for most residential remodels, additions and improvements.

Have the company put any required permit and its fee in the written quote. The city pages below have the local details and the date they were checked.

Get a foundation assessment

A quote request goes to a local foundation repair company that serves your area. Ask it for:

• an on-site assessment
• the method it recommends for what it finds
• any permit arranged by the company
• an itemized price you can compare with a second bid

Get a quote