Olshan Foundation Repair

Jane L.

After the drought of 2008, my foundation cracked, and a crack opened up in my living room wall and ceiling. An Olshan rep came out and used a gadget that checks the level throughout the house. He said that an engineer would look at the results and another rep would come back out to discuss what was needed, but that he could tell me right off that I would need pilings around the entire parameter of my house AND pilings under the house across the middle. To do the latter part of the job, they would have to drill holes through my hardwood floors AND the tiles that I had just installed in my kitchen. Another option would be to tunnel underneath the house, which would cost hundreds more per piling.

Another foundation company told me I would need pilings around the parameter of my house but not under the center of my house. Cost would be $12,000.

Well guess what? A third foundation specialist came out and said I didn't need to have ANY work done what-so-ever. The cracks in my living room wall were very minor. He checked all the doors to see how they were closing. He told me that he had just come from a house in Memorial where the homeowner was told by another company that she needed $30,000 worth of work. She didn't need ANY work done.

I cancelled my appointment with Olshan for the follow-up quote. I can only imagine the grand total of all that work. My guess would be $30,00 based on some of the numbers the rep threw around.

Stay away from these crooks. It makes me sick every time I see Nolan Ryan in their commercials. I will never buy anything that has his name on it_like his organic beef.

Get a copy of Best Pick Reports or go to BestPickReports.com. Look for a company that has been included 6 or 7 years. Companies have to turn over their client lists which are polled for satisfaction before they can get onto the Best Pick Report.

Joe B.

I just had Olshan repair our foundation 2 weeks ago and everything's no looks good. Of course it is too early to judge but they did come out in time and do what seems like a professional job. The crew was nice and easy to deal with. Only negative is their truck left oil stains on the driveway and they left some muddy hand prints on the house.

Brian G.

Contacted Olshan to get an inspection because I noticed some cracks in bricks on my garage. After waiting a week and a half and not hearing from them, I called back. They put me on hold and then came back to tell me the first available time they could have somebody come by and look at it would be 2 months away! I told them I didn't want to wait that long. They said "well that is the next available". You gotta be kidding me.

Janet M.

DANGER! Do not do business with Olshan! After $20K in foundation repairs still having issues and have been for over 5 years. Each time we call to have house checked for our "lifetime warranty" we get told the cracks and shifting are "within normal"

Had sewer line issues within 1 year of foundation repairs, was told if we didn't go thru with using Olshan Plumbing to fix the issues, they would not honor our foundation warranty. So we did...another $21K. We were displaced from our home for 4 weeks-I kept a diary documenting their no shows and no return phone calls along with all the empty promises given.

When under house trenching was filled in, they did not use any sand, or bentonite to ensure proper packing...or even wet pack...they just put the dirt back in that was dug. We then experienced wash out from under out home and had to have them out 3 times [until we gave up and took care of it ourselves].

4 1/2 years later, called out Baker Brothers Plumbing as we had a sewer gas smell in our house....through balloon test and camera, found out that the shotty work the Olshan had done has separated, the pipes did not have hangers attached and had totally pulled apart and we had sewage just sitting in the pipes feeding back into the house. Had to put another $10K into sewer repairs to get job done right seeing as Olshan (Or OLSHAM as we call them) failed to do their work properly.

Am just letting the shifting house go as I do not want to be scammed by them any more....we will deal with a door that sticks or screen door that wont shut as these jokers are not allowed on my property

Mary B.

I had a thorough inspection done and was told that I did not need any foundation work done. I appreciate the honesty.

Mary D.

We used Olshan in 2009 - because I wanted the "best" I could find to do my repairs. They were more expensive, but I felt it was worth it. Now, 6 years later, I have more foundation issues. I've had 5 other companies out to look at my problem. They all said - without exception - that Olshan put piers in the back of my house that were not needed. They looked at the original drawings that Olshan did in 2009, and were puzzled as to "why" it was done. Now, I have to have those piers removed or shortened because the house has heaved upward and caused additional damage to the structure. I'm very disappointed - I thought I was getting the best company out there to do the work; now, I feel like I got scammed. I don't think 5 other foundation companies would be wrong!

Chris D.

I'm in the process of purchasing a home in Carrollton. Yesterday I had my home inspection done and was advised of some deficiency in the foundation. I called this company to get a bid on repair and was told by Shelly that since I was not the homeowner, they would not do business with me due to "company policy" and that the homeowner would have to call and be present during their visit. Not very convenient.

Brad B.

I scheduled a foundation inspection with Olshan and the technician that came out was very professional and knowledgable. He carefully explained the problems I was dealing with and the options I had (I'm an idiot and needed it dumbed down). I opted to get the cable lock pilings installed and things are looking good! They were quick, clean and respectful while they were on the project. I highly recommend these guys if you need foundation repair or drainage management.

Jacqueline P.

This is actually a review for Olshan Plumbing, which part of Olshan Foundation Repair but is not listed on Yelp. Home Depot uses Same Day Water Heater company to do its hot water heater installations, and they subbed the job out to Olshan.

I'm sad about this. I used to be a Home Depot girl through and through. But this was a disgusting experience. Hopefully this review will help others avoid a similar mess.

The licensed plumber Olshan sent out installed the hot water heater so that the door to the hot water heater closet wouldn't close, got my name wrong (and didn't correct any of the paperwork when I mentioned it), didn't introduce himself, had me sign the wrong forms (even after I pointed out that I was signing something on the 'contractor' line), couldn't give me a receipt (although finally hand-wrote a receipt at my insistence) and had nothing aside from his t-shirt to identify him from the company. I was less than impressed.

Oh -- and I bought the hot water heater pan at home depot ($20) to avoid the truck fees. The Olshan plumber said mine didn't fit, charged me almost $80 for a larger one and then crinkle-jammed it into the closet. I found out from another contractor that the plumber's hourly rate goes up if they sell you stuff off the truck. Lowe's had quoted me $70 total for hot water heater hoses, drip pan and valve connections. The nice folks at Olshan charged me over $250 for the same items. None of it covered under homeowner's insurance.

When I communicated all of this to both Home Depot and Same Day Water Heaters, they were 'very sorry' to hear of this. But it took a trip to Home Depot and over an hour of phone time to get Olshan to come back and correct the issue with the hot water heater installation positioning.

Lessons learned:
1. Buy from Lowe's (vs. Home Depot) & ask who will be installing the item.
2. Measure your hot water heater space (which I did, but then I didn't trust myself. Bad call). Buy your connection parts at the store, and bring them home. Insist that the installer use them.

Good luck...

Abe W.

AWFUL. Dealing with Olshan was the most horrible customer service experience of my life. Everyone was polite on the surface, but they strung me along for MONTHS before they finally stopped responding to my emails and phone calls altogether. Olshan wanted my neighbors to sign a ridiculous form allowing Olshan workers to access their property, but saying that no matter what the workers did, my neighbors could not hold Olshan accountable. Obviously no one is going to sign a form like that. I pointed this out to my Olshan contacts. As I said above, they then strung me along for months with promises that they would take care of the problem, and I could rest assured that my repair job - now months overdue - would be prioritized as soon as everything was cleared up. Needless to say, they never fixed anything with their contract. Eventually they simply stopped responding to my queries for the status of the contract and my repair job in general. Now I've wasted months. They're awful.