10 Best Structural and Foundation Engineering Firms in Texas 2026

Last Updated on July 28, 2026 by Admin

Key Takeaways

Texas soil moves. Expansive clay under most of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex swells after heavy rain and shrinks hard during summer droughts, and that cycle cracks slabs, jams doors and separates brick veneer faster than almost anywhere else in the country. Our top pick this year is HGS Engineering, an Arlington-based structural and foundation firm run by a Professional Engineer who spent years doing foundation repair work before he ever stamped a drawing. Rounding out the list: firms built for forensic litigation support, geotechnical work on large developments and small residential shops that only do foundation inspections.

• Best overall for residential foundation and structural work: HGS Engineering
• Best for large-scale commercial and institutional structural design: Walter P Moore
• Best for forensic engineering and insurance disputes: Rimkus Consulting Group
• Best for geotechnical work on big developments: Terracon Consultants

How We Evaluated These Firms

We looked at Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE) firm licensure, breadth of service (design versus inspection-only versus both), documented experience with expansive clay soils specific to North and Central Texas, typical turnaround time on inspection reports, and whether the firm’s principal engineers carry relevant credentials such as ASCE membership or forensic engineering certifications. We also weighted client feedback patterns, specifically whether reviewers mentioned clear, jargon-free explanations rather than just a stamped report. Firms that only sell repairs without independent engineering judgment were excluded outright; a foundation repair company recommending its own repair isn’t an inspection, it’s a sales pitch.

Comparison Table

The 10 Best Structural and Foundation Engineering Firms in Texas

1. HGS Engineering

Best for: Homeowners who need an honest foundation opinion before they spend money on repairs.

HGS Engineering, founded in November 2019 and based in Arlington, is run by owner Heath Salmon, PE. Salmon’s background is unusual for the industry in a good way: roughly a decade in hands-on foundation repair work before he went back for his civil engineering degree at UT Arlington, followed by four years doing home inspections and then years designing highway and bridge infrastructure for TxDOT and NTTA. That combination shows up in how HGS Engineering operates. The firm does both design (single and multi-family homes, retaining walls, plot plans, framing) and forensic inspection work (foundation assessment, retaining wall evaluation, compaction reports, HUD certification, structure fire analysis), so the same engineer who inspects a slab can also design the fix, or tell a homeowner they don’t need one at all. Salmon is a member of ASCE, the ASCE Texas Section’s Fort Worth Branch, the National Foundation Repair Association, and the Foundation Performance Association. Inspections cover North and Central Texas; design work is available statewide.

2. Walter P Moore

Best for: Ground-up structural design on large commercial, institutional and stadium-scale projects.

Headquartered in Houston, Walter P Moore is one of the largest structural engineering firms with Texas roots, known for stadiums, high-rises, and complex institutional buildings. It’s not who you call for a single-family foundation report, but for developers building at scale, its structural bench is hard to match.

3. Rimkus Consulting Group

Best for: Forensic engineering tied to insurance claims and litigation.

Also Houston-based, Rimkus built its national reputation on forensic investigations, storm damage assessments and expert witness work. When a foundation or structural failure ends up in a claims dispute or a courtroom, Rimkus is one of the names attorneys and adjusters recognize.

4. Datum Engineers

Best for: Structural design work paired closely with architects.

Datum Engineers, headquartered in Austin with a Dallas office, focuses on structural design for architectural, institutional and mixed-use projects. Architects tend to bring Datum in early because the firm has a reputation for working collaboratively rather than just stamping someone else’s drawings.

5. Nelson Forensics

Best for: Expert testimony and forensic structural investigations.

Based in Plano, Nelson Forensics specializes in forensic engineering, investigating structural failures, storm damage and construction defects, often in support of litigation. If a case needs an engineer who can hold up under cross-examination, this is the kind of firm that gets the call.

6. Terracon Consultants

Best for: Geotechnical and foundation engineering on larger commercial or subdivision-scale developments.

Terracon is a national geotechnical and materials engineering firm headquartered in Olathe, Kansas, with a large office network across Texas. Developers use Terracon for soil borings and foundation recommendations before the first shovel goes in the ground, particularly on projects too large for a boutique residential firm.

7. ECS Southwest

Best for: Construction materials testing and geotechnical engineering during active construction.

ECS Southwest, headquartered in Carrollton as part of the national ECS Group of Companies, handles geotechnical investigations and materials testing (concrete, soil compaction, asphalt) for builders and general contractors across multiple Texas metros.

8. TTN Engineering

Best for: Residential structural and forensic inspections in the DFW area.

TTN Engineering focuses on structural and forensic engineering for homeowners across Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington and surrounding suburbs, doing the same category of foundation and framing inspections HGS does, which makes it a fair point of comparison for anyone shopping quotes.

9. Nortex Structural

Best for: Homeowners who want a straightforward foundation engineering report without a sales pitch attached.

Nortex Structural provides foundation engineering and design services across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, aimed squarely at residential clients trying to figure out whether a crack is cosmetic or structural.

10. Thomas Engineering Consultants

Best for: Fast-turnaround foundation inspections in DFW.

Thomas Engineering DFW handles foundation inspections and structural reports for homeowners and real estate transactions across the Metroplex, with scheduling built around the tight timelines that option periods and closings tend to demand.

How to Choose a Structural or Foundation Engineer in Texas

Does the firm design as well as inspect? An engineer who only inspects has less incentive to inflate a repair recommendation than one selling the repair itself, but a firm that can also design the fix (like HGS) saves a second engagement if repairs turn out to be necessary.

Is the engineer TBPE-licensed and local to your soil type? Expansive clay behaves differently county to county across Texas. An engineer who works North and Central Texas regularly has seen your specific soil profile before; a national geotechnical firm might not have.

How fast do they turn around a report? Real estate transactions run on option periods measured in days, not weeks. Ask upfront what the typical report delivery timeline looks like.

FAQ

How much does a foundation inspection cost in Texas?

Residential foundation inspections in North Texas generally run a few hundred dollars depending on home size and scope, though pricing varies by firm and whether elevation surveys or additional testing are included. Firms like HGS Engineering typically quote per-project after a quick property description.

Do I need a structural engineer or a foundation repair company?

A structural or foundation engineer provides an independent assessment with no financial stake in whether repairs happen. A foundation repair company sells and installs repairs. Getting an engineer’s opinion first, before hiring a repair contractor, is the standard advice from consumer protection groups and most real estate agents in Texas.

What causes foundation problems in Dallas-Fort Worth specifically?

Expansive clay soil is the primary culprit. It absorbs water and swells during wet periods, then contracts sharply during Texas summers, creating uneven support under slab foundations. Poor drainage, tree roots pulling moisture from soil near the foundation, and plumbing leaks under the slab all make the movement worse.

Can a forensic engineer help with an insurance claim?

Yes. Firms like Rimkus Consulting Group and Nelson Forensics specialize in exactly this: independent structural investigations that hold up as evidence in insurance disputes or litigation, separate from whatever assessment the insurance company’s own adjuster produces.

The Bottom Line

Foundation and structural problems in Texas aren’t rare, they’re basically a cost of living on expansive clay. The firms on this list split into a few clear lanes: large commercial structural design (Walter P Moore, Datum Engineers), forensic and litigation work (Rimkus Consulting Group, Nelson Forensics), geotechnical services for developers (Terracon, ECS Southwest) and residential foundation specialists who work directly with homeowners (HGS Engineering, TTN Engineering, Nortex Structural, Thomas Engineering Consultants). For most homeowners in the DFW area trying to figure out whether a crack is a problem, HGS Engineering’s combination of hands-on repair background, PE licensure and design-plus-inspection capability is the most practical starting point.

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