Gulf South Foundation connects property owners in New Orleans and the surrounding Greater New Orleans Metro with local foundation repair professionals.
Foundation movement is a symptom, not a diagnosis. The useful question is why the structure or surrounding soil is moving and what, if anything, should be corrected.
Much of New Orleans sits below sea level on soft, compressible soils, and parts of the area continue to subside. Drainage, soil moisture and the age of the housing stock all affect how foundations here behave over time.
Professional foundation repair for residential and commercial properties throughout the Gulf South region.
Expert house leveling services to correct settling, sinking, and uneven foundations.
Specialized pier and beam foundation repair for the older housing stock throughout Louisiana and Southeast Texas.
Complete slab foundation repair and stabilization for modern residential and commercial structures.
Professional crawl space repair and encapsulation to protect your foundation from moisture and deterioration.
Comprehensive foundation waterproofing solutions to prevent water intrusion and moisture damage.
Mudjacking and concrete leveling services to raise and stabilize sunken concrete slabs, driveways, and walkways.
Checked October 18, 2026 against official sources. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the office before work starts.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service places the type location of the Lafitte soil series in Orleans Parish (about 3.4 miles east of the junction of Louisiana Highway 47 and Interstate 10). Its official series description describes Lafitte soils as very deep, very poorly drained, moderately rapidly permeable organic soils in the Gulf Coast Marsh (MLRA 151) and the Eastern Gulf Coast Flatwoods (MLRA 152A) Major Land Resource Areas. Soils change from lot to lot, so the provider should check the conditions on your property. Source: USDA NRCS, Lafitte series description
Yes. The National Hurricane Center reports that Hurricane Zeta made landfall near Cocodrie as a category 3 hurricane on October 28, 2020, and its eye moved directly over New Orleans a couple of hours later. Source: National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Zeta report
The National Hurricane Center’s Katrina report says high water mark data indicate storm surge of 15 to 19 feet in eastern New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish and Plaquemines Parish in August 2005. Source: National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Katrina report
Under the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors’ residential construction classification, a residential license is required for residential construction, and for home improvement work, when the cost of the job exceeds $50,000. You can check a contractor’s license with the LSLBC. Source: Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors
Yes. Louisiana’s Damage Prevention Law requires excavators to contact the regional notification center at least two full business days before they begin digging. Louisiana 811 takes requests by calling 811 or 1-800-272-3020, or online, and the service is free. Source: Louisiana 811
No city in the Gulf South presents more complex foundation challenges than New Orleans. With half th...
New Orleans shotgun houses — the long, narrow single-story homes that define the city's residential ...
Much of New Orleans sits below sea level on soft, compressible soils, and parts of the area continue to subside. Drainage, soil moisture and the age of the housing stock all affect how foundations here behave over time.
Good foundation work starts with diagnosis—not with choosing a product before the property is evaluated.
Note where cracks, sticking openings, floor changes, water or exterior movement are occurring and whether they are changing.
A local provider can evaluate the foundation type, visible structure, elevations where appropriate, drainage and likely contributing conditions.
If corrective work is recommended, the scope should address the diagnosed cause and explain what will be stabilized, repaired or monitored.
Answers are general educational guidance; property-specific recommendations require an on-site assessment.
Common warning signs include stair-step masonry cracks, widening drywall cracks, doors or windows that begin sticking, uneven or sloping floors, gaps at trim, and visible movement around porches or exterior slabs. One symptom alone does not prove structural failure, so an on-site assessment is the best next step when changes persist or worsen.
Foundation movement can have several causes, including changing soil moisture, drainage patterns, plumbing leaks, erosion, fill settlement, tree roots, and the original foundation design. Conditions vary block by block, so a provider serving New Orleans should evaluate the property itself rather than diagnose the cause from a photograph alone.
No. Concrete, masonry and interior finishes can crack for reasons that are not structural. The location, width, direction, progression and related symptoms matter. If a crack is growing, recurring after repair, or appearing with sticking doors or uneven floors, it is sensible to have it evaluated.
The provider may review the visible symptoms, floor elevations, drainage, foundation type and accessible structural components. For properties around New Orleans, the assessment should also consider how water moves across the lot and whether recent weather, plumbing or construction changes may be contributing.
Repair methods depend on the foundation system and the cause of movement. A slab, pier-and-beam home, crawl space and settled concrete surface can require very different approaches. The recommended scope should follow the diagnosis rather than forcing every property into the same repair method.
Yes. Concentrated roof runoff, negative grading, standing water, erosion and plumbing leaks can change moisture conditions around a foundation. Correcting water-management problems is often an important part of protecting a repaired or currently stable foundation.
A sudden change, significant displacement, plumbing break, or condition that creates an immediate safety concern deserves prompt professional attention. Slow cosmetic changes can often be documented and evaluated on a normal appointment schedule, but waiting until several symptoms compound can make the underlying problem harder to understand.
Gulf South Foundation is a referral and information site. We collect your request and connect you with an appropriate local service provider serving New Orleans. The provider evaluates the property, explains findings and discusses any recommended work directly with you.
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