I realize the soil is that nasty clay stuff and I guess houses built in the 70s are just giving it up.

TX soils are netorious for foundation issues and the fix for your particular issue will depend if it is a raised foundation or slab.

Quote from @Brad Sand: I don't necessarily see a difference now as compared to a while ago, but then again, I may not be reading the same posts you are.

We have a lot of expansive soils around here and they used the excavation spoils to backfill instead of gravel - in some parts of the area almost half of the houses from the 60s have braced basements.Last year I did a major basement job with my own guys, because the major basement contractors were all booked out for the summer.

@Chris LumLee I'm interested in farmland investing, and currently doing research on markets, soil productivity, conservation programs that pay  $$$.

They will come out and test the soil to make sure no lead chips got into the ground.  

All three companies use Angle/Angle locking mechanisms and have everything from 4.5mm 12mil budget products to 8mm 22mil high-end products.Carpet:  Most decent carpet these days has pet stain and soiling warranties of at least 20 years. 

The bad part is that they eventually fail.In my neck of the woods, we budget $35,000 for a new system but hope for $20,000 - $25,000.The driving factor is how well the soil drains. 

The removal of the 2 underground oil tanks and the soil testing was only $5600.

More complicated, you got a water pipe, did the H2O inside created a settling on the soil/foundation ?