Foundation Inspection in Grand Prairie, TX
An independent engineer's written report on your foundation.
HGS Engineering, PLLC (Texas Firm #21268) does structural engineer foundation inspections for homeowners in Grand Prairie, Texas, with a sealed written report from Heath Salmon, PE. The firm does no repair work. The Census counts 70,407 homes here, 1,920 of them manufactured.
Reviewed by Heath Salmon, PE, October 16, 2026. Figures pulled October 16, 2026.
Grand Prairie by the Numbers
| Population, ACS 2019 to 2023 | 198,564 |
|---|---|
| Housing units | 70,407 |
| Median year homes were built | 1991 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 21,749 (31%) |
| Homes built before 1960 | 7,199 (10.2%) |
| Manufactured homes | 1,920 (2.7%) |
| Owner-occupied share of occupied homes | 58% |
| NOAA station used | Arlington Municipal Airport |
| Normal annual rainfall, 1991 to 2020 | 36.2 in |
| Wettest and driest month | October 4.72 in, August 1.68 in |
| Average July high and January low | 95.9 and 36.6 degrees F |
| Dallas County soils rated high or very high shrink-swell | 63.9% |
| Measure | Grand Prairie | Rank | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing units | 70,407 | 5 of 11 | Fort Worth 365,229 |
| Median year built (1 = oldest) | 1991 | 4 of 11 | Cleburne 1981 |
| Share built before 1980 | 31% | 6 of 11 | Cleburne 48% |
| Manufactured home share | 2.7% | 3 of 11 | Mansfield 3.3% |
| Owner-occupied share | 58% | 5 of 11 | Mansfield 72% |
Method: Census counts are estimates with published margins of error; weather is the 1991 to 2020 normal at Arlington Municipal Airport.
What Does the Mix of 20.7% 1960s and 1970s Homes Add in Grand Prairie?
Grand Prairie's median home was built in 1991 and 31% of its 70,407 homes predate 1980, which puts it in the older half of this site's eleven cities. What stands out is the mix: 14,550 of the homes were built in the 1960s and 1970s, 20.7% of the total, a block of postwar suburban housing next to a large block built since 1990.
There are 1,920 manufactured homes in the city, 2.7% of housing units. A lender financing one on a permanent foundation will ask for an engineer's HUD certification, which is a separate service from a site-built foundation inspection and is described on its own page.
38,764 households own their home, 58% of occupied units. An owner who plans to stay usually asks the report a forward question, what to watch, and the report answers with the drainage and moisture conditions it saw.
Which Airport Record Stands in for Grand Prairie Rain?
Grand Prairie has a municipal airport, but NOAA publishes 1991 to 2020 normals for Arlington Municipal Airport, so that is the record used here. It gives 36.2 inches a year, with October the wettest month at 4.72 inches and August the driest at 1.68. The same station serves four cities on this site, which is why the climate figures repeat and the housing figures do not.
Why Is Dallas County's 44.4 Percent Very High Shrink-Swell Rating Worth Knowing in Grand Prairie?
Grand Prairie is in Dallas County, where the USDA soil survey rates 44.4 percent of rated acres very high in shrink-swell and 19.5 percent high, 63.9 percent together. The largest high-rated soil is Houston Black, with 67,795 acres, followed by Trinity. Only 13.2 percent of rated acres fall in the low class.
The Drought Monitor map for the county, dated October 13, 2026, puts 68.52 percent of Dallas County in severe drought or worse. Over the 262 weeks since October 12, 2021, 61 had some land at that level. Postwar houses in Grand Prairie have lived through the swings in that record, and the report describes the house as it stands.
County detail, with the named soils and the weekly drought record: Dallas County soil and drought data.
What Does a Grand Prairie Request Usually Involve?
Permit rules differ from one city to the next. The report names the permitting requirements that would apply to any repair work it indicates, so the owner and the contractor know what to ask the city for before they price anything.
For a buyer, the report is a dated record of the foundation on the day of the visit. For a seller, it answers the question an inspection contingency raises before it becomes a negotiation.
By housing units Grand Prairie is the fifth largest of the eleven cities on this site, with 70,407 homes and 198,564 residents. A market that size has many houses old enough to carry a repair history. The report notes any prior repair the engineer can see, such as shimming, patched cracks or regraded soil, so a new owner knows what has already been tried before deciding what to do next.
“Heath provided a great experience. His knowledge and insight was invaluable and helped us tremendously in our homebuying decision. The tips he provided for maintenance will help us go a long way in maintaining a home in this climate!”
Kyle Corridon, Google review. Reviewer location not stated.
What Does the Report Mean for a Grand Prairie Decision?
Whoever has to decide about the work gets one document to decide from, and no repair price in it, because the firm does no repair work. The foundation inspection page explains the visit, and the request form starts one for a Grand Prairie address.
More From HGS Engineering
- Foundation Inspection: Foundation repair inspections by a licensed engineer.
- HUD Certification: HUD foundation certification for manufactured homes.
- Structural Design: Single-family, multi-family and commercial: foundations, framing, retaining walls and plot plans.
- Also in Dallas County: Irving, TX
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does a structural engineer foundation inspection in Grand Prairie, TX?
HGS Engineering, PLLC, Texas Firm #21268. Heath Salmon, PE, records conditions on site and signs the written report. The firm does not perform repairs.
Can HGS certify a manufactured home foundation in Grand Prairie?
Yes. The HUD certification service covers the engineer's letter on piers, tie-downs and skirting that lenders ask for. The Census counts 1,920 manufactured homes in Grand Prairie.
Does the report cover permits?
It names the permitting requirements that would apply to any repair the findings point to, so the owner and the contractor know what the city will ask for.
Is the inspection useful before buying?
Yes. The report records the foundation as found on the visit date, which gives a buyer a professional record to weigh against the seller's disclosure.
How is the fee set?
The firm quotes on request, after it has the address, the foundation type and the number of structures. It publishes no fixed fee.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 5-year table-based summary filePopulation, housing units, year built, tenure and manufactured home counts in the table (tables B01003, B25001, B25003, B25024, B25034, B25035).
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals, 1991 to 2020 monthlyRainfall and temperature normals for the nearest station with a published record.
- Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, Engineering Firm RegistrationThe firm registration number and the licensed engineer seal.
- Texas Section, American Society of Civil Engineers, Guidelines for the Evaluation and Repair of Residential Foundations, Version 3Foundation evaluation practice, drainage away from the foundation and North Texas soil movement.
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