Foundation Inspection in Grapevine, TX
An independent engineer's written report on your foundation.
HGS Engineering, PLLC (Texas Firm #21268) does structural engineer foundation inspections for Grapevine, Texas homeowners, with a report sealed by Heath Salmon, PE, and no repair work from the firm. Grapevine has 22,676 homes by Census count, a median build year of 1992, and the Dallas-Fort Worth airport weather record as its nearest station.
Reviewed by Heath Salmon, PE, October 16, 2026. Figures pulled October 16, 2026.
Grapevine by the Numbers
| Population, ACS 2019 to 2023 | 50,875 |
|---|---|
| Housing units | 22,676 |
| Median year homes were built | 1992 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 3,739 (16%) |
| Homes built before 1960 | 630 (2.8%) |
| Manufactured homes | 511 (2.3%) |
| Owner-occupied share of occupied homes | 52% |
| NOAA station used | Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport |
| Normal annual rainfall, 1991 to 2020 | 37.0 in |
| Wettest and driest month | May 4.78 in, July 2.08 in |
| Average July high and January low | 95.6 and 36.1 degrees F |
| Tarrant County soils rated high or very high shrink-swell | 54.2% |
| Measure | Grapevine | Rank | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing units | 22,676 | 8 of 11 | Fort Worth 365,229 |
| Median year built (1 = oldest) | 1992 | 5 of 11 | Cleburne 1981 |
| Share built before 1980 | 16% | 9 of 11 | Cleburne 48% |
| Manufactured home share | 2.3% | 5 of 11 | Mansfield 3.3% |
| Owner-occupied share | 52% | 9 of 11 | Mansfield 72% |
Method: Census counts are estimates with published margins of error; weather is the 1991 to 2020 normal at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
What Do 3,739 Pre-1980 Homes Mean in a City of 22,676?
Grapevine is a small city by this site's standards, 50,875 residents, with 22,676 housing units. Only 3,739 of them, 16%, date from before 1980, and 630 before 1960. Most of the housing stock is therefore a generation old or less, and the older homes that remain are a small, distinct group.
The renter share is 48%, higher than in several larger cities here. 10,335 occupied homes are rented, and the foundation questions that come with them usually reach the engineer through a landlord or an agent.
The survey counts 511 manufactured homes in the city, 2.3% of housing units. Against a median build year of 1992, that makes Grapevine a city of mostly conventional, newer construction, so an inspection here often starts from the builder's original design and works out to whatever was added later: patios, pool decks, a converted garage.
What Happens When the Driest Month Is July at 95.6 Degrees?
The nearest station with published normals is Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. It reports 37.0 inches of rain in a normal year, May the wettest month at 4.78 inches and July the driest at 2.08. The dry month falls in July, when the average daily high reaches 95.6 degrees, so soil at the edge of a slab is at its driest just before the autumn rain.
Three Tarrant County Soils Carry the High Ratings: Sanger, Crosstell and Frio
In the USDA survey, Sanger, Crosstell and Frio are the three largest high or very high shrink-swell soils in Tarrant County, at 54,050, 31,042 and 20,152 acres. Across all soils, 54.2 percent of rated county acres are high or very high. The survey is mapped at county scale and does not say which soil lies under a Grapevine street.
The Drought Monitor adds the dry record: 57 weeks since October 12, 2021 with half of Tarrant County or more in severe drought, 22 weeks with half in extreme drought, and 8.26 percent of the county in severe drought or worse on the map dated October 13, 2026. The report records what that cycle has left on the house.
County detail, with the named soils and the weekly drought record: Tarrant County soil and drought data.
What Brings Grapevine Requests to an Engineer?
Search Console shows people looking for a structural engineer in Grapevine by name, which suggests owners here want an engineer rather than a repair estimate. The firm works for the owner, reports what it sees and recommends nothing it would later bill for.
Sloped sites can involve retaining walls. The firm designs and stamps those separately from a foundation inspection.
Small cities have short lists of homes in any one age band. Grapevine's 630 homes from before 1960 are a handful against 22,676 in total, so the owner of one is in an unusual group. The engineer treats that house on its own terms, as found, and does not assume it behaves like the newer house next door. The same goes for a one-off addition on a newer lot.
“We are very happy we chose HGS Engineering to inspect our house foundation. Best money we’ve ever spent! Heath is extremely knowledgeable, experienced, thorough, reliable, and honest.”
Lori Bellows, Google review. Reviewer location not stated.
What Does a Grapevine Owner Take Away From the Visit?
A sealed report with no repair price. The document is the same for a 1970s house and a 2005 one: what the engineer saw, how water leaves the lot, and what permitting a repair would involve. Start at the foundation inspection page or send the address through the request form.
More From HGS Engineering
- Foundation Inspection: Foundation repair inspections by a licensed engineer.
- Structural Design: Single-family, multi-family and commercial: foundations, framing, retaining walls and plot plans.
- Retaining Walls: Retaining wall design and evaluation.
- Also in Tarrant County: Arlington, TX
- Also in Tarrant County: Fort Worth, TX
- Also in Tarrant County: Mansfield, TX
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does a structural engineer foundation inspection in Grapevine, TX?
HGS Engineering, PLLC, Texas Firm #21268. Heath Salmon, PE, walks the property, writes up what he finds and seals the report, and the firm sells no repairs.
Is there a structural engineer in Grapevine?
HGS Engineering serves Grapevine from its Arlington address with site visits by appointment, and the licensed engineer who signs the report is Heath Salmon, PE.
What does the Grapevine weather record show?
The DFW airport normals show 37.0 inches of rain a year, with July the driest month.
Are Grapevine homes mostly newer?
Census data says 84% of Grapevine homes were built in 1980 or later.
How is the fee set?
The firm quotes on request and 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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