[Xenalyte]

I live in a small subdivision in the western part of Houston (Epernay, near Briar Forest and Wilcrest, if you're local and curious).

When it was being built, the developers bulldozed the roads and heaped up the dirt on either side. Then - this is the really genius part - they built houses on top of the piled dirt.

And they can't figure out why our houses have foundations that look like dust ruffles. I mean, I'm not even a builder, and I know that fill dirt is somewhat less than a stable foundation on which to build a multi-ton structure.

But that pales in comparison to Quail Valley, a Houston suburb in which Bacon Man and I grew up . . . the early-developed part of which is built on quicksand. Pools in the 'Valley have to be double-poured or they crack.

[ctlpdad]

When it was being built, the developers bulldozed the roads and heaped up the dirt on either side. Then - this is the really genius part - they built houses on top of the piled dirt.

It can be done properly, but it's expensive. The problems usually don't show through until well after any warrantee period has expired.

[Fred Hayek]

Not too far away from the area you describe, I remember Westpark out by Gessner in the early 90's having some severe pavement heaving - the ground settling. The same applies to the Alkek Velodrome (near Barker-Cypress and Katy Freeway). When the drome was built, the dirt was just piled up, and the concrete was poured (at least rebar was used). No underlying drainage (either porous pipe, or a layer of caleche over the dirt berm). As a result, the ground settled, resulting in a lot of cracking, water geysers out of the cracks since the dirt is saturated, etc. Built cheap, fast, and high maintenance.