● Post-Tension Slab Repair · Phoenix Metro
Post-Tension Slab Repair in
Phoenix, AZ
Safe, GPR-verified repair for cable-and-tendon slabs common across newer Phoenix-metro subdivisions.
Post-tension slab repair in Phoenix requires a different approach than fixing a standard concrete foundation, because a post-tension slab has steel cables, or tendons, threaded through it under enormous tension — and disturbing the wrong one without warning can cause serious injury. If your Phoenix-area home has diagonal cracking, a popped anchor head along the slab edge, or a plumber recently cut into the floor, there is a good chance you have this type of foundation, standard in nearly every subdivision built across Buckeye, Surprise, and Queen Creek since the early 1990s. Phoenix Foundation Repair Co.’s post-tension slab repair service is fulfilled by Concrete Repairman®, who locate every tendon with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) before any repair begins. Book an inspection and request a written estimate before a small crack turns into a structural or safety issue.
What Is a Post-Tension Slab Foundation? (And How to Tell You Have One)
A post-tension slab is a concrete foundation reinforced with steel cables, or tendons, run through ducts cast into the concrete and stressed — pulled tight with a hydraulic jack — after the slab cures. That tension holds the concrete in compression, which resists the cracking and heaving that Arizona’s expansive clay soil causes in a standard slab-on-grade foundation. Most Phoenix-metro production homes built since the early 1990s use this construction method, especially newer subdivisions around Buckeye, Surprise, and Queen Creek, where builders favor it for cost control and soil-movement resistance.
How to tell if you have one
Walk the outside perimeter of your foundation and look for small round or rectangular patches spaced every few feet — these cover the anchor heads where each tendon is stressed and locked off. Your builder’s foundation plans or engineering report will also confirm this construction type directly. Tendons come in two types: bonded, grouted directly into the duct, and encapsulated, sealed inside a plastic sheathing for corrosion protection. Encapsulated tendons are more common in homes built after the mid-2000s and are generally easier to inspect and re-stress safely.
Signs a Post-Tension Slab Needs Repair
- Diagonal or step cracking near corners — Cracks radiating from window and door corners often signal a loss of tension or slab movement that needs evaluation.
- A visible or corroded anchor head — An exposed, rusted, or popped anchor pocket along the slab edge is a sign of tendon corrosion that should not be ignored.
- A sinking, bouncy, or sloped floor — Subgrade soil movement pulling against a tensioned slab can create noticeable dips or unevenness indoors.
- Recent plumbing or slab-penetrating work — A cable nicked or fully cut during a plumbing repair or remodel needs a specialist evaluation before anything else is done to the slab.
Can a Post-Tension Slab Be Repaired?
Yes — this type of slab can be repaired, but it takes a crew trained specifically on cable-and-tendon systems rather than a general concrete contractor. Repair starts with confirming exactly where every tendon runs using GPR, then addressing the specific problem: a corroded anchor, a slab crack that has compromised a duct, or a cable damaged during other work on the home. In many cases the tendon itself is fine and the fix is a targeted anchor or slab repair; when a cable has lost tension or been damaged, it can often be de-stressed, repaired or spliced, and re-tensioned by a qualified crew rather than replaced outright.
⚠️ Never Cut a Live Post-Tension Cable
This is the safety issue every Phoenix homeowner with a tensioned slab should understand: a tendon under tension stores tremendous energy, and cutting or drilling into a live cable without first locating and de-stressing it can cause the cable to whip violently, with enough force to cause serious injury. This exact scenario shows up most often during plumbing repairs, when a technician cuts into the slab without confirming cable locations first. Before any drilling, coring, or plumbing work touches this type of slab, every tendon in the work area needs to be located with GPR and marked. If a cable has already been nicked or cut, do not attempt to move or straighten it — schedule an inspection so it can be safely de-stressed and repaired.
How We Repair a Post-Tension Slab
Every repair on this type of slab starts with locating the cables, never guessing.
GPR cable locating
We scan the work area with ground-penetrating radar to map every tendon and anchor before any tool touches the slab.
De-stress and isolate the affected tendon
If a cable needs to be repaired or accessed, it is safely de-stressed and isolated first, eliminating the whip-hazard entirely.
Repair, splice, or re-stress the cable and anchor
Corroded anchors are rebuilt and damaged cables are spliced or replaced, then the tendon is re-tensioned to specification.
Patch and seal the slab
The work area is patched with high-strength grout, finished flush, and sealed to match the surrounding concrete.
Post-Tension Slab Repair Cost in Phoenix
Repair pricing for this type of slab depends on how many tendons are involved and how the slab was damaged.
What drives the range is the number of cables affected, whether an anchor needs full rebuilding or a cable needs splicing and re-tensioning versus a simple slab patch, and how accessible the damaged area is. A single corroded anchor repair costs far less than a multi-cable re-tension after a plumbing-cut incident. Because guessing at cable-repair pricing over the phone is how homeowners end up with the wrong scope, every quote follows an on-site GPR-based inspection — never a scare-tactic sales pitch.
Book an inspection and get a written estimate before any work begins.
Not sure if that crack involves a cable?
Book an inspection and get a written estimate before anyone drills, cores, or repairs your slab.
Why Phoenix Homeowners Choose Us
- Cable safety first — every job starts with GPR locating, never a guess, before any tool touches the slab.
- 30+ years of hands-on experience — fulfilled by Concrete Repairman® and led by James Belville.
- 5.0★ across 269 Google reviews — earned by Concrete Repairman®’s track record across the Phoenix metro.
- ICRI- and ACI-aligned methods — repairs follow concrete-repair industry standards, not shortcuts.
How Long a Post-Tension Slab Lasts
A well-built slab like this can last as long as the home itself, but the tendons inside it are not maintenance-free. Bonded tendons are more vulnerable to corrosion over decades because moisture can reach the steel through the duct, while encapsulated tendons resist corrosion much longer thanks to their protective sheathing. Corrosion, soil movement, and slab-penetrating work (plumbing repairs, additions, drilled fasteners) are the three most common reasons this type of foundation needs attention well before the rest of the house shows its age. Catching a corroded anchor or a stressed slab crack early keeps a small, contained repair from turning into a larger, more expensive one.
Recent Post-Tension Slab Repair Projects
GPR cable locating and anchor repair ahead of a slab crack fix
Tendon re-stress and slab patch after a plumbing cut
Corroded anchor rebuild on a new-build subdivision home
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. It can be repaired by a crew trained on cable-and-tendon systems. Repair starts with GPR locating every tendon, then addressing the specific issue — a corroded anchor, a damaged cable, or a slab crack — with de-stressing, splicing, or re-tensioning as needed before the area is patched.
It can last as long as the home it supports, though the tendons themselves are vulnerable to corrosion over time, especially bonded tendons in older construction. Encapsulated tendons, more common since the mid-2000s, resist corrosion longer. Regular inspection catches problems while they are still a minor repair.
These slabs crack for the same underlying reasons other Arizona foundations do — expansive clay soil movement, drought-and-monsoon moisture swings, and plumbing leaks — plus one cause unique to this system: a lost or corroded tendon no longer holding the slab in compression the way it was designed to.
Cost depends on how many cables are involved and the type of repair — a single anchor rebuild is far less than a multi-cable re-tension after a plumbing-cut incident. Because pricing this accurately requires seeing the slab and locating the cables first, every job gets a written estimate after an on-site GPR inspection rather than a phone quote.
Not without locating the tendons first. A live cable under tension stores enough energy that cutting or drilling into it without locating and de-stressing it first can cause it to whip violently and cause serious injury. Any drilling, coring, or plumbing work on this type of slab should start with a GPR cable scan.
● Related Services
Other Foundation Repairs We Handle
Broader slab-on-grade repair for cracking, settlement, and moisture damage beyond cable-and-tendon systems.
Re-level a sunken or uneven slab section once any cable or structural issue has been addressed.
Seal and stabilize slab and stem-wall cracks that aren’t related to tendon cables.
● Where We Work
Serving The Phoenix Metro
Get Your Post-Tension Slab Inspected the Safe Way
Book an inspection and request a written estimate — every repair is fulfilled by Concrete Repairman® and starts with locating your cables, never guessing.