Plumbing lines close to the surface are susceptible to the heaving and shrinking of the soil; the lines become weak and can crack or break. Bathrooms and kitchens are most susceptible, where heaving floors are a problem due to the swelling of the ground below due to cracks in plumbing lines. Drain pipe leaks, while the most common type of plumbing problem, may not be immediately visible.

Flower beds and planters located at the base of a home do little to protect a foundation. Excess water needs to flow away from the home, but most flower and shrub beds are not designed to slope away from the home, so daily watering or excessive rains puddle against the foundation.

Man-made materials and human error cause foundation failure. The amount of steel or rebar in a foundation can affect its structural integrity. The use of poor-quality concrete or not allowing the concrete to cure long enough will also make a foundation weaker and more susceptible to soil movement.

As heavy equipment machinery creates level pads for home construction, the movement of a high spot of soil to fill a low spot breaks down the strength of the soil. Rather than having compacted soil to build on, the movement of the fill dirt causes it to become loose. The low-level dirt is no longer consolidated, and the high-level dirt that was moved is now exposed to moisture. The home built on this pad can now heave and settle causing tremendous pressure changes in a foundation slab.

When a home is built, the footings are poured and the soil is backfilled. Over the next few years, backfill becomes loose and settles and creates negative drainage. Water gathers in low spots near the foundation and changes the moisture content of the soil. In some areas of the country, such as Florida, the soil is made up of organic matter, such as dead trees or plants, so the soil is soft and spongy. Weak soil is a prerequisite to foundation problems, so the better the soil is prepared and compacted, the better the chances of reducing potential foundation problems.