Are you wondering how much it might cost to repair your foundation?
If so, you’ve come to the right place!
In this Regional Foundation Repair guide, we’ll answer all of your questions, including:
- What is the average cost of foundation repair?
- How is your foundation repair cost estimate determined?
- What do common foundation problems cost to repair?
- How can you tell if your concrete foundation needs repair?
- How can you save money on foundation repair?
The foundation is one of the most essential parts of a home, so keeping it in tip-top shape is critical. However, repairing or replacing it can seem daunting, especially when it comes to budget. That’s why we’ve created this cost guide to help you determine the best course of action for repairing your home’s foundation.
What Do Homeowners Pay for Foundation Repair On Average?
The national average cost for foundation repair is $4,500. Most homeowners across America pay between $400 and $20,000 to repair their home’s foundation.
What Factors Affect Foundation Repair Costs?
While the average foundation repair cost above might be helpful for getting a rough estimate for your home improvement project, most homeowners are eager to find out where in that price range their specific repair will fall. To give you a better idea of what your total will be, we’ll discuss the most significant cost factors of foundation repair below.
Location
One of the factors your foundation professional or structural engineer will need to take into consideration is your location within the United States.
Of course, the price for foundation repair ranges based on the average in your city, just like with any other home improvement service.
Prices in a given area can be affected by the cost of living, the ease of getting materials in your city, and the standard hourly rate for foundation work in your state.
However, your location in the U.S. also matters because it generally dictates what foundation style you have. In the northern states where weather dips below freezing, the frost line — or the depth to which the ground freezes — usually demands a deep crawl space or basement. These types of foundations allow for your footings to sit deep enough so as not to be affected by the frozen ground, which expands in the winter.
Basements and crawl spaces are easier for foundation repair contractors to access, which may lower your cost of repair, depending on the issue.
Alternatively, the concrete block walls that surround these foundation styles are under constant stress from the soil and any runoff or groundwater. Foundation walls can bring about a myriad of problems that could potentially be expensive to repair and aren’t issues for slab foundations.
If you live in the southern United States, you’ll likely have a slab foundation, as there is no threat of freezing soil conditions.
Slab foundations are harder to access for repair and may require hydraulic piers to lift your home because the concrete is entirely covered by your structure.
Some repairs on concrete slabs can be costly to access, while others that require no excavation or removal of flooring can be very straightforward, reducing your repair costs.
Square Footage
The square footage of your home can play a significant role in the cost you’ll pay for foundation repair. If you simply need a foundation crack sealed, your home size might not be a cost factor.
However, if you need house leveling in the form of mudjacking or slabjacking, or crack repair on a fissure spanning an entire wall, the larger your foundation is, the more costly the repair will end up being.
Foundation Types
As mentioned above, your foundation style can affect your repair cost, depending on the specific service you need.
Slab
Slab foundation repair typically averages around $4,000 and ranges between $250 and $10,000 in most cases. If you need a simple crack repair or minor mudjacking, your price will generally be under $500. If you need stabilization in the form of piering or plumbing repairs on lines running through the slab, you could be looking at a total closer to the $10,000 mark.
Crawl Space
Crawl space foundation repair is usually a bit cheaper than slabs, ranging between $2,000 and $7,500. Crawlspaces are easy for foundation experts to access, so repairs involve less work, on average. The most common problems include waterproofing and wall crack repair, which most often fall around $5,000 and $500, respectively.
Basement
Basement foundation repair can be very costly, ranging from $250 for simple wall crack sealing to $10,000 for basement waterproofing and up to around $20,000 or more for stabilizing with helical piers. Basements are easy to access, but the walls are under a lot of stress from hydrostatic pressure in the soil, especially if you have expansive clay around your home. Excavating beneath the slab can be extraordinarily time-consuming and expensive.
Pier and Beam
Pier and beam foundation repair is often in the mid-range for repairs, averaging between $3,000 and $7,500. The most common problems with this foundation style include moisture build-up and shifting or failure of the beams or floor joists.
Accessing these foundations is straightforward, but the issues usually require quite a bit of labor and materials. Crawl space encapsulation averages around $5,000, and this is one of the most common repairs for this foundation type.
Average Costs by Issue
Average pricing by foundation style can be helpful, but you’ll get a more accurate estimate of your repair if you consider the actual repair you need. We’ll discuss the most typical foundation repairs below, along with the national average cost of each.
Average Costs for Exterior/Interior Cracks
Foundation crack repair ranges from around $250 all the way up to $20,000 or more. Minor cracks running vertically or diagonally on your foundation walls or on the exterior of your slab might just need a polyurethane sealant applied to them to keep water and pests out. This simple repair averages around $300, with the total depending on the ease of accessibility and the crack length.
Horizontal cracks on your crawlspace or basement walls are much more severe and require more extensive repairs. Some foundation contractors implement carbon fiber strips to help stabilize your concrete wall. These strips cost around $500 each, with most homeowners requiring five and paying approximately $2,500.
Earth anchors are another, more permanent repair option that pulls your wall back to its original position and helps avoid future movement. These cost around $1,000 each, and most walls need about five anchors for a total of $5,000.
Wide or uneven cracks on your basement or crawlspace floor may require underpinning, which involves placing piers beneath your slab. Supports range from approximately $1,000 each for steel piers up to $3,000 each for helical piers. This repair strategy can total between $5,000 and $20,000.
Average Costs for Leaks
Leaking foundations can cause severe property damage and need to be repaired immediately. Depending on the severity of your leak and your foundation style and square footage, you could pay anywhere from $250 up to $10,000 or more for waterproofing.
Leaking hairline cracks less than ⅛” thick in slabs average around $250 to seal with epoxy, polyurethane, or cementitious grout. If you have a more substantial leak in a basement floor or concrete block wall, you might need a crack injection totaling closer to $1,000.
For ongoing leaks in basements and crawl spaces, basement waterproofing services might be necessary. This repair averages around $5,000 but can range anywhere from $2,000 to over $10,000 if you need a combination of soil gradation, gutters and leaders, crawlspace encapsulation, sump pumps, crack sealing, and a French drain or another exterior drainage system.
Average Costs for Settling/Sinking
Foundation settlement is normal, but the degree to which yours settles will determine how much you pay to repair your foundation.
Minimal settling may just result in some hairline cracks in your foundation, which average around $250 each to seal.
More significant foundation sinking might result in stair step cracks in your foundation wall or uneven flooring in your basement or crawlspace. This structural damage generally requires underpinning, which averages around $10,000 but can cost as much as $20,000 to implement.
Average Costs for Bowing Walls
On average, you’ll spend around $4,000 to repair bowing foundation walls. Your actual total will depend on the repair method used.
As mentioned earlier, carbon fiber strips total approximately $2,500 and can help limit further inward movement of your concrete block wall. Earth anchors generally cost around $5,000 and usually constitute a more permanent fix.
Bowing foundation walls occur because of excess hydrostatic pressure, so you may need a basement waterproofing system to reduce the stress on your wall. This repair strategy could cost between $2,000 and $10,000.
8 Signs You Need Foundation Repair
Your entire structure relies on its foundation for support, so there are a variety of signs to look out for that can help identify foundation problems.
Moisture Accumulation or Mold Growth
Foundation leaks can pose significant problems to your health and the structural integrity of your home. If you notice moist air in your crawlspace or basement, musty odors, mold growth on the walls, or water accumulation on your basement floor, you likely have a foundation leak that needs to be addressed immediately.
Efflorescence
Efflorescence is a white, powdery substance that appears on bare concrete block walls in your crawlspace or basement. It forms when hydrostatic pressure from the soil outside forces water through your concrete, which then evaporates into your under-home area and leaves minerals behind.
Pest Infestation
Moisture naturally attracts insects and rodents. You may notice ants, termites, spiders, rodents, or other pests frequenting your crawlspace or basement if you have a leaking foundation.
Foundation Cracks
Physical cracks in your foundation are often the most obvious signs of foundation issues. Vertical cracks, horizontal cracks, stair step cracks, and slab fissures are the most common and should all be addressed immediately, as they could indicate instability.
Uneven Flooring
When your foundation shifts beneath your home, it can cause your floor joists to warp. You may notice uneven or sloping floors in your house as a result, which is a reasonable indication of structural problems.
Drywall Damage
Cracks in your sheetrock can form if dangerous foundation movement occurs and causes your framing to shift. Drywall cracks tend to appear around doors, windows, and the corners of your rooms.
Uneven Roofline
A dipping or sagging roof can suggest a sinking foundation, which is a significant problem and could indicate that collapse is imminent.
Leaning Chimney
If your foundation sinks or becomes unlevel, your chimney may crack or lean away from your home. A chimney separating from your siding could suggest that stabilization is in order.
Can Future Foundation Damage Be Prevented?
Foundation repair can be costly, so many homeowners would benefit from preventing problems in the first place. There are several things you can do to limit foundation issues.
Moisture in the soil is one of the biggest causes of foundation problems, so your preventative efforts are best spent limiting the water around your concrete. Install gutters and leaders, grade the soil away from your house, install a French drain or footing drain to move moisture away from your foundation, and implement a sump pump or other interior drainage system if flooding or leaking is common in your home.
Cost Saving Tips
All homeowners want to save money on home repair, and luckily, foundation repair is one area where you can save thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.
One of the best things you can do to save money on repairs is to carry out a DIY foundation inspection every three to four months. Look for all of the signs of damage we discussed above in and around your home, and report any new or worsening problems to a foundation repair company like Regional Foundation Repair.
Foundation issues worsen over time, so calling in their professionals can limit costly property damage and necessitate simple foundation fixes rather than expensive ones for a more significant issue if the problem is left unrepaired.
Additionally, while it may seem counterintuitive, spend more to spend less. Foundations are under immense stress from the weight of your home and the elements at all times, so problems can quickly become severe and reach into the tens of thousands of dollars.
DIY repair solutions like crack repair or waterproofing may seem appealing, but they must be done correctly. If you make a mistake when carrying out a foundation repair, you could end up doing more damage and paying more in the long run.
At the first sign of a problem, avoid what may seem like a cheap solution and reach out to one of our experts at Regional Foundation Repair to address the problem permanently. You’ll end up spending less over time and improving the resale value of your home in the process.
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