In need of foundation repair? Our foundation repair specialists are ready to help.
Another company said that our foundation was too far gone and needed to be replaced. That’s when we found Regional Foundation Repair. They helped save us thousands! Great service, will recommend!
Andrew Y. | May 30, 2023
We’ve had water in our basement countless times since we moved in. This service sent a contractor who spent a few days installing a waterproofing system and bam - no issues since! Thank you so much!
Eddie W. | May 27, 2023
Finally a foundation company that responds, helps gets the job done, and offers a warranty for the work! Will use again, and recommending to friends and family.
Jessica B. | May 24, 2023
Another company said that our foundation was too far gone and needed to be replaced. That’s when we found Regional Foundation Repair. They helped save us thousands! Great service, will recommend!
Andrew Y. | May 30, 2023
We’ve had water in our basement countless times since we moved in. This service sent a contractor who spent a few days installing a waterproofing system and bam - no issues since! Thank you so much!
Eddie W. | May 27, 2023
Finally a foundation company that responds, helps gets the job done, and offers a warranty for the work! Will use again, and recommending to friends and family.
Jessica B. | May 24, 2023
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Virginia Beach is a popular place to live, known for its tight-knit community and serene beaches. However, homeownership in the area isn’t quite as relaxing as it may seem. There are several issues unique to Virginia Beach and the surrounding cities that commonly lead to foundation damage. The problems can bring about costly repairs, not to mention the potential of structural instability.
Regional Foundation Repair is one of the nation’s largest provider of foundation repair service. We have 1,000s of expert technicians ready right now in Virginia Beach. Our pros have years of experience and are familiar with the nuances of Virginia Beach soil conditions so you can be sure your foundation gets fixed the right way the first time. Gone are the days of worrying about shoddy craftsmanship, overpriced service, and unqualified pros.
During the job, our technicians are trained to explain their progress throughout the day and clean up properly before leaving the jobsite.
Depending on the availability of our technicians, we can generally get your job scheduled within 2 days. To start the process just submit your information in our form and we’ll be in touch within 24 hours with a pricing quote! In some cases we may need more detail to properly quote your project, so we will reach out via phone to schedule a free onsite inspection. Depending on your location we also offer virtual quotes!
For your benefit, we’re going to discuss the ecological and climatic factors that lead to foundation damage in Virginia Beach. We’ll also discuss some signs that may indicate you have an issue, as well as some average pricing to correct foundation problems in the area.
Pier Foundations
Concrete Slab
Basement Foundations
Crawl Space Foundation
Wood Foundation
- Erica J.
- Suja K.
- Dan T.
What Causes Bowing Foundation Walls & How It Can Be Corrected?
Foundation Crack Repair: Costs & Repair Options
Foundation Cracks
Foundation Installation Costs
Foundation Leak Repair
What Are The Common Signs Of Foundation Problems And When Should You Be Concerned?
Foundation Repair Methods
What Is Foundation Spalling & When Should You Be Concerned?
How Does Foundation Waterproofing Protect Your Home?
Date of Request: 06/01/2023
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Description: The house is on a slab but there is some cracking and erosion of the concrete around foundation.
Date of Request: 05/31/2023
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Description: Recommendation to foundation issue on one room of house that has settled an inch or two.
Date of Request: 05/31/2023
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Description: I work for a contracting company and we are looking for a licensed foundation company to do some jobs for us. If this is something y'all can do, please reach out to me. Thank you!
Date of Request: 05/28/2023
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Description: I owe a rental property at this address and it is on a crawl. The front has a part brick and a porch, the porch has dropped and I need someone to repair it. I have tenant in this property and she is a teacher and she gets home around 4 pm. The access is in the garage. I don't live there but I will meet u there if u let me know when.
Date of Request: 05/25/2023
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Description: I need to replace a 10 foot section of 6x6 bean between the crawl space fountain and the house structure.
Date of Request: 05/23/2023
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Description: Need a foundation repair quote on my home in Norfolk Va. It has a partial basement.
Does Foundation Movement Affect Virginia Beach, Virginia?
Unfortunately, ground movement is a significant problem for Virginia Beach foundations. As you’ll see below, the weather and soil in eastern Virginia put foundations at relatively high risk for shifting and settling, both of which are detrimental to foundations.
What Causes Foundation Problems In Virginia Beach, Virginia?
Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton Roads, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Williamsburg, and many other nearby cities are at risk of foundation damage for several reasons. We’ll go into these factors in depth below.
Exposure to water is one of the most common problems for home foundations, and Virginia Beach’s location along the Atlantic Ocean puts homes in the area at exceptionally high risk for water problems.
FEMA has designated much of the city either A or V flood zones. These are considered special flood hazard areas that are very prone to flooding. Surprisingly, the flooding in the area rarely comes from the ocean but is caused by the city’s low elevation. Heavy rains from higher elevations further west move downhill and accumulate in the Virginia Beach area.
This regularly leads to water-soaked soil, which is detrimental to foundations for two reasons. First, the ground gets heavier as it absorbs water, placing additional pressure against your home’s foundation walls. This can lead to walls bowing inward and even cracking in response to the stress.
Second, when the soil against your foundation walls is continuously wet, the moisture being held against the concrete can easily make its way into your home. It can seep through cracks in the foundation walls or floor, and it can wick through undamaged concrete and evaporate into your basement or crawlspace.
Virginia’s state soil is Pamunkey soil, the quality of which in Virginia Beach makes the already dangerous flooding problems even more hazardous. The area has a comparatively high concentration of clay in the dirt, leading to what is called expansive soil.
Clay soil readily absorbs water, holds it for more extended periods than typical dirt, and expands when it gets wet, sometimes up to 10% of its original volume. The expansive soil in Virginia Beach is harmful to foundations for three primary reasons.
First, it’s more likely to create hydrostatic pressure on your foundation walls when it gets wet. This inward stress caused by a growth in soil volume can quickly lead to structural instability, especially since the city is prone to flooding.
Second, the expansive clay soil loses volume when it dries, often leading to the ground shrinking away from your concrete slab or basement walls. This leaves your foundation without the support it needs to hold up your home. The uneven ground movement that occurs, as a result, is called differential settling, and it can lead to a loss of structural integrity.
Finally, the expansive soil in Virginia Beach holds runoff and groundwater against your concrete walls for more extended periods than soil that dries more quickly. This allows the water more time to seep into your home and cause moisture problems.
Virginia Beach has a high water table due to its low elevation, which means groundwater is located relatively close to the surface. Groundwater can create two primary issues for foundation stability.
It can quickly soak into the soil around your home and make the problems we discussed above worse. However, it also lends itself to frost heave, which is when water in the ground freezes, causing the soil to push upward.
Frost heave puts upward pressure on your concrete slab and foundation walls that can lead to severe cracking and differential settling once the ground thaws. Structural issues are common in Virginia Beach as a result of this ground movement.
Lastly, Virginia Beach experiences a relatively high number of storms that produce rainfall. Thankfully, hurricanes in the area typically don’t hit land directly, as they’re blocked by the Delmarva area of North Carolina. However, Virginia does have a higher-than-average rainfall due to the precipitation from passing hurricanes and tropical storms.
The rainfall from these storms in Virginia commonly creates problems with flooding. When combined with the expansive soil, the already high risk of flooding because of the elevation and the high water table, the rainfall from these storms is enough to put home foundations at a very high risk of damage.
What Are The Signs of Basement Foundation Damage In Virginia Beach, Virginia?
The different risk factors for foundation problems at play in Virginia Beach can lead to various damages. Below are some of the most common signs of issues under homes in the city and the surrounding areas.
Foundation cracks are often the most obvious signs of damage. They can form on crawlspace or basement walls, as well as the slab under your house. Their position and size indicate different underlying problems.
Cracks can form in your crawlspace or basement floor due to normal concrete settling. Settling cracks are extremely thin and may span out in a small web. These should be sealed to prevent water intrusion, but they rarely indicate severe problems.
Larger floor cracks or gaps where the two sides are unlevel can suggest that your home is experiencing differential settling. These can be very dangerous and should be inspected and addressed by a concrete repair expert.
The most common foundation wall cracks are thin and run vertically up the wall. These form most often due to settling and don’t present any significant cause for concern. In Virginia Beach, where flooding is common, these cracks should simply be sealed by a foundation repair contractor to prevent water seepage. Cracks over ⅛” wide may also require an epoxy injection to prevent further widening.
Horizontal wall cracks form in response to hydrostatic pressure outside of your foundation, a common occurrence in eastern Virginia. When the stress becomes too much, the wall splits along its length, and the upper portion pushes inward slightly.
Horizontal cracks should be inspected by a structural engineer and repaired immediately because they indicate a loss of structural integrity.
Cracks can form in the shape of stair steps on concrete block walls if a portion of your foundation loses support from underneath and settles at a faster rate than the rest of your home. They’re a particular issue in Virginia Beach where the expansive soil, flooding, and high water table all contribute to differential settling.
These cracks signify structural damage and require professional repair immediately.
Basements and crawlspaces are prone to water intrusion, given their location underground. Those in the Virginia Beach area are at higher risk, given the climatic and geological factors described above. As such, damp air or water below your home indicates that you have a water intrusion problem.
If you notice water puddling in your under-home area or trickling down the sides of your walls, the problem is severe. It should be remediated with basement waterproofing or crawlspace encapsulation.
Water vapor is also a significant issue for property owners in Virginia Beach, given the likelihood of the clay soil to force moisture through your concrete. Moist air, musty odors, efflorescence, and mold growth are good signs you have a moisture problem.
Lastly, moisture tends to attract pests, so the presence of termites, ants, spiders, or rodents below your home can indicate a moisture issue.
Finally, the air quality in your living space can help determine if you have foundation damage and leaks. In a process called the stack effect, air from your basement or crawlspace seeps up into the rest of your home. This means that moisture and mold spores can make their way into your living space.
Humidity makes temperatures feel more extreme, so uncharacteristically uncomfortable temperatures in the summer or winter can be a sign of a moisture issue below your house.
Similarly, unexplained allergy symptoms like itchy eyes and respiratory distress suggest that you might have a mold issue due to foundation damage or leaking.
How to Find Signs of Foundation Damage In Virginia Beach, Virginia?
Foundation problems tend to worsen with time, which means the earlier you find damage, the less hazardous it will be and the lower the cost of the appropriate repair will be. Below are some tips for identifying common foundation problems in Virginia Beach.
Most foundation issues start small, so paying attention to yours is an excellent way to catch budding problems. If you have a crawlspace or basement, head down there for a thorough inspection once every three or four months. Check for water build-up, moist air, mold growth, efflorescence, and any other changes to the area. Inspect the floor and walls for cracks, and mark each with the width and length to monitor growth over time.
Next, check the outside portion of your foundation. This is particularly important for slab foundations, as you won’t be able to inspect the entire slab. Look for cracks, especially around the corners of your home.
Your entire house, including the framing, floors, and ceilings, relies on your foundation for a sturdy, level base. Therefore, damage to your foundation generally manifests in damage to the interior of your home. When you carry out your regular foundation inspections, check the inside of your house as well.
Regular signs of foundation damage that are common in Virginia Beach include cracks in drywall around doors, windows, and corners of rooms, multiple doors and windows getting stuck and becoming difficult to close, bowing walls, and nails popping out of your sheetrock.
You can also look for buckling or uneven floors, as these indicate foundation damage that is affecting your floor joists.
The final portion of your quarterly home inspection should take place outside. Look for sagging or wavy rooflines, ensure the chimney isn’t leaning or separating from the rest of your house, and check for cracks if you have brick or stucco siding.
You can identify potential problems caused by the expansive soil and flooding in Virginia Beach by looking for gaps between the ground and your foundation. Separation is a sign that you may experience differential settling.
Check your yard after flooding, heavy rain, tropical storms, or hurricanes to identify soggy areas or places where drainage isn’t efficient. These can help predict where you may run into problems with expansive soil damaging your foundation.
Cost of Basement Foundation Repair In Virginia Beach, Virginia?
Virginia foundation solutions average around $5,000. However, the total price varies from $250 to $10,000 or more for more severe problems. We’ll break down the average pricing based on the particular issue below. This will give you a better idea of what it may cost to solve your problem.
Sealing hairline cracks in your slab or thin vertical wall cracks to prevent water intrusion typically costs between $250 and $750, with longer fissures being at the upper end of the range. Wide cracks may require epoxy injections, which cost around $1,000 to $1,250. Horizontal and stair-step cracks need far more intensive repair.
Horizontal cracks and inwardly bowing concrete walls usually need earth anchors for stabilization. Earth anchors cost around $1,000 each, and the total cost of the basement or crawlspace repair will average approximately $7,500.
Stair-step cracks generally need to be fixed with underpinning. Foundation repair companies can install concrete piers for around $1,000 each or helical piers for approximately $3,000 each. The total cost, including sealing the crack after push piers are installed, will be about $10,000 to $15,000.
Given the likelihood that a foundation with this type of crack has suffered structural damage, we highly recommend choosing a foundation repair specialist with years of experience to perform the repair. They may charge more, but you’re more likely to get a warranty for the work as well as a high-quality fix.
Basement waterproofing is one of the best solutions for water issues. It’s a prevalent foundation repair service for Virginia Beach homeowners, given the high chance of flooding and water intrusion in the area. The process consists of multiple efforts designed to minimize water near and in your crawlspace or basement. A waterproofing system can include exterior drainage systems, sump pumps, dehumidifiers, gutters, downspouts, and many other methods.
As such, waterproofing ranges from around $4,000 all the way up to $15,000 for the highest quality foundation repair. Most homeowners pay approximately $5,000 for the service.
