Ashburn, VA

Ashburn, VA

# How Much Does It Cost To Repair A Foundation?

$2,300 –$6,750average cost

The average cost to repair foundation problems is $4,500 with most homeowners spending between$2,300 and $6,750. Minor foundation crack repairs cost$620 or more, while major repairs that require hydraulic piers can cost $10,000 to$15,000.

Get free estimates for your project or view our cost guide below:

## $2,300 –$6,750average cost

The average cost to repair foundation problems is $4,500 with most homeowners spending between$2,300 and $6,750. Minor foundation crack repairs cost$620 or more, while major repairs that require hydraulic piers can cost $10,000 to$15,000.

Get free estimates for your project or view our cost guide below:
Written by
Tom Grupa

## Foundation Repair Cost

The average cost to repair foundation problems is $4,500 with most homeowners spending between$2,300 and $6,750. Minor foundation crack repairs cost$620 or more, while major repairs that require hydraulic piers can cost $10,000 to$15,000.

## Estimated Costs To Fix Foundation Problems

Foundations can shift and settle over time, but damages result from poor soil strength under the foundation, expansive clay, poor drainage, and poor grading before the foundation was poured. The most common foundation problems include cracks, leaks, settling, and bowing.

Costs To Fix Foundation
Repair Type Average Cost
Cracks $250 –$800 per crack
Leaks $2,500 –$5,000
Settling / Sinking $1,300 –$1,500 per pier
Bowed Basement Walls $5,000 –$15,000

### Sealing

If you find yourself with moisture problems in the basement, water is seeping in through the foundation from the soil, drain tile is clogged, downspouts are clogged or broken, or water is pooling around the foundation. One solution is to seal the foundation with a tar-like substance. The dirt around your home will need to be excavated to have access, and then the sealer applied. Basement sealing and waterproofing costs $1,900 to$6,300. You can also repair or replace your gutters and fix the drainage issues.

### Stabilizing

If the foundation walls are unstable, the most common method of stabilizing is with a carbon fiber mesh. Mesh is applied to the wall with industrial strength epoxy and should cost around $5,000 to$10,000 depending on the extent of the damage. Use wedge braces and jack posts to restore a wall to vertical alignment. Add the cost of removing and reinstalling wall finish materials, if required. Vertical jacks may be needed to relieve the weight on a load-bearing wall. Add the cost of installing wall straps and shear panels once the wall is plumb.

### Window Straightening and Wall Repair

Windows and their frames will need to be removed before a wall is strengthened, and the wall opening straightened before a new window is put in, at the cost of about $75 per window space. Add the cost of a new framed window, and the exterior wall will also need to be refinished, for approximately$27 per touchup area—patch, caulk, and paint.

### Corner Pop Repair Cost

Corner pop is the outside corner of the foundation, cracking on one or both sides. This is not a cause for concern; it is a cosmetic problem. It can be fixed for a few dollars with a bucket of premixed cement and a trowel, costing just a few dollars. It’s a good idea to fix this corner pop, not only for cosmetic reasons but also to keep water out of the cracks, which could cause more severe problems.

## Home Foundation Repair Costs By Type

### Brick and Block Repair Cost

Cracks in your brick and block foundation can run in steps along the bricks joints, vertically, or horizontally. Repairing the bricks or blocks in brick and beam foundations is achieved by replacing the mortar, only costing a few dollars. But the bigger question should always be why the crack appeared. It's important to fix and reinforce your foundation as soon as possible.

### Crawl Space Foundation Repair

Crawl space foundation repair costs $2,000 to$8,000 or more. The biggest problem with a crawl space is standing water that can cause rotting posts, mold, mildew, and sagging floor joists. Standing water is also a mosquito breeding ground. Repairing the crawl space can consist of:

• Drainage systems, such as a French drain, and the installation of a sump pump

• Mold removal and then taking measures to be sure it doesn’t return

• Repair of any dry rot

• The installation of a vapor barrier—an extensive plastic sheet

• Repairing anything the water/moisture damaged

• Removal of any pests who have made it their home

• Removal of wet or mold insulation materials and replacing insulation

• Strengthening or replacing joists

Cleaning, ventilating, insulating, and reinforcing or replacing the joists in the crawl space can cost from $1,500 to$15,000. Repairing your crawl space will take care of

• The mold that occurs from standing water can enter your home, and if not the mold itself, the smell of mold.

• Removing and replacing the insulation will help to lower your energy bills.

### Pier and Beam Foundation Repair Cost

A pier and beam foundation causes the house to sit about 18” off the ground. The home rests on a series of piers which are supported by beams. It’s a good foundation, as the crawl space created by the 18” gives access to wiring and plumbing, but soil shifts, or maybe the piers were not placed close enough to each other.

#### Piers Cost

Because of the access space, piers can be replaced. Steel piers cost $950 to$1,600 to install.

#### Helical Piers Cost

Helical piers are steel shafts with round or square helix plates and are also known as anchors, piles, or screwpiles. They cost from $1,400 to$2,100 to install.

## Signs of Foundation Problems

Before you can get an accurate estimate of the cost of your foundation repair, the foundation and surrounding area will need to be inspected by a knowledgeable contractor. There is no way an accurate estimate can be given without visiting the job first. The contractor will be looking at the following things:

### Early Signs of Foundation Problems

The only way to know if you have foundation problems is to read the clues your house gives you, such as

• Exterior cracks in the walls

• Horizontal cracks in the foundation

• Water in your basement, if you have one

• Jagged cracks in the foundation or walls

• The severity of the cracks, as well as where they are in relation to the rest of the house, and how many of them there are.

• Walls that bow or bulge

• Crumbling concrete

• The drainage solutions that are in place

• Expansive clay of soil issues

• Cracked bricks

• Cracks or separation at the corners of the garage door, doors, and windows

• Windows sticking when you try to open them

• Cracks in the sheetrock

• Cracks in the floor

• Doors that are hard to close or don’t close

• Bulges in the floors

All these issues will factor into the cost estimate to repair your foundation. Some problems are not apparent to the naked eye, only being seen after some demolition or digging has taken place, which could add to the estimate once revealed.

## Foundation Damage Prevention

### Sealing the Foundation

To have a healthy foundation, keep an eye on the water/sewer lines to make sure they are not leaking. Leaking pipes will eventually cause erosion, which could lead to trouble with the foundation. If the soil becomes saturated and remains so, it will lose its ability to support a structure. It’s easy for water damage to occur and not be found because those pipes are under the house. You usually know if you have such a leak with a higher than average water bill. To be proactive with water lines, you can also have your plumber perform static tests on your water lines.

Just as too much water can cause problems, so can too little. During dry times of the year, make sure the foundation gets watered when you water your lawn. Look for areas where the soil is pulling away from the foundation; those areas will need to be watered.

### House Settling Vs. Foundation Problems

All homes will settle, but it’s a prolonged process, and the house itself adjusts as it goes along. Soil expansion and contraction are the two leading causes of settling in homes. Getting a soil report is vital before building your house. A soil test costs $10 to$40 per sample. A geotechnical engineer can tell you from soil tests if the soil will support a home without problems. However, not all new construction gets a soil report, and if you live in an older house, you have no idea if a soil test was done.

### Foundation Inspection Cost

If you suspect there is damage to your foundation or repairs are needed, call a structural engineer to inspect your property. It will cost between $200–$400 for a structural engineer’s report. They will inspect all visible portions of the foundation, basement, and crawl space for signs of distress, water damage, and deterioration. A report from a structural engineer can be trusted because they aren’t trying to sell you anything. This is not to say that contractors will fix something that isn’t broken, but opinions from uninvolved, knowledgeable parties are always helpful.

## Home Resale Value

If you’ve had to repair your foundation and worry that fact alone will impact the resale value of your home, rest assured it is not a death sentence. In some cases, it can be a positive as the perspective owners won’t have to deal with the problem, and foundation repairs can help rather than hinder buyers purchasing in subdivisions with known foundation issues. Your warranty is often transferable and can be passed onto subsequent owners of your property.

The laws in most states require you to list all the work you’ve done on your home’s foundation and main structures whenever you sell the house. To avoid problems later, make sure the contractors give you an engineer’s compliance letter showing they followed national and local building safety regulations.

There are so many factors to consider when figuring cost, it’s hard to give a number without knowing the issue, but the average cost to repair your foundation lies between $1,300 and$1,500 per pier and $600 per 10’ crack, with most homeowners paying an average price of$5,000 to repair their foundations.