Owning a home comes with its fair share of responsibilities, and one of the most important is maintaining the foundation. Over time, foundations can develop cracks or other issues that need to be addressed. One of the most common questions we get asked is how much does foundation repair cost?
In this ultimate guide, we’ll break down the factors that can influence the cost of foundation repair so you can budget accordingly.
Whether you’re dealing with minor cracks or more significant structural issues, understanding the cost of foundation repair is crucial for homeowners. So, let’s dive in and explore what you need to know!
Foundation Repair Cost
A complete foundation repair can cost from $50,000 to over $100,000. This wide range is just one of the many reasons to only trust a reputable, experienced foundation repair company to correct your home’s foundation.
A partial foundation repair, in which only a portion of the foundation requires adjustments, can cost as little as a few thousand dollars, or it could cost between $15,000 to $25,000 if the location of the damage requires extensive excavation under your property.
The overall cost of foundation repair generally falls between $5,000 and $10,000 for minor repairs.
Average Cost of Foundation Repair in Texas
Due to the 1,300 plus soils in Texas, there is no shortage of foundation problems your home can have.
Thankfully, there are a variety of foundation repair methods for all these foundation problems. But due to the individuality of each repair plan, it’s hard to say for certain exactly how much your repairs will cost.
Some of the things that affect the cost of foundation repair are:
- Size of your home
- Location(s) of the damage within the home
- Quality of the materials and tools used for the repair, and
- Foundation Evaluator Education Level
In the state of Texas, there is no licensing required to perform foundation repair work. Due to this lack of regulation, not every foundation repair company is truly equipped to give you long lasting solutions. Knowledge of Texas soils is crucial to be able to address why the problem happened and provide a solution that keeps it from happening again.
Let’s talk more about the factors that affect the cost of foundation repair.
Foundation Repair Cost Factors
To get a better idea of the cost of foundation repair, let’s break down the main factors that go into pricing.
Repair Type
There are two main types of foundations utilized in Texas:
The type of repair you need will be influenced by what’s causing your foundation damage. If the soil under your property has been oversaturated with moisture, your foundation has likely experienced some heaving, or lifting. If the soils under your property are too dry, your house has likely dropped because the soils under it compacted. Here are some common signs of foundation problems:
- Foundation Erosion
- Foundation Cracks
- Crumbling Foundation
- Bowing Walls
- Foundation Shifting/Tilting
- Sinking Foundation
- Foundation Leaks
Once the problem is identified, a proper solution can be developed. Potential solutions include:
- Concrete Pressed Piers
- Composite Piers (a mix of steel and concrete)
- Cable-Anchored Steel Piers
- Helical Steel Piers
- Retaining Walls
- Concrete Leveling & Mudjacking
Most foundation services have an average cost of $10,000 to $30,000 but can range up to $100k+ depending on the materials used, size of the project, and the extent of the damage.
Foundation Material
There are a few basic materials used for foundation construction, each varying in cost, listed in order from least expensive to most expensive:
- Brick
- Wood
- Carbon Fiber
- Concrete
- Stone
- Foam
- Cinder Block
- Steel Pier
Cheaper versions of some foundation repair materials can start at around $350 and go up over $15,000, while other materials, such as steel piers, start at $1,000 and go up to over $20,000. Price of these items will vary greatly depending on the quality and craftsmanship.
Size & Accessibility
The size of your home will vastly impact foundation repair costs, as well as how you would like us to access your foundation. There are two main ways to perform foundation repairs:
1. Interior Breakouts
Breaking through the flooring in your home near the problem spot, called interior breakouts.
Breaking through the inside of the home, if possible for the type of foundation repair needed, will be a cheaper option for the actual repair of the foundation. However, repairing and/or replacing the flooring at the site(s) of the breakout(s) will be an additional expense. Interior breakouts are also a messy process and while the crew can try to minimize the extend of the mess, dust particles will inevitably go into your vents and other nooks and crannies in your home. Plus, as we mentioned, you will be left with a hole in your flooring that will need to be replaced.
2. Exterior Breakouts
Excavating tunnels through a 3’x3′ hole dug into your yard, called exterior breakouts.
Exterior breakouts are more expensive because of the labor that goes into them. Digging tunnels is hard, dangerous work. However, exterior breakouts allow you to continue living in your home while the repairs are being done, worry-free that strangers will be in-and-out of your home.
Repair Severity
As we’ve discussed, the severity of the foundation issue will also play a role in how much it costs to repair. A house with very little foundation damage will not cost the same as a house that needs several piers throughout the entirety of the house to lift it.
Soil Stability
Poor soil conditions can also affect foundation repair costs. When concrete piers are placed under your home, they are generally pushed down into stable soils.
If repairs are done in the middle of a Texas summer, the soil under the foundation might be too dry to use concrete piers.
Pressure is used to press the concrete piers in the ground, but concrete is not always strong enough to push past dry, densely packed soils.
In other words, the concrete piers will not be able to reach the stable soil. In this case, we might recommend opting for a steel pier, because steel is strong enough to push past the dried soil and achieve stability.
Foundation Repair Cost
As you can see, when it comes to foundation repair costs, there are so many ways it can go, and ultimately the best thing you can do for your foundation and your home is to work with a reputable contractor, regularly maintain your foundation, and get ahead of repairs.
Prolonging getting things fixed will only turn into costly repairs down the road. When you’re in a bind, call the Dirt Nerds of Perma Pier.
