Even the strongest foundations can weaken over time, leading to serious issues with your home.
Cracks in your walls or floors, doors that won't close properly, or uneven flooring — these are all signs that your foundation might be in trouble.
If left unchecked, these problems can worsen, potentially causing major structural damage.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about foundation repair.
From identifying early warning signs to understanding repair methods, we'll cover everything on what it takes to protect your home’s foundation. Let’s dive in.
Understanding the Basics of Foundation Repair
Foundation repair, also known as foundation leveling or house leveling, usually involves assessing the damage, selecting the best repair method, and restoring your home to a stable, secure foundation.
But that’s only the big picture, here’s what foundation repair entails in detail and why it’s necessary.
What is Foundation Repair?
Foundation repair starts with measuring both the inside and outside of your home with specialized tools. This helps determine how much your house has shifted from its foundation and identifies the most affected areas.
The actual repair process includes installing supports under your home so technicians can work on repairing the foundation. After the repairs are complete, the foundation is shifted back into place to stabilize your house once again.
Why Foundation Repair Is Important
Foundation repair is one of the most important things you can do to keep your home strong and stable.
Your foundation holds up the entire house, if it gets damaged or compromised, it can cause some serious structural problems. Leaving it unchecked can eventually cause the walls and floors to cave in, triggering either a partial or total collapse.
Even if the worst doesn’t happen, a damaged foundation can lead to big cracks in your walls and sloping floors, which can mess up the aesthetics of your home.
Addressing these issues early enough can save you from more extensive and expensive repair work.
Types of Foundations and How to Identify Yours
We presented a simplified version of foundation repair earlier but that doesn’t mean every repair process follows the same steps. The overall premise is the same, but the details can vary depending on which type of foundation your home is built on.
So let’s first start with discussing the common types of foundations and how you can identify your home’s foundation type.
4 Common Types of Foundations
There are commonly 4 different types of foundations found in homes today. Let us take you through each of them in detail.
1. Slab Foundations
Slab foundations, as the name suggests, usually consist of a single layer of concrete which is typically 4 to 6 inches thick and acts as both the foundation and floor of your home.
This type of foundation is poured directly onto the ground to form a slab that the entire house can sit on. This is a popular choice for regions that are usually warm throughout the year and don’t have to deal with snow or extremely low temperatures.
Otherwise, this foundation can come undone quite easily when left exposed to yearly freezing and thawing cycles.
2. Pier and Beam Foundations
While a slab foundation allows your house to sit on the ground itself, a pier and beam foundation raises your house up from the ground using vertical pier supports and horizontal beam supports.
Basically, piers made of wood, steel or concrete are pushed deep into the ground to stand vertically upright and beams (usually made of wood) are made to sit horizontally on top of these piers to provide support to the floor.
This forms a significantly stronger and more stable base than slab foundations. That’s because the weight of the entire house is distributed evenly across its piers which are in turn supported by the soil underneath, creating a stable base.
3. Crawl Space Foundations
Crawl space foundations are the more modern type of foundations found in most homes these days. Like pier and beam foundations, this type of foundation also slightly lifts the house above the ground to provide a kind of buffer space beneath the house.
This space is usually used to accommodate plumbing, HVAC systems and electrical wiring. Plus, it also provides extra ventilation and insulation for the building’s floor.
However, ventilating this space can sometimes be tricky. Improper ventilation can lead to mold, mildew and even wood rot which can cause serious structural damage in the long run.
On top of that, crawl spaces can at times become victims to pest invasions if not sealed properly.
4. Basement Foundations
For basement foundations, the crawl space is replaced by a full-sized, lower-level room or multiple rooms depending on the size of the space. The only other difference is that these rooms extend partially or fully beyond ground level.
Also, depending on its size and space, a basement can be multi-functional, offering storage space, utility access and entire living areas.
However, basements can come with their fair share of potential problems as well. For example, since most basements extend far beyond the ground level they are more susceptible to water intrusion than other foundation types. Especially if you live in an area with poor drainage.
Additionally, basements are also prone to moisture buildup just like crawl space foundations, which can in turn lead to the formation of mold, rot and mildew.
How to Identify Your Foundation Type
Identifying what type of foundation you have is instrumental in determining how to repair it. All you have to do first is check how low your house is to the ground. If your floor is touching the ground from outside, then you’re most likely dealing with a slab foundation.
If your house is visibly higher than the ground, then you should start looking for any access vents or access doors. These indicate either a crawl space or a pier and beam foundation.
Lastly, having big exterior windows or doors at ground level usually suggests that your house has a basement, especially if the windows are positioned lower to the ground.
How Different Foundation Types Affect Repair Methods
As mentioned before, the exact repair process that will be used depends on the type of foundation your house has. That’s because each type of foundation has its own unique vulnerabilities.
For example, slab foundations usually deal with sinking or cracking, while pier and beam foundations deal with tilting and shifting.
Basement and crawl space foundations have their own set of unique vulnerabilities as well, which we’ll get into later in the guide.
Types of Foundation Damage and the Need for Repairs
A weak or damaged foundation can, with enough time, cause damage to the rest of your home as well.
Keeping that in mind, here are the common types of foundation damage and how they affect the rest of your home.
Common Types of Foundation Damage Cracks
Visible cracks in the walls are the first thing homeowners see whenever the foundation of their home is damaged. Not all cracks are equally serious, but you still need to know all the different types so you can prevent the problem from getting any bigger.
Hairline cracks, for example, are very thin, small cracks that are not a structural concern. The same goes for vertical cracks in the walls. However, horizontal cracks that are parallel to the floor indicate that the foundation is under serious pressure and must be repaired immediately.
Settlement
Unlike cracks, settlement is an immediate indicator that your foundation needs to be repaired to prevent the house from collapsing.
Foundation settlement can show itself in 3 ways: Misaligned doors and windows, uneven or sloping floors and cracks in interior walls.
It happens due to gradual sinking or shifting in the soil beneath the building's foundation.
Sinking Foundation
Sinking is a more extreme case of foundation settlement, and it basically refers to the entire foundation or part of it sinking further into the ground.
Visible cues include floor tilting or sloping and visible gaps between the walls, windows and door frames.
How Damage Affects Your Foundation and Home
The foundation is the base on which your entire home is sitting. Cracks or deterioration in the foundation itself can:
- Cause large cracks to appear in your home
- Cause your floors to sag or sink
- Inflict stress on your roof, which may crack, leak or collapse altogether.
- Cause your walls to bow inward or outward and ultimately collapse.
Signs You May Need Foundation Repair
Fortunately, there are ways to detect foundation damage before it becomes too serious and ends up permanently disfiguring your home.
Here are the signs you need to look out for to figure out if your home needs foundation repair.
How to Identify Foundation Damage in Walls and Floors
The first signs of foundation damage usually show up in the form of small hairline cracks in your walls and sometimes slightly bigger vertical cracks.
But an even more obvious indicator is when parts of your home’s floor start sinking or sloping, making them uncomfortable and unstable to walk on.
You’ll also notice that your doors and windows aren’t closing properly and have developed small gaps in their frames.
What Causes Foundation Damage?
There are usually 3 major reasons for foundation damage:
- Soil Movement: The soil that holds the foundation together and provides stability shifts due to changes in moisture, temperature and pressure, which can cause the entire foundation to shift and incur damage.
- Water Damage: Excess moisture or rainwater seeps into the soil or cracks in the actual foundation due to a lack of proper drainage around the home and causes the cracks to swell up and become bigger.
- Poor Construction Methods: Poor practices like improper soil preparation, inadequate grading and the use of substandard material can lead to early deterioration in the foundation, which eventually leads to failure.
The Impact of Climate and Geography on Foundation Damage
Climate and geography have a huge role to play in determining the likelihood and type of foundation damage. Take soil types, for example, depending on their composition they can expand, contract, erode or shift, which more often than not leads to foundation problems.
The weather itself also has a significant impact on the foundation. Heavy rainfall, constant temperature fluctuations and even freeze-thaw cycles can cause cracks in foundation walls and settlement.
The Foundation Repair Process Explained
Now that you’re up to speed on how to identify foundation damage, let’s talk about how the foundation repair process works.
An Overview of the Foundation Repair Process
1. Initial Inspection and Evaluation
Every foundation repair process begins with a thorough inspection and evaluation of the home to assess the extent of the foundation damage.
The type and form of the damage can lead the foundation repair professional to the root cause of the issue.
- Visual Inspection: First comes the visual inspection, where the repair professional conducts a sweep of the exterior and interior of the house. They look for any cracks, uneven or sloping floors, windows and doors that don’t open or close properly and gaps in the walls and roof.
- Leveling Assessment: The repair professional then uses specialized tools to conduct a leveling assessment, moisture test and soil evaluation.
- Assessment Report: At the end of it all, they produce an assessment report that details their findings and presents their professional opinion on what type of repair option would work.
2. Assessment of Foundation Damage
To ultimately narrow down and select one specific repair solution, the foundation repair company sends additional team members to check the exact extent of the foundation damage
Specifically, this new assessment involves checking the severity of the damage, including the direction and size of the cracks and the exact degree of settlement the house has already suffered.
Separate checks on the age of the foundation may also be conducted since older foundations require different repair techniques than newer ones.
The last and most crucial step of the assessment is identifying what type of foundation the home has, so the right repair solution can be chosen.
3. Choosing the Right Repair Solution
After the professional repair person has thoroughly assessed the damage, they will recommend the most appropriate repair method, while keeping in mind the type, age and damage level of the foundation.
The most common types of foundation repair solutions include, piering, slab jacking, basement/crawl space wall bracing, underpinning and foundation crack filling.
4. Performing the Repair
Once the right repair method is chosen, work on the house immediately begins. The first step is preparing the area around the foundation. This usually involves some excavation work to get to the base of the foundation.
The chosen repair technique whether it’s installing braces, piers or slab jacking is carried out by skilled professionals. The house is then shifted back onto its foundation and any cracks or holes in the walls are sealed.
5. Post Repair Inspection
With the repair complete, one final inspection is conducted to make sure the foundation has stabilized correctly and the repairs are effective. This usually involves a leveling check and moisture testing.
Foundation Repair Methods
Piering
Piering is most often used for foundations that are settling or sinking. The method includes installing helical or push piers deep into the ground until they hit more stable soil or bedrock.
After that, the piers are attached to the existing foundation of the house using steel brackets to lift and stabilize it and prevent the sinking.
Pros
- Effective for repairing foundations that have undergone severe settlement or sinking.
- Doesn’t need major excavation or demolition to install.
- Once installed, these piers provide a long-term, permanent solution and often come with a warranty.
Cons
- Piering is generally more expensive than other methods like slab jacking or crack filling.
Slab Jacking
A method made specifically to lift up concrete slab foundations that have settled but are still structurally sound.
Slab jacking involves lifting sunken concrete slabs by pumping a mixture of sand, cement and other materials beneath the slab through small drilling holes. The mixture fills the empty space beneath the slab and lifts it back to its original level.
Pros
- Slab jacking is generally the most affordable foundation repair method.
- Unlike piering, slab jacking takes just a few hours to complete.
- Completely non-invasive with minimal excavation required.
Cons
- Isn’t suitable for fixing any major foundation issues.
Underpinning
Underpinning is a method similar to piering, as it also involves strengthening or stabilizing an existing foundation.
However, underpinning takes it a bit further by extending the existing foundation footing so that it reaches more stable bedrock and adding more concrete under the foundation so it can bear more load.
Pros
- Ideal for structures that are being expanded, since it strengthens the foundation to support extra weight.
- Unlike slab jacking, underpinning can fix major structural issues including deep foundation settlement.
- Works with multiple types of foundations.
Cons
- It’s more expensive than both slab jacking and piering.
Wall Stabilization During Foundation Repairs
Foundation repair usually involves plenty of foundation movement during the stabilization phase. This movement can often cause walls to crack, bow or lean even further, unless they’re stabilized before the repair begins.
Stabilizing the walls beforehand ensures that they maintain their position and don’t develop anymore cracks.
Who Should Handle Your Foundation Repairs?
It might be possible to handle very minor foundation repairs by yourself, but in most cases the situation escalates beyond your capabilities. At that moment, the best choice is to call in a professional foundation repair company.
Remember, the structural integrity of your home and your safety is at stake so opting for a pro is always the better choice.
Hiring a Professional for Foundation Repair
For a layman, identifying the exact degree of foundation damage is quite difficult and if you can’t identify the damage, you can’t repair it.
Fortunately, that’s where a professional comes in. Someone who has specialized knowledge of soil behavior, structural engineering and foundation repair techniques.
Armed with the right technical knowledge of the building’s foundation type, type of damage and the best repair methods, an experienced foundation repair technician can accurately assess the problem and how to solve it.
That said, it’s still your responsibility to personally vet every foundation repair company you approach for the task. Make sure the company you hire from is officially licensed, experienced, has a glowing reputation online and can provide a detailed estimate of the repairs.
DIY vs. Professional Foundation Repairs
While it’s always wise to hire a professional, there are some instances when homeowners can try the DIY method. Minor hairline cracks in the walls, for example, are easily fixable using epoxy or concrete crack filler.
The same goes for minor level surface damage on the foundation, which can be fixed by applying some concrete patching compounds.
However, when the cracks start widening to more than ¼ of an inch, or new ones start appearing that are parallel to the floor, the best thing to do is to call a professional foundation repair technician.
Different Types of Foundation Repair Companies
It’s also important to note the budget you have and the kind of damage you’re dealing with before you start contacting foundation repair companies.
For instance, if you’re only dealing with minor settlement or shifting in the foundation then you’d be better off contacting local specialists that may charge you less and fix the problem quickly.
But if you’re dealing with deep settlement or sinking issues that have already caused your floors to slope and your walls to bow quite heavily, then you’d be better off contacting a larger, more
reputable company with foundation repair experience to come in and fix the problem.
Foundation Repair Costs and Considerations
Speaking of your budget, let’s evaluate how much a foundation repair actually costs and how much of it is covered by insurance, warranties and guarantees.
How Much Does Foundation Repair Cost?
Unfortunately, there is no way to estimate how much your foundation repair will cost without considering some key factors.
These include the extent of the damage to your foundation (minor cracks and cosmetic fixes or major structural damage and shifting), the repair methods used (with slab jacking being the cheapest and underpinning the most expensive) and geographic location (climate, rainfall, freeze-thaw cycles etc).
Keeping all of that in mind, the price range for foundation repair can range anywhere from $300 for small cosmetic fixes to more than $25,000 for larger jobs. Thankfully, foundation repair companies like Two Brother Foundation Repair offer
financing programs.
Can Foundation Repairs be Covered by Insurance?
This should be a good time to mention that foundation damage caused by years of wear and tear, natural disasters like floods and earthquakes or even tree roots pushing against the foundation is not covered by insurance.
The only way your insurance policy covers your foundation repair is if the damage caused was the direct result of a specific, sudden accidental event.
These include damage caused by fires, explosions, plumbing leaks, natural disasters like tornadoes or hurricanes, vandalism or external objects falling onto the house.
Foundation Repair Warranties and Guarantees
Every homeowner should invest time into learning which warranties they can avail, what they cover and how long they typically last.
From our research, we’ve uncovered a few warranties that homeowners can potentially take advantage of for their home’s foundation repair.
- First is the structural warranty, it covers major issues like sinking, cracking and shifting of the foundation due to faulty repairs. These usually stay active for 20 to 30 years.
- Next we have the manufacturer's warranty, which covers any and every component used during the repair, such as steel brackets or piers. This often lasts for 10 to 25 years.
- Others include waterproofing warranties and workmanship or labor warranties.
Preventing Future Foundation Damage
Foundation repairs can be costly affairs and homeowners need to do everything in their power to make sure they prevent any future foundation damage after the repairs are done. Let’s take a look at some tips for foundation damage prevention.
Tips to Avoid Foundation Problems
Proper maintenance and some preventative measures are the key to avoiding any future foundation problems. Some of the major measures you could take include:
- Ensure proper drainage around the foundation by installing multiple gutters and sloping the soil away from the foundation
- Ensure that any new shrubs or trees you plant are away from the foundation, since tree roots can wreak havoc on the foundation.
- Conduct regular visual inspections of the foundation to check for gaps in door or window frames, cracks in the walls and uneven floors.
- Continuously check for structural movement by monitoring your doors and windows for any misalignment.
Long-Term Maintenance After Foundation Repair
You can’t just leave your foundation to the elements after repairs. Maintenance is necessary to ensure you don’t run into any more problems in the future. Here’s a few tips on how you can do that:
- Keep checking for new cracks in and around the foundation every 6 months. Hire a professional once in a while to look at you.
- Ensure that water flows away from the foundation to prevent seepage.
- Practice responsible landscaping by choosing foundation friendly plants, and planting any trees or shrubs at least 20 feet away from your home.
- If your foundation repair involved addressing water seepage, then you might want to invest in a sump dump or french drain.
When is Foundation Raising Needed?
There are times when your foundation can’t be simply shifted back into place after the repair process. It needs to be lifted and then shifted back into place. This section covers why that’s sometimes necessary.
Understanding Foundation Raising and its Role in Repairs
Foundation raising or slab jacking as it’s commonly known, becomes necessary when a house begins to settle unevenly across the soil or starts sinking into it. This usually occurs due to problems in the soil beneath the foundation itself such as excessive movement or erosion.
The process involves lifting uneven concrete slabs like foundations, driveways, patios and floors. The goal is to return the slabs to their original position to restore their structural stability.
Key Takeaways
All in all, we hope you understand the importance of foundation repairs and the disastrous consequences of neglecting signs of structural damage in your home.
Remember, the best way to identify if your home needs foundation repair is to assess the interior and exterior of your foundation for any cracks in the walls, sloping or sinking floors or gaps in the door and window frames.
And while you can try to mend minor damage to the foundation yourself, we don’t recommend that for cracks wider than ¼ of an inch.
Make sure you contact a professional repair technician
and leave your foundation repair in the secure hands of a pro.
