Skip to main content
True Trade Path

Cost guide

Foundation Repair Cost

Stabilizing or correcting foundation settlement, cracking and water intrusion.

Typical range
$2,000–$40,000
Most people pay
$9,000

National cost range

National range, per project

$2,000 – $40,000

Most homeowners pay around $9,000. The spread is real, not hedging — the drivers below determine which end of it you land on.

Low end
$2,000
Simple access, like-for-like
Typical
$9,000
What most jobs come in at
High end
$40,000
Upgrades, difficult access, code work

What you are actually paying for

Find the row that matches your situation. Quotes that differ wildly from each other usually differ in scope, not in price.

ScenarioTypical cost
Crack sealing and injectionAppropriate for non-structural cracks and water intrusion.$500–$2,500
Drainage correction and regradingFrequently the actual fix when the cause is water, not soil.$2,000–$8,000
Push or helical piers, partial wallPriced per pier, so the count drives the total.$6,000–$18,000
Full perimeter underpinningReserved for significant, documented structural movement.$20,000–$50,000
Interior drain tile and sumpAddresses basement water rather than structural movement.$5,000–$15,000

What moves the price

In descending order of impact. These are also the questions worth asking a contractor whose quote sits outside the range above.

  1. Cause of the movement

    Expansive clay, poor drainage, plumbing leaks and inadequate original footings each require different corrections at very different prices.

  2. Repair method

    Crack injection is inexpensive. Helical and push piers are priced per pier, typically $1,200 to $2,500 each, and a wall may need eight to twenty.

  3. Access

    Interior piering requires removing flooring and slab. Exterior work needs excavation and landscape restoration.

  4. Engineering

    A structural engineer's report costs $500 to $1,500 and is worth obtaining independently of any contractor who wants to sell you the repair.

Can you do it yourself?

Not a DIY job

Foundation work is structural. Get an independent structural engineer's assessment before talking to any contractor who sells repairs — the diagnosis and the sale should not come from the same company.

Permits and inspection

Structural repairs require a permit and usually engineered drawings. Keep all documentation; it will be requested at resale.
Run the DIY vs. pro decisionCheck a quote you already have

When this cannot wait

  • Cracks wider than a quarter inch that are visibly growing
  • Doors and windows that have recently stopped closing
  • Visible bowing or inward lean in a basement wall
  • Sudden appearance of cracking after a plumbing leak

Common questions

Are foundation cracks always serious?
No. Hairline vertical cracks in poured concrete are typically shrinkage and normal. Horizontal cracks, stair-step cracking in block, and any crack wider than a quarter inch that is growing warrant an engineer's evaluation.
Should I get an engineer or a contractor first?
An engineer. An independent structural engineer has no financial interest in the repair being large, and their report gives you a specification that multiple contractors can bid against.

Not sure this is the problem?

Decide what to do next

Other cost guides

Find carpenters near you