Foundation Repair Cost Calculator
Priced the way it is actually quoted — by the method, in that method’s own unit.
Total cost
$15,812.50
- Repair — 8 piers at $1,600.00
- $12,800.00
- Engineer, permit and site work
- $950.00
- Contingency (15%)
- $2,062.50
- All-in per pier
- $1,976.56
Get an independent engineer to specify method and count before comparing quotes. Contractors who sell the repair also decide how much of it you need.
Moisture under the house too? Price crawl space encapsulation →
How this is calculated
repair = quantity × price, in the method's own unit
extras = engineer + permit + excavation
+ restoration + interior repairs
total = (repair + extras) × (1 + contingency%)
per unit = total ÷ quantityFoundation quotes are not comparable until you know what is being counted. Piers are priced per pier, crack injection per crack, slab lifting by the square foot of slab raised, and wall reinforcement per strap, beam or anchor. Two quotes at the same rate can differ by a factor of two purely on count — one contractor proposing six piers where another proposes twelve — and that disagreement is about engineering, not pricing.
The per-unit figure at the bottom divides the whole job, extras included, by the count. That is deliberately harsher than the rate a contractor quotes, and it is the number to compare across bids, because a low per-pier rate with excavation and restoration excluded is not cheaper. The 15% default contingency is higher than the site uses elsewhere for the same reason foundation jobs overrun: nothing under a slab is known until it is open.
Cost by repair method
| Method | Rate | Typical job | Repair | With engineer, permit and 15% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crack injection (epoxy or polyurethane) | $600.00/crack | 2 cracks | $1,200.00 | $1,782.50 |
| Push piers (steel, to bedrock) | $1,600.00/pier | 8 piers | $12,800.00 | $15,812.50 |
| Helical piers (screwed) | $1,900.00/pier | 8 piers | $15,200.00 | $18,572.50 |
| Slab jacking (mudjacking) | $6.00/sq ft | 300 sq ft | $1,800.00 | $2,472.50 |
| Slab lifting (polyurethane foam) | $12.00/sq ft | 300 sq ft | $3,600.00 | $4,542.50 |
| Carbon fiber straps (bowing wall) | $650.00/strap | 6 straps | $3,900.00 | $5,577.50 |
| Steel I-beams (bowing wall) | $900.00/beam | 6 beams | $5,400.00 | $7,302.50 |
| Wall anchors (tieback) | $900.00/anchor | 6 anchors | $5,400.00 | $7,302.50 |
Every figure runs through the same function as the calculator, at the typical count for each method. The table is worth reading as a diagnosis rather than a menu: these methods address different problems, and a contractor proposing piers where straps would do, or straps where the wall actually needs rebuilding, is a bigger cost difference than any rate negotiation.
What the symptoms usually point to
| What you see | Usually means | Method commonly quoted |
|---|---|---|
| Hairline vertical crack, not moving | Concrete shrinkage, often cosmetic | Crack injection, or nothing |
| Crack that leaks in heavy rain | Water path, not necessarily movement | Injection plus exterior drainage |
| Horizontal crack in a basement wall | Lateral soil pressure | Carbon fiber, beams or anchors |
| Stair-step cracking in block | Differential settlement | Piers, after an engineer looks |
| One corner dropping, doors sticking | Settlement under that footing | Push or helical piers |
| Interior slab sunk, walls fine | Void under the slab | Slab jacking or foam lifting |
This is orientation, not diagnosis — the same symptom has different causes in expansive clay, in fill and on a slope, and only somebody on site can tell them apart. Its purpose is to let you tell whether the method being quoted matches what the house is doing, which is the single most useful question to ask a foundation contractor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does foundation repair cost?
Minor crack injection runs $500 to $1,500 and is a half-day job. A settling corner on piers is more commonly $8,000 to $20,000, because the price is per pier and eight to twelve piers is a typical run. Whole-house underpinning and wall rebuilds pass $30,000. The spread is so wide because those numbers describe genuinely different repairs, not different prices for the same one.
Why do two foundation quotes differ so much?
Usually because they are not quoting the same method or the same count. Piers are priced per pier and contractors disagree on how many a given movement needs; one may propose six where another proposes twelve, which is most of the difference before anyone argues about rate. Ask each contractor for the method, the unit count and what happens if more are needed once they start.
Do I need a structural engineer?
For anything structural, yes, and it is money well spent. An independent engineer who is not selling the repair will specify the method and the count, which turns three incomparable sales quotes into three bids on the same scope. Reports typically run $400 to $1,000. For a hairline crack in a basement wall that is not moving, it is overkill.
Is a crack in my foundation serious?
Hairline vertical cracks in poured concrete are commonly shrinkage and are cosmetic, though they can leak. Horizontal cracks, stair-step cracks in block, cracks wider than about a quarter inch, and any crack that is growing or offset are the ones that warrant an engineer. Doors that stop latching and floors that slope are symptoms of movement rather than of the crack itself.
Does homeowner insurance cover foundation repair?
Rarely for settlement, which is usually excluded as earth movement or as wear. Coverage is more likely where a specific covered event caused it — a burst supply line washing out fill, for instance. Read the policy before assuming either way, and document the cause, because how the damage is characterized often decides the claim.
Can I sell a house with foundation problems?
Yes, and disclosure requirements in most states mean you will have to say so. Buyers discount heavily for unknowns, so a repaired foundation with an engineer's letter and a transferable warranty typically nets more than an unrepaired one with a price reduction. Get the repair documented, not just done.
Results are planning estimates built from typical price ranges, not quotes, and this page is not structural advice. Foundation movement has causes that only site investigation reveals, rates vary by soil type and region, and the count of piers or anchors should be specified by a licensed structural engineer rather than by a calculator or by the contractor bidding the work.