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Estimating the Cost of Foundation Repair

PRELIMINARY COST ESTIMATE FOR FOUNDATION REPAIR

This estimate is provided to help give you a perspective of how much foundation repair may end up costing. The foundation repair company may only provide the cost of their work, but your total project should account for all of the repairs to the building after the foundation is repaired.

Here is an example of how much the cost can vary by differing system:

Lets assume that you are told that the entire house needs to be lifted or repaired. You are not sure if you the price is fair or if there are other options. So…here is an example of how you can compare pricing and scopes of work.

This example is fairly straight forward. It assumes that the entire house needs to be lifted. You should ask, where did we get this information. Well contrary to some foundation repair contractor’s belief, some houses that we see do need to get foundation repair so we investigate, research and help clients coordinate the repair. The information that we collect and gather is now shared with you to help keep you better informed. BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND, THESE NUMBERS VARY ACROSS THE STATE AND BY PROJECT SO DON’T ASSUME THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE FULLY APPLICABLE TO YOUR PROJECT. None the less, this a great exercise to start spinning your wheels on the things to consider for the project AND to know how pricing can vary between systems. Also, keep in mind that the list is not complete. There can always be more issues or repairs that need to be addressed on each project.

Option 1 – Concrete Pressed Piles (This is the cheapest system)

Cost Break Down –

  • Permitting = $300
  • Engineering Inspection (Don’t call this certification) = $600
  • Pile Cost = (building square footage) x 0.025 x $350
  • Interior Break Out = (building square footage) x 0.0125 x $75
  • Leveling or Lift = $2000
  • Plumbing Static Test = $800
  • Repair Plumbing (with permit) = $3000
  • Landscaping (After Repairs) = $1000
  • Interior Repairs to Cracks in Sheetrock = $3500
  • Repair Floor Tile = $4000
 

Option 2 – Steel Pressed Piles (Better than concrete pressed piles but still have limits)

Cost Break Down –

  • Permitting = $300
  • Engineering Inspection (Don’t call this certification) = $600
  • Pile Cost = (building square footage) x 0.025 x $550
  • Interior Break Out = (building square footage) x 0.0125 x $75
  • Leveling or Lift = $2000
  • Plumbing Static Test = $800
  • Repair Plumbing (with permit) = $3000
  • Landscaping (After Repairs) = $1000
  • Interior Repairs to Cracks in Sheetrock = $3500
  • Repair Flooring= $4000
 

Option 3 – Helical Steel Piles (Probably one of the best systems on the market but with limits)

Cost Break Down -

  • Permitting = $300
  • Engineering Inspection (Don’t call this certification) = $900
  • Pile Cost = (building square footage) x 0.025 x $700
  • Interior Break Out = (building square footage) x 0.0125 x $75
  • Leveling or Lift = $2000
  • Plumbing Static Test = $800
  • Repair Plumbing (with permit) = $3000
  • Landscaping (After Repairs) = $1000
  • Interior Repairs to Cracks in Sheetrock = $3500
  • Repair Flooring= $4000
 

Option 4 – Cast in Place Concrete Piers (Most pier designs are very well but again, with limits)

Cost Break Down -

 

Don’t let our comment next to the Option persuade you into buying one system over the other. Our comment is just a perspective on the quality of the system that you should expect in comparison to the not so good “concrete pressed piles”. The “with limits” comment on each option means that the system is not invincible but simply that it should perform significantly better than the cheapest pile system but can also have issues if conditions are not right.

 

We suggest that you consult with a license structural engineer prior to deciding on getting foundation repair. The information and insight that you can gain from visiting with the engineer can add some real value to understanding what you are doing to your house.