What Does It Cost to Repair a Foundation?

When homeowners suspect foundation damage, usually the fear of an expensive, time-consuming, and messy job results in pretending the problem isn’t there. In truth, however, waiting to repair your foundation can create additional problems and increased expenses. The better solution is to get the facts on foundation repair, and take action before the situation worsens. Then homeowners can better answer the question, “What Does It Cost to Repair a Foundation?”

Several variables can affect the overall cost of foundation repair, but the dominant factor is the repair method.  Methods of repair include Bell Bottom Pier, Pressed Piling, Pressed Piling with Inserts, and Steel Piling methods. The range of repair costs can be from $5000 to $25,000, depending on the method and size of the job.

Why is this range so great?

Different methods require varying amounts of labor, time to complete the job, some require more concrete, such as Bell Bottom Piers, and it’s worth noting that the Bell Bottom Pier method as done by Dawson Foundation includes steel rebar, not used in other methods. These costs and contractor expenses make it difficult to narrow the range of expenses, but a better way to break it down is a cost per pier or piling.

The average foundation repair job includes about 16 piers or pilings to repair the home’s foundation. Here’s what we find if we look at the retail prices charged by contractors from that perspective:

  • Bell Bottom Pier:                 $475 – 700/per pier
  • Pressed Piling:                    $400 – 400/per piling
  • Pressed Piling with Inserts:   $375 – 700/per piling

(For itemized detail on these prices, please see the “Comparative Chart” link at the bottom of this article.)

Considerations

The cost for Bell Bottom Piers is higher due primarily to two differences in this method. Namely, there are almost twice as many man hours that go into this method, and the process of Mud Pumping increases the per pier cost if Mud Pumping is necessary. (Mud Pumping is not used on every repair job.)

This pier design – poured concrete reinforced with steel rebar – is the same design used in the construction of commercial multi-story buildings, bridges, and highway overpasses. It is a significantly more lasting method which can be seen in the fact that commercial buildings rarely experience foundation damage.

Most foundation repair companies will not offer the Bell Bottom Pier method because their profit margin is lowered with the additional materials and manpower required to complete the job. However, in spite of costs being 3.5 times greater to the company, Dawson Foundation Repair believes this is the only proven and reliable method worthy of a customer’s long-term safety and satisfaction.

While most homeowners aren’t thrilled at the thought of foundation repair costs, it’s important to remember that a home is the biggest investment that most people make. Keeping the home in safe and marketable condition is well worth it.

Dawson Foundation Repair installs Bell Bottom Piers because it is the Highest Quality Foundation Repair method available in Texas for homeowners.  Do you think the various methods of  stacked concrete cylinders can compare?  They can’t and the structural engineers at A-1 Engineering call them “temporary” and “almost useless.” That is why we install Bell Bottom Piers.

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