How Much Does Foundation Repair Cost? [2025 Data]

Your home’s stability depends on a solid foundation. Over time, shifting soil and the weight of the structure can cause minor cracks, leaks, or other issues. If left untreated, even small problems can lead to water damage, loss of structural integrity, or costly repairs. That’s why it’s important to act quickly and to understand foundation repair costs before problems get worse.

The average cost of foundation repair is $5,200, and most homeowners pay somewhere between $2,200 and $8,200. Your total will depend on the type of damage you’re experiencing, the corrective measures your pro needs to take, and whether or not the job requires permits, excavation, and special materials.

Cost of Foundation Repair

Cost of Foundation Repair by Type of Repair

The type of repair you need will dictate how much labor is required to get the job done, as well as what materials your pro will need, and these will both affect your foundation repair costs. Some types of repair require excavation, which is both time-consuming and labor-intensive, so these repairs will cost more than any other option.

Crack Sealing or Epoxy Injection

Crack sealing typically costs between $200 and $1,000. Foundation cracks are some of the most common types of foundation damage, and sealing them can prevent water intrusion if there’s no threat of instability. All foundations crack during the settling process, and a simple waterproofing seal over the crack could suffice if foundation leaks are the only concern.

If the cracks do suggest that there could be some foundation instability, an epoxy injection or polyurethane injection is a better option. While not permanent, it helps prevent further movement and provides a waterproof seal.

Mudjacking/Slab Jacking

Mudjacking, slab jacking, sandjacking, and polyjacking all involve pumping a hardening solution under a sunken foundation slab to lift it. Mudjacking and sandjacking typically use a cementitious mix, while polyjacking uses expanding polyurethane foam. The average cost for this type of repair ranges from $500 to $1,900.

All are affordable fixes for sunken slabs but aren’t permanent, as they don’t address the underlying issue. In some cases, heavy cementitious materials can worsen the problem by adding weight to unstable soil.

Foundation Sealing/Waterproofing

Foundation leaks are another very common problem homeowners face, and sealing and waterproofing are typical solutions. Foundation sealing can cost between $2,400 and $7,000, depending on the extent of the work. It can involve any or all of the following:

• Dampproofing: Excavation outside your foundation to apply a rubber membrane around the foundation to keep water away from the concrete.

• Waterproof paint: Applying latex paint inside basements or crawl spaces can help reduce moisture.

• Crack sealing: Filling in cracks with a masonry or epoxy product can help prevent water and moisture from coming through cracks in the concrete.

These solutions are more like band-aids and aren’t permanent solutions. Waterproofing is a more holistic and comprehensive approach to keeping water and moisture out of your basement or crawl space, and it can include exterior drainage systems, interior drainage systems, and other methods for dealing with moisture. Waterproofing is much more expensive, but it can be a permanent solution.

Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Strips

Carbon fiber reinforcement strips are another temporary solution for adding stability to foundation walls. This solution typically costs between $4,000 and $12,000. A pro will install them vertically on the insides of your basement or crawl space walls to prevent inward wall bowing from hydrostatic pressure. Again, you should couple these with a waterproofing setup for the best results.

Foundation Tiebacks

Foundation tiebacks are helical piers installed in your yard that then connect to a supportive plate on the inside of your foundation to provide support. Each tieback can cost $1,500 to $2,000, and a typical project can require several, making the total cost range from $5,000 to $15,000. Tiebacks reinforce your foundation wall and help prevent hydrostatic pressure from moisture in the surrounding soil from caving in the wall and causing structural damage. Tiebacks are a temporary solution, so you should usually couple them with waterproofing for the best results.

Underpinning/Piering

Underpinning or piering is the most common and most effective solution for sinking foundations and instability under your home. This process typically costs between $10,000 and $40,000. Piers are long supports that reach underground and support your home where the surrounding soil no longer can.

There are different types of piers that range in price from $1,000 to $3,000. Steel piers are long and reach down to bedrock, concrete piers stretch to a depth below the frost line to stable soil for better support, and helical piers are like large screws that spread the weight across the threads, usually in shallow, sandy soils. Total costs for underpinning can reach as high as $40,000, largely because the repair involves a lot of excavation and jacking up your home temporarily.

House Lifting

House lifting uses hydraulic jacks to relieve pressure on a foundation. It’s expensive and usually temporary, often done alongside other foundation repairs or replacement because it requires large-scale excavation under the home. The cost for house lifting ranges from $20,000 to $30,000.

Major Factors That Affect the Cost of Foundation Repair

Foundation repair can cost as little as $200 to seal a small crack to prevent water intrusion, but costs can climb up to $40,000 if you need stabilization techniques like underpinning or an extensive waterproofing solution to prevent ongoing moisture problems. There are a few key factors to consider to get an idea of where your foundation repair total will fall.

Severity and Type of Damage

The main factors affecting foundation repair costs are the type and severity of the damage.

Small hairline cracks (under ⅛”) that are level often only need sealing to prevent moisture. Structural cracks, like stair-step cracks in basement walls, require more extensive repairs, often including underpinning, which is much more expensive.

Any structural damage or comprehensive solutions, such as full waterproofing for ongoing water, humidity, or mold issues, will also increase costs.

Foundation Repair Cost by Foundation Type

Foundation repair costs depend heavily on the type of foundation your home has. Some foundation types are less vulnerable to certain problems. For example, a slab foundation doesn’t have walls or an underhome area where moisture can build up, so tiebacks, wall stabilization, and intensive waterproofing solutions will never be required if your home sits on a slab. As a result, slab foundation repairs are generally less expensive than basement foundation repairs.

On the other hand, basements and crawl spaces provide easy access to the interior of the foundation for repairs, so minor repairs like crack sealing are less invasive and more affordable than they would be with a slab foundation.

Concrete Slab Foundation Repair Cost 

Concrete slabs tend to be the most affordable foundation types to repair, with average costs ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Slab foundations are challenging to access unless you’re addressing problems in exposed areas, like at the corners of your home or in the garage, but they come with the fewest problems because there’s no risk of foundation wall damage like there is with crawl spaces and basements.

Pier and Beam Foundation Repair Cost

Pier and beam foundations are easy to access for repairs and rarely require waterproofing since there’s minimal exposure of concrete to soil moisture. However, underpinning for the supportive piers can drive prices up, making the average costs range from $2,000 to $15,000. The low-end costs will usually be a bit lower than with other foundation types because hairline cracks aren’t an issue with pier and beam foundations.

Crawl Space Foundation Repair Cost

Crawl spaces are usually more expensive to repair than slab foundations because you have additional concrete block walls that can sustain damage, in addition to your slab or pier supports. The average cost of crawl space foundation repairs ranges from $2,500 to $12,000. Concrete block wall repairs can involve underpinning or helical tiebacks, which drive up the repair costs, but prices can sit as low as $200 to seal hairline cracks if your crawl space has a concrete slab acting as the base.

Basement Foundation Repair Cost

Basement foundations tend to come with the most expensive repairs because they sit the deepest in the ground and have the most exposure to expanding soil and moisture. Repair costs range from $2,500 to $25,000.

Sealing hairline cracks in the concrete block walls or the slab that acts as your basement floor can cost as little as $200. However, more extensive work like underpinning, helical tiebacks, waterproofing, and other repairs for bowing foundation walls and structural issues can push costs much higher.

House Foundation Repair Cost per Square Foot

On average, you can expect to spend between $1.50 and $12 per square foot on average for foundation repairs. The cost varies so widely because the repair method has a major impact on the cost per square foot. Something like sealing a hairline crack in a slab or foundation wall will take minimal time and effort and can cost just a fraction of what you’d spend on excavation, housejacking, and pier installation for a sinking foundation and related structural damage.

Most foundation repair experts will charge based on the extent of the work necessary to implement a permanent solution to your problem, but you can use the table below to get an idea of how your costs can vary based on the size of your foundation. Larger homes will naturally have higher costs.

Foundation Repair Cost by Issue

The type of issue you’re experiencing will determine what foundation repair methods are viable options, and the actual solution will play an important role in your total repair cost. Problems that are structural in nature will almost always be the most expensive, followed by issues with water or moisture intrusion. Less severe problems like foundation cracks will be the most affordable to repair, as the process tends to be the least invasive.

Cracked Foundation Repair Cost

Foundation crack repair tends to be the most affordable type of repair, totaling between $200 and $1,000, in most cases. There’s a major exception here, though, as some foundation cracks indicate structural damage that requires much more intensive and costly repairs. For hairline cracks and cracks that don’t suggest more severe issues, though, you can expect to pay less than $1,000 to seal them to prevent expansion and water intrusion.

Foundation Leak Repair Cost

Foundation water leak repairs cost anywhere from $2,000 for minor issues with water intrusion to $10,000 for comprehensive basement waterproofing. Foundation leak repair often involves a multi-faceted approach, so costs vary widely based on the extent of the leak and the underlying issue.

Related problems, like high humidity in your underhome area, mold growth, and foundation spalling repair costs, can all add to the total.

Bowed Foundation Wall Repair Cost

Bowing walls in your basement or crawl space suggest a problem with drainage outside, which might mean you need to start by installing gutters and downspouts or something like a French drain to reduce hydrostatic pressure on your foundation walls. You may also need foundation wall stabilization in the form of helical tiebacks or carbon fiber strips to add stability. These solutions cost between $4,000 and $15,000, in most cases.

Settling and Sinking Foundation Repair Cost

Severe foundation settling and sinking are usually the most expensive problems to fix, as these issues indicate structural damage. You’ll usually need major repairs, like underpinning or basement wall stabilization, and it’s not uncommon to have to couple these fixes with waterproofing solutions to address the underlying problem. Expect to pay anywhere from $4,500 up to $25,000 or more for underpinning to correct uneven foundation settlement or sinking portions of concrete.

Labor and Permits

There’s a good chance your foundation repairs will need permits, especially if the solution involves excavation or any kind of structural reinforcement. Permit costs vary based on the extent of the work and the fee schedule your local building department uses, but expect permit fees to add between $75 and $150 to your total.

Soil Condition and Stability

Most foundation issues stem from the soil surrounding your home, which means the type of soil in your area and the stability it provides can affect your average foundation repair costs. Loamy soil, which includes a healthy mix of sand, silt, and clay, tends to create the fewest foundation issues and leads to the lowest repair costs. Clay soil is highly expansive and can put excess pressure on your foundation with changes in moisture, leading to the highest average repair costs. Sandy soil offers the least stability, so it can also create instability problems, but they tend to be less severe than with clayey soil.

Accessibility

Most of what you’ll pay for foundation repairs will go toward labor costs, and accessibility will play a big role in your total repair costs. Basement and crawl space foundations can be less expensive to repair than slab foundations in some cases because the interior of the foundation is fully exposed and easy to access. How easy it is to bring in heavy equipment also affects costs, especially for major structural repairs.

Additional Costs to Consider

The type of repair you need and the extent of the damage are the most crucial cost factors to consider, but there are many other things that can play a more minor role in your foundation repair costs. Be sure to consider all of the following to avoid surprises.

• Structural engineer report: Since your entire home relies on your foundation for support and stability, the risk of structural issues as a result of foundation damage is high. It’s a good idea to hire a structural engineer to take a look at your problem, even if it seems minor, to rule out bigger issues. A structural engineer’s report costs anywhere from $300 to $2,000, depending on the scope of the assessment.

• Soil report: With geotechnical issues that cause foundation instability, it might be helpful to have a soil report, which can guide your foundation repair pro to the best possible solution for your issue. A geotechnical report can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000.

• Unexpected obstacles or hidden damage: Your foundation repair pro may run into unexpected problems, like obstructions in the ground that make excavation more challenging, or hidden damages, like mold growth or water damage behind the walls in finished basements. These can add thousands of dollars to your total and are, unfortunately, hard to plan for.

• Build-back: Since a lot of foundation repairs are invasive and require excavation and exposing the inside of foundation walls, your repairs may involve breaking up landscaping features or removing finishes in a basement, like drywall and flooring. Build-back to restore your property to its original condition can bump up your foundation repair costs significantly.

DIY vs. Professional Foundation Repair

Labor for foundation repair can cost up to around $200 per hour, and labor makes up a significant portion of your total, especially if your project involves excavation. DIY repairs may seem like a way to save money, but they’re generally not recommended. Minor cosmetic fixes, like sealing hairline cracks, can be done if a structural engineer confirms there’s no underlying issue. Beyond that, it is always best to hire a professional.

Foundation repair is complicated, and it’s easy to make mistakes or miss the underlying cause of the problem, which will only lead to ongoing issues. Errors can be extremely costly since your entire home relies on your foundation for stability, so DIYing with no experience can lead to costly consequences, including leaks, mold, pest issues, or serious structural damage. Hire a reputable foundation repair company to ensure you get a permanent solution that addresses the underlying issue.

Signs Your Foundation Needs Repair

Since foundation damage can present in many different ways, so recognizing the signs early is key. You can scan the exterior and interior of your home to look for the following signs of foundation issues annually or semi-annually to identify problems early.

Exterior Signs of Foundation Issues

Here are some of the most common signs of a foundation problem homeowners notice on the exterior of their homes.

• Cracks in the foundation wall: Scan the exposed section of your foundation on the outside to look for cracks. Small, vertical cracks usually aren’t a major problem, but stair-step cracks, especially around the corners of your home, can suggest uneven settlement.

• Sagging roof: A sagging or wavy roofline can also suggest a lack of support from your home’s foundation since all of the framing in your house relies on the foundation for stability.

• Chimney leaning away from your house: If your chimney is separating from your structure, leaning away, or suffering from stair-step cracks, it could suggest that the foundation underneath isn’t providing the necessary support.

• Damage to brick, stucco, or stone siding: Siding materials that involve masonry, like brick, stucco, and stone, can crack if the support from underneath is uneven or lacking. These cracks can suggest a more severe problem with the foundation below the damaged area.

Interior Signs of Foundation Issues

You should also be on the lookout for the following problems inside your home, all of which can suggest foundation issues.

• Windows and doors that stick or won’t close: When your foundation shifts and provides uneven support, your window and door frames will also move out of square, leading to windows and doors that stick or are hard to operate. Note that this could also just be an issue with humidity and heat if the problem is seasonal.

• Cracks in drywall around doors and windows: Cracks in the drywall around windows and doors, particularly around the corners of the wall openings, can also suggest a shifting foundation for the same reasons.

• Sloped or wavy floors: Similarly, sloped floors and wavy floors can suggest uneven settlement of your foundation, which could suggest structural problems.

• Bowing foundation walls: If you can access the area under your home, use a long level to make sure the concrete block walls are plumb. If they’re bowing inward, you may have an issue with hydrostatic pressure from the soil outside, which could result in structural instability.

• Cracks in your basement walls or floor: Inspect the exposed walls and floors in your crawl space or basement for cracks. It’s a good idea to have small cracks sealed to prevent water and moisture problems. For larger cracks, you should call in a structural engineer to make sure you don’t have more severe problems.

• Efflorescence on your foundation walls: Efflorescence is a white, powdery substance that accumulates on the inside of foundation walls when water soaks through the concrete and evaporates inside. A waterproofing setup is probably a good idea if you notice efflorescence in your home, and you might need interior measures, too, like a dehumidifier.

How to Save Money on Foundation Repair

Foundation repair can very quickly get expensive, especially if you need to carry out remediation for mold or pests or implement waterproofing systems and structural repairs. Luckily, there are some things you can do to reduce the cost of foundation repair:

• Schedule routine foundation inspections: One of the best ways to avoid expensive foundation repairs is an annual professional inspection. Early detection keeps solutions more affordable. You can also carry out DIY foundation inspections between professional assessments to be extra proactive.

• Set up basic waterproofing before you notice problems: Installing gutters and downspouts is a simple way to prevent foundation damage and leaks. You can also grade soil away from your home to help improve natural drainage.

• Get multiple estimates: Foundation contractors vary widely in their skills and prices, so get at least three quotes and compare them based on value before choosing a pro.

• Treat the underlying problem: Some affordable foundation repairs aren’t permanent and can lead to ongoing problems. Make sure your pro is addressing the underlying issue for the best long-term results and the lowest expenses over time.

• Schedule during the off-season. If you can, try to book your foundation repairs during the off-season. Contractors are usually less busy, which means you might get faster service and even better pricing.

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