Foundation Repair Cost Guide: What You'll Really Pay in 2026

Introduction: What Does Foundation Repair Actually Cost?

Foundation repair is one of those projects where the price range is so wide it almost feels meaningless. You will see national averages quoted as “$2,200 to $25,000” — and while that range is accurate, it does not tell you much about what your specific project will cost. A hairline crack seal and a full piering job are both “foundation repair,” but they are separated by an order of magnitude in price.

This guide breaks down foundation repair costs by repair type, explains the factors that move your project toward the low or high end of each range, and gives you practical tools for getting accurate estimates and financing the work. If you are not yet sure what type of repair you need, start with our guide on repair methods compared to understand your options before diving into pricing.

National Average Foundation Repair Costs in 2026

Based on aggregated contractor pricing data, insurance claim records, and industry surveys, here are the national averages for residential foundation repair in 2026:

• Median project cost: $5,500
• Typical range: $2,200 to $12,000 (covers roughly 80% of residential projects)
• Low end: $250 to $800 (minor crack repairs)
• High end: $15,000 to $25,000+ (major structural piering, full wall replacement, or combination repairs)

These numbers reflect completed projects including labor, materials, permits, and engineering fees where applicable. They do not include cosmetic repairs to drywall, flooring, or finishes that may be needed after the structural work is complete.

It is worth emphasizing that the “average” is heavily influenced by the mix of repair types. Simple crack injections pull the average down, while piering projects pull it up. The most useful way to think about cost is by repair type, which we cover next.

Cost Breakdown by Repair Type

Crack Repair: $250 to $2,500

Foundation crack repair is the most affordable category and the most common starting point for homeowners noticing their first signs of trouble.

Epoxy or polyurethane injection ($250 to $800): For non-structural cracks — typically vertical or diagonal hairline cracks caused by concrete shrinkage or minor settling — injection is the standard fix. A technician injects epoxy (for structural bonding) or polyurethane foam (for waterproofing) into the crack from the interior. Most cracks can be repaired in under two hours.

Exterior crack excavation and sealing ($500 to $1,500): For cracks that are actively leaking or where interior injection has failed, the exterior approach involves excavating to expose the foundation wall, cleaning the crack, applying hydraulic cement and membrane waterproofing, and backfilling. This is more labor-intensive and requires equipment access along the foundation.

Structural crack repair with carbon fiber or staples ($800 to $2,500): Cracks wider than 1/4 inch or those showing signs of ongoing movement may need structural reinforcement. Carbon fiber strips applied across the crack, or steel staples set in epoxy across the crack path, provide tensile strength that prevents further widening. See our guide on foundation crack types to understand which cracks are cosmetic and which are structural concerns.

Piering (Underpinning): $5,000 to $25,000

Piering is the heavy-duty solution for foundations that are actively settling — sinking unevenly into the ground. It is the most expensive common repair but also the most permanent.

Steel push piers ($1,000 to $3,000 per pier): Hydraulically driven steel pipe sections that reach bedrock or stable deep soil. Most residential projects require 6 to 12 piers. Total cost: $8,000 to $25,000.

Helical piers ($1,500 to $3,500 per pier): Screw-type piers rotated into the ground with a hydraulic motor. Slightly more expensive per unit than push piers but necessary in certain soil conditions and for lighter structures. Total cost: $10,000 to $25,000.

Pier cost depends heavily on quantity. A corner of the house settling may need only 3 to 4 piers ($5,000 to $10,000), while the entire front wall settling could require 8 to 12 piers ($12,000 to $25,000). The structural engineer’s report will specify pier locations and spacing.

Mudjacking and Foam Injection: $500 to $10,000

These methods lift settled concrete slabs by pumping material into the void beneath them. They are most commonly used for slab-on-grade foundations, driveways, patios, and garage floors.

Mudjacking ($3 to $6 per square foot): A cement-and-sand slurry is pumped beneath the slab to lift it. Affordable and fast, but the heavy slurry can contribute to future settlement. Typical total: $500 to $3,000 for most residential slab sections.

Polyurethane foam injection ($5 to $25 per square foot): Expanding foam fills voids and lifts the slab with precision. Lighter weight than mudjacking slurry and waterproof, but more expensive. Typical total: $2,000 to $10,000 for a residential project.

The choice between mudjacking and foam depends on your soil conditions, budget, and how critical precision is. Foam is the better investment for interior living spaces; mudjacking is often adequate for exterior flatwork like driveways and patios.

Wall Anchors and Stabilization: $3,000 to $10,000

Bowing basement or crawl space walls require a fundamentally different approach than settling foundations. Wall anchors and carbon fiber reinforcement address lateral pressure from expansive soils or hydrostatic forces pushing walls inward.

Wall anchors ($400 to $800 per anchor): Earth anchors buried in the yard connect via steel rods to plates bolted on the interior wall face. Anchors are typically spaced 5 to 6 feet apart. Total cost for a typical wall: $3,000 to $8,000. Over time, seasonal tightening can gradually straighten the wall.

Carbon fiber reinforcement ($300 to $600 per strip): High-strength carbon fiber strips are epoxied to the wall to prevent further inward movement. Best for early-stage bowing under 1 inch. Total cost: $2,000 to $5,000 per wall.

I-beam braces ($400 to $700 per beam): Steel I-beams are installed vertically against the bowing wall and anchored to the floor slab and floor joists above. Total cost: $3,000 to $10,000 per wall. Effective but visually prominent in unfinished basements.

Foundation Waterproofing: $2,000 to $10,000

Waterproofing is sometimes a standalone project and sometimes part of a larger foundation repair scope. Persistent water intrusion can accelerate foundation damage, so addressing it is often critical even if the foundation is not yet structurally compromised.

Interior drainage system with sump pump ($2,000 to $6,000): A perforated drain channel is installed along the interior perimeter of the basement or crawl space floor, directing water to a sump pit with an electric pump that discharges it away from the foundation.

Exterior waterproofing membrane ($5,000 to $10,000): The full exterior approach involves excavating around the foundation, applying a waterproof membrane or coating to the wall, installing a drainage board and footer drain, and backfilling with gravel. This is the most thorough approach but also the most disruptive and expensive.

Crack injection for water leaks ($300 to $1,000): Polyurethane injection to seal individual cracks that are admitting water. The most targeted and affordable approach when water entry is limited to specific cracks.

Factors That Affect Your Foundation Repair Cost

Understanding what drives cost helps you interpret quotes and spot outliers. Here are the primary variables.

Severity of Damage

This is the single biggest cost driver. A hairline crack from concrete shrinkage costs $300 to fix. A foundation that has settled 3 inches and pulled away from the framing above it could cost $20,000 or more. Severity determines the repair method, the materials, the labor hours, and the engineering complexity.

Access and Working Conditions

Contractors need to get equipment and materials to the work area. A foundation with clear access, level ground, and no obstructions costs less to repair than one surrounded by decking, landscaping, utility lines, or steep grades. Interior access matters too — a finished basement with drywall, flooring, and built-ins adds cost because those finishes must be removed and later replaced.

Soil Type and Conditions

The soil beneath your home is either part of the problem or the key to the solution. Expansive clay soils, common across Texas, the Southeast, and parts of the Midwest, cause repeated swelling and shrinking cycles that stress foundations. Piering through clay to reach stable soil may require longer piers driven to greater depth, increasing cost. Sandy or loamy soils are generally more stable and less expensive to work in.

Foundation Type

Slab-on-grade, crawl space, and full basement foundations each present different repair challenges and cost profiles. Slab foundations are the most common in the South and Southwest and are typically repaired with piering or foam injection. Basement foundations in the Northeast and Midwest may need wall stabilization in addition to or instead of settlement repair. Crawl space foundations offer easier access for pier installation but may require additional moisture control work.

Geographic Region

Foundation repair costs vary substantially by region due to differences in labor rates, soil conditions, code requirements, and market competition. Projects in high-cost-of-living metros like San Francisco, New York, or Boston run 20 to 40 percent above national averages. Projects in rural areas or lower-cost markets in the South and Midwest tend to come in below average. Check our state cost pages for localized pricing data.

Permits and Engineering

Many municipalities require a building permit for structural foundation work, and most reputable contractors will recommend or require a structural engineer’s report before beginning work. Permit costs range from $75 to $500 depending on jurisdiction. A structural engineer’s evaluation and report runs $300 to $800. While these fees add to the total project cost, they also protect you from unnecessary or inadequate repairs.

Warranty Scope

The cost of the repair often includes the cost of the warranty. A contractor offering a transferable, lifetime warranty on piering work may charge more upfront than one offering a limited 5-year warranty, but the lifetime warranty has real value — especially if you sell the home.

How to Get Accurate Estimates

The wide range of potential costs makes it essential to get project-specific estimates rather than relying on national averages. Here is a practical process for getting accurate numbers.

Step 1: Start with an Independent Engineering Assessment

Before calling any contractors, hire a licensed structural engineer to evaluate your foundation. This typically costs $300 to $800 and gives you a written report specifying the problem, the cause, and the recommended repair approach. Having this report in hand before soliciting contractor quotes serves two purposes: it ensures all contractors are bidding on the same scope of work, and it protects you from contractors who might recommend more (or different) work than is actually needed.

Step 2: Get at Least Three Contractor Quotes

With your engineer’s report in hand, request quotes from at least three reputable foundation repair contractors. Our guide on choosing a foundation contractor covers the vetting process in detail. Make sure each contractor visits the site, reviews the engineering report, and provides a detailed written quote specifying the repair method, materials, number of piers or anchors, warranty terms, permit responsibility, and timeline.

Step 3: Compare Apples to Apples

Review the quotes side by side. Are all three proposing the same repair method? If not, ask each contractor why they chose their approach and how it relates to the engineer’s recommendation. Look beyond the bottom line to compare warranty terms, brand of materials (some pier manufacturers have better track records than others), and whether engineering monitoring during installation is included.

Step 4: Ask About Additional Costs

Foundation repair quotes sometimes exclude items that you will still need to pay for. Ask each contractor whether the quote includes permits, engineer fees, landscaping restoration, concrete replacement for areas that were removed for access, and cosmetic repairs to interior finishes. Getting a complete picture upfront prevents budget surprises.

Financing Foundation Repair

Foundation repair is rarely a planned expense, and the costs can be substantial. Here are the most common financing approaches homeowners use.

Home equity loan or HELOC: If you have equity in your home, a home equity loan or line of credit typically offers the lowest interest rates for a repair of this size. Rates in 2026 generally range from 7 to 10 percent, and the interest may be tax-deductible since the work improves your property.

Contractor financing: Many established foundation repair companies offer financing through third-party lenders. Terms vary widely — some offer promotional zero-percent rates for 12 to 18 months, while others charge 10 to 15 percent APR. Read the fine print carefully, especially regarding deferred-interest promotions.

Personal loan: Unsecured personal loans from banks, credit unions, or online lenders can fund smaller foundation projects. Rates are higher than secured home equity products (typically 8 to 15 percent) but approval is faster and no appraisal is needed.

Insurance claim: Homeowners insurance covers foundation repair in certain limited circumstances. See our detailed guide on foundation repair insurance coverage to understand what is and is not covered, and how to file a claim when coverage applies.

FHA Title I loan: If you have an FHA-insured mortgage, the FHA Title I Home Improvement Loan program allows borrowing up to $25,000 for property improvements including structural repairs. These loans are issued by participating lenders and insured by the government.

The ROI of Foundation Repair

Homeowners sometimes ask whether foundation repair is “worth it,” especially when the cost is significant relative to the home’s value. The answer is almost always yes, and here is why.

Protecting Home Value

Unrepaired foundation problems reduce a home’s market value by 10 to 15 percent according to most real estate appraisers, and the discount applied by informed buyers is often greater than the actual cost of repair. A $5,000 foundation issue on a $300,000 home could suppress the sale price by $30,000 to $45,000 because buyers factor in uncertainty, inconvenience, and the risk that the problem is worse than disclosed.

Preventing Escalation

Foundation problems do not stabilize on their own — they worsen over time. A $2,000 crack repair ignored today can become a $15,000 piering project in five years as the underlying settlement progresses. Water intrusion through untreated cracks leads to mold, wood rot, and interior damage that multiplies the eventual repair cost. Early intervention is always more cost-effective.

Enabling Sale

Homes with known foundation problems are extremely difficult to sell through conventional channels. Most lenders will not approve a mortgage on a home with unresolved structural issues, which eliminates the vast majority of potential buyers. Repairing the foundation before listing, or as part of a negotiated sale, keeps the full buyer pool available and avoids the steep discounts demanded by cash investors who specialize in distressed properties.

Warranty Transfer

A properly repaired foundation with a transferable warranty from a reputable contractor is often a selling point rather than a liability. Buyers see the warranty documentation and know the problem has been professionally addressed with ongoing protection. Some buyers even prefer a home with a documented, warrantied repair over one that has never been inspected at all.

Common Cost Mistakes to Avoid

Choosing the cheapest bid without understanding why it is cheapest. A significantly lower quote may reflect fewer piers, a less permanent method, a shorter warranty, skipped permits, or a contractor cutting corners on materials. Always understand what explains the price difference.

Delaying repair to avoid the expense. As discussed above, foundation problems compound over time. The longer you wait, the more extensive and expensive the eventual repair will be.

Skipping the engineering assessment. Spending $300 to $800 on an independent engineer’s report saves you from overpaying for unnecessary work or underpaying for inadequate work. It is the highest-ROI dollar you will spend on the entire project.

Ignoring drainage and soil moisture. Foundation repair addresses the symptom but not always the cause. If poor drainage, broken gutters, or improper grading directed water against your foundation, the same forces will continue to act on the repaired structure. Budget for drainage improvements alongside structural repair.

Not budgeting for cosmetic restoration. Foundation repair involves drilling, excavating, and sometimes removing interior finishes. Budget an additional 10 to 20 percent above the structural repair cost for drywall repair, repainting, landscaping restoration, and concrete replacement.

Next Steps

Foundation repair is a significant investment, but it is one that protects your home’s structural integrity, market value, and livability. Armed with accurate cost expectations and a clear understanding of what drives pricing, you are in a strong position to evaluate contractor proposals and make informed decisions.

Start by requesting free estimates from vetted foundation repair contractors in your area. For help evaluating those contractors once the quotes arrive, see our guide on how to choose a foundation repair contractor. If you are wondering whether your homeowners insurance might cover part of the cost, read our guide on foundation repair insurance coverage.