What is the concept of foundation repair?

Foundation repair is the work of stabilizing a house that has settled, cracked, or shifted so it stops moving and the load gets carried safely again. The idea is simple. Find why the foundation moved, stop that movement, then strengthen or anchor the part that failed. We do this in-house, and a single repair like a crack injection starts around $1,000 to $3,000.

Foundation repair is a family of fixes, not one fix. Each one is matched to one of two problems: the wall is bowing or cracking, or the footing under the house is sinking. Different problem, different repair.

Why foundations move in the first place

Most of it comes back to the dirt against your house. When your home was built, the crew dug a hole, poured the foundation, then pushed the soil back in. That pushed-back soil is disturbed backfill. It is looser than the ground that was never touched, so it drains slowly and holds water. Wet, heavy soil presses on the wall.

Then winter shows up. Here in New Hampshire the ground freezes and frost heave pushes that soil inward against the wall. Push on a wall season after season and it starts to bow or crack. That is the most common foundation call we get.

The other path is settlement. The footing under part of the house loses its support and that corner or section drops. You see it as stair-step cracks, sticking doors, or a sloped floor.

How the repair actually works

Once we know which problem you have, the repair fits the problem.

For a cracked wall that is still straight, we seal the crack with an epoxy or polyurethane injection. That fills the crack full depth and keeps water out. Crack injection starts around $1,000 to $3,000 and carries a 10-year warranty.

For a wall that is bowing inward, we add tension support so it cannot keep moving. Carbon-fiber straps bond to the wall and hold it in place, starting around $850 each with a 25-year warranty. For more push, a power brace gives you adjustable steel support from around $1,300 per brace.

For a house that is settling, we go under the load. Helical piers screw down to firm soil or bedrock and transfer the weight off the bad dirt, starting around $2,700 per pier for the first three, then $2,200 per pier after that with a 25-year engineered warranty. Inside, a sagging beam or bouncy floor often gets a lally column or floor support from around $1,300 to $2,500. A rotted sill or beam gets replaced from around $7,000 to $40,000. When a whole wall needs backup, we build an auxiliary (sister) wall from around about $1,350 per linear foot.

A few jobs we will not price over the phone. A full foundation-wall rebuild, wall anchors, or steel I-beams: we price that after we see it. And to be clear, we repair foundations, we do not pour new ones for new construction.

What you might not need yet

A hairline crack is not always an emergency. Some are cosmetic and just need watching. We will tell you if yours can wait. If a wall is bowing past a safe point, that is when straps or a brace earn their keep. We would rather teach you where you stand than sell you a brace you do not need this year.

We self-perform the structural lifting and helical work, so the crew on your job is our crew. The inspection is free, the estimate is free, and you get a quote within 24 hours.

Want to see the full menu? Start with our structural and foundation repair hub, or read up on helical piers, sill replacement, and supplemental support. If water is part of your story, basement waterproofing and crawl space services often go hand in hand with foundation work. Every repair stands behind the 603 guarantee.

For the building science behind soil and water at the foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program is a solid neutral read. If you are filing on damage, the Insurance Information Institute explains what foundation coverage usually does and does not include.

Book a free inspection

Cracks, a bowing wall, or a floor that has started to slope: get eyes on it before another winter. Call us at 603-610-1770 or book your free inspection and we will give you a clear read and a quote within 24 hours.

Related questions

Is a crack in my foundation serious? It depends on the crack. A thin vertical crack is often cosmetic and we will tell you if it can wait. A widening or stair-step crack, or one with a wall bowing inward, means the wall is under load and should be looked at. Sealing starts around $1,000 to $3,000.

What is the difference between waterproofing and foundation repair? Waterproofing keeps water out of a basement. Foundation repair stops the structure from moving. They overlap, because the same wet backfill that floods a basement can also push a wall inward, so we often handle both on one visit. Basement waterproofing is its own system, the Forever Dry System.

How long does foundation repair last? That depends on the repair. Crack injection carries a 10-year warranty, carbon-fiber wall stabilization and helical piers carry 25 years, and floor support posts carry 10 years. The 25-year piers are engineered. See the 603 guarantee for the full list.

Do you build new foundations? No. We repair existing foundations, we do not pour new ones for new builds. If your foundation has cracked, settled, or bowed, that is our work.