What Affects a Foundation Repair Cost Estimate?

When your home foundation needs repair, you will probably get an estimate from one or more contractors. Most of the time, these amounts are within a close range of each other. What affects this cost? Here is a look at conditions that can raise or lower your foundation repair costs.

Type of Damage

There are three main types of foundation damage. The first is cosmetic, visible defects that don’t endanger the stability of your home. These often show up first when your foundation is weak and can be exhibited as cracks in your exterior brick or interior walls and ceiling. Repairing the cosmetic damage is usually its own cost, then the foundation will be assessed for repairs to prevent further damage.

The second type of foundation damage is called “functional.” This pertains to parts of your home no longer functioning as intended due to shifts in your foundation. Doors and windows that stick or won’t close are an example of functional foundation damage.

Finally, there’s structural damage. This can take the form of huge breaks in your foundation, walls or ceiling. This level of damage can be dangerous and foundation repair is a must. Structural damage usually needs the most repair work and can be the most expensive.

Necessary Tests

Some tests need to be run to determine the scope of repairs your foundation needs, which can also impact your final cost. These additional costs can include engineer reports, permits and plumbing tests. The engineer report can assess how much repair you need, such as the number of piers in a pier and beam house. Permits are used by local authorities to reduce worksite accidents, and a plumbing test can determine if your plumbing needs to be involved in your repair.

A foundation repair estimate tells you a lot about how much damage there is to your home. A high cost probably means there is a lot of structural damage. Get multiple estimates so you can be sure your contractor is trustworthy.