Guide
What affects the cost of foundation repair
You will not find a price list here, because an honest one does not exist. A repair is priced from a plan, and the plan comes from measurements of your house. What this page can do is show you what the money buys.
Eight things that move the number
How many piers
Most bids are built up pier by pier. The count follows how much of the perimeter has dropped and how closely the plan spaces the supports.
How deep they go
Deeper piers use more material and more time. Some contracts include a set depth and charge for anything beyond it, so read that clause.
The kind of pier
Pressed concrete, steel, helical and drilled piers differ in material and labour, so check that two bids are quoting the same kind.
Getting to the spot
A pier beside open lawn is simple. One under a deck, behind an air conditioner, beneath a driveway or in the middle of the kitchen is not.
Slab or pier and beam
Crawl space work is priced by the pier, the shim, and the length of beam or joist replaced, plus the difficulty of working in a low space.
Engineering
An independent engineer's evaluation before the work and a letter after it are separate fees, unless the contract says the company pays them.
The permit
The City of Sugar Land charges a fee for a foundation permit. Ask whether it is in the bid. See permits in Sugar Land.
What comes after
Plumbing tests, any pipe repairs they lead to, brick and drywall patching, flooring, and replanting are often outside the foundation contract.
Comparing two bids fairly
Lay the drawings side by side before you look at the totals. If one plan has twelve piers along the back wall and the other has twenty round three sides, the companies disagree about what is wrong, and the price gap follows from that. Ask each to explain its layout.
Then check what each price includes: depth, permit, engineer's letter, plumbing test, tunnelling, clean-up, and the warranty terms.
The Texas Attorney General's advice on home improvement contracts is worth ten minutes. It says to get bids in writing from more than one contractor, to be wary of a bid far below the others, and to make sure everything you were promised is written into the contract.
Paying for it
The same Attorney General page advises against paying in full before the work is finished and you have looked it over. A deposit followed by a payment on completion is common. If a company offers financing, compare its terms with a loan you arrange yourself.
On insurance: many homeowner policies exclude damage from settling and soil movement. Some cover a sudden plumbing leak and the damage it causes. Read your own policy or ask your agent what it says. A foundation company cannot tell you what your insurer will do.
Questions about price
Can I get a figure over the phone?
Not one worth having. Until someone has measured the floor and walked the outside of the house, nobody knows how many supports are needed or where. A number given without that is a guess.
Is the inspection charged for?
It varies. Many repair companies look at a house as part of preparing a bid, and independent engineers charge a fee for a written report. Ask when you book, so there are no surprises.
Does waiting make it more expensive?
Sometimes. Movement that continues can spread the damage to more of the house, and cosmetic repairs done in the meantime may need redoing. Equally, some houses move a little and then hold steady for years. Measurements taken a few months apart are the way to know.
When you are ready
Describe the problem and book an inspection
One call puts you in touch with an independent foundation repair company that works in Sugar Land. Have the address, the age of the house and a short list of what has changed.
Talk to a local foundation company
Say what you are seeing and where in the house. The company you reach is independent and gives you its own findings and its own price.
Call (832) 307-1056Read the referral disclosure and the privacy policy.