Dispelling Foundation Repair Myths: How To Budget For Repairs

Have you been putting off a call to your Grand Junction, CO, foundation repair contractor? The myths surrounding foundation repair costs keep many homeowners from making the right decision when it comes to home maintenance.

There’s no need to be afraid of repair costs, though. If anything, you should be more concerned about the consequences you’ll face if you don’t repair a foundation problem ASAP.

With that in mind, let’s break down the problems that may arise in your foundation and their average costs so you can budget for your repairs.

Dealing With Cracks

One of the most common problems you’ll run into when undergoing a foundation inspection is the common foundation crack. These cracks tend to form as a result of long-term stress instead of one culminating event. They are also the easiest foundation problem a foundation repair contractor can fix.

Some of the cracks you may find in your foundation include:

• Vertical Cracks: Vertical cracks form in your foundation when the contractor who built your home used improper materials, like green wood, for your supports.
• Horizontal Cracks: Horizontal cracks form in your foundation as a result of hydrostatic pressure in the soil around your home. Your foundation material works to compensate for that pressure and, in doing so, will break open. Foundations made out of concrete and brick see horizontal cracks more frequently than any other type of foundation.
• Diagonal Cracks: Diagonal cracks form for the same reasons horizontal cracks do, but they’ll be larger on one side than the other. This is because your home is settling unevenly, leaving one side more exposed to longer-term pressure than the other.
• Stair-Step Cracks: If you have a brick-and-mortar foundation, then the hydrostatic pressure outside of your home will form cracks down the mortar lines.

Most foundation repair contractors will try to repair these cracks via crack injection. The cost of crack injection can range from $500 to $4,000 depending on how many cracks and their size and length, as well as the type and quality of material used. Also note that when using something like epoxy or other crack injection material, it is not a good idea to apply it to the foundation if you plan on having more foundation work done in the future. This could cause more damage and more cracking. Epoxy is best used after a wall has been stabilized, lifted, and waterproofed.

When a Crack Becomes a Leak

Not all cracks are leaks, but all leaks stem from a crack somewhere in your foundation. If, during a foundation inspection, a foundation repair contractor identifies a leak in your basement, then you’re going to need to budget for waterproofing and water damage repair alongside crack injection.

Some of the most common waterproofing solutions and leak services a foundation repair contractor will offer include:

• Drain your window wells
• Waterproof your home from the outside
• Repair your tie-rods
• Install interior waterproofing and a sump pump

Saving a Sinking Ship

If you’ve left your foundation’s problems unattended for too long, or if the soil around your home is shifting, then a foundation repair contractor may have to stop your home from sinking. To do so, a contractor will recommend one of the following:

• Piering
• Mudjacking

These services may cost you between $1,000 to $20,000, with costs varying to match the severity of your home’s sinkage. The good news is that you may be able to file a claim with your home insurance provider if your home is sinking and have some of the repair costs mitigated.

Repairing Your Foundation: Possible Solutions

As you’ve likely already gathered, it’s difficult to suggest an objective cap for your foundation repair budget. The size of your house, the weather, and the amount of time the problem in your foundation has had to grow will all change the amount you’ll need to pay for a foundation repair contractor’s services.

That said, most contractors will recommend one of the following services after completing an inspection:

• Crack injection
• Piering
• Slab Jacking
• Preventative Exterior Waterproofing
• Preventative Interior Waterproofing
• Gutter Cleaning

Don’t hesitate to talk to your contractor about the processes you can delay or modify if you’re trying to save money.

Should You DIY Your Foundation Repair Job?

With all of that information at hand, you may be thinking: is it really worth it to have a professional foundation repair contractor come into your home? There’s no disguising it: foundation repair is expensive. The myths surrounding the practice emphasize this, after all, and drive many homeowners to delay repairs until it’s too late.

You may, of course, consider tackling your foundation’s problems on your own time. DIY is on the rise, after all, and the materials you need to repair your foundation can be found at your local repair shop more often than not. If it’s going to be more cost-effective and timely to repair your foundation on your own, why shouldn’t you?

There are lots of reasons you should leave this practice to the professionals, as a matter of fact. Unless you have the licenses, certificates, and zoning permits to waterproof and repair your foundation, you risk making the problem you’re dealing with worse by trying to solve it on your own. Not only that, but you could face legal consequences if you try to engage in long-term foundation repair without the proper documentation.

Preparing in Advance

That said, it makes sense that you’d want to save as much money as you could on a foundation repair job. If you’re looking to mitigate your repair costs, it’s best to waterproof your home and foundation as soon as you first move in. While it is more difficult to waterproof pre-existing homes than it is to waterproof new ones, you still have a full catalog of waterproofing solutions available to you.

If you’re not interested in waterproofing your home and instead want to rely on your repair budget, you can. Should you ever need to have your foundation repaired, it’ll be best if you reach out to multiple contractors working in the Grand Junction, CO, area to see what the average cost of your job is. With this information at hand, you can better negotiate a final price with the contractor you choose to work with.

If a contractor has to keep your home from sinking, you may be able to work with your insurance provider to have some of the reconstruction cost covered. You’ll want to check your policy and make sure the contractor you want to work with can accept this form of payment before you agree to a collaboration, of course. Knowing that the option is on the table, though, can take away some of the extra stress you might be feeling.

In short: there’s no reason to let a crack or leak in your foundation get away from you. Reach out to a Grand Junction, CO, foundation repair contractor as soon as you suspect something’s wrong with your foundation. The faster you act, the more money you’ll save.