Foundation & Structural costs

Foundation repair, underpinning, framing and the structural work nobody budgets for.

• Foundation repair cost by state$5,000 to $30,000per projectThe same foundation repair costs $13,100 in Arkansas and $19,300 in Illinois. Foundation work is labour-heavy, so it tracks wages more closely than most trades.
• Structural engineer cost$400 to $1,500per eachA structural engineer's report costs $400 to $1,500. It is the best money anyone spends on a foundation problem, for one reason: an engineer does not sell repairs.
• Foundation inspection cost$300 to $1,000per eachA foundation inspection costs $300 to $1,000 from an independent inspector. Repair companies offer them free, and that is a sales visit that may also be a competent inspection.
• Sump pump replacement cost$650 to $2,500per projectReplacing a sump pump in an existing pit costs $650 to $2,500, typically $1,200. The pump itself is only $100 to $700 of that.
• Mudjacking cost$500 to $2,500per eachMudjacking a settled slab costs $500 to $2,000 per area. It works when the concrete is intact and the ground under it has washed out. It does not work when the slab is broken.
• Basement finishing cost$30 to $100per sq ftFinishing a basement costs $30 to $100 a square foot. It is the cheapest way to add living space to a house. A basement that gets wet cannot be finished until it does not.
• Egress window cost$3,000 to $8,000per eachAn egress window costs $3,000 to $8,000 installed. Cutting concrete, excavating and building a drained well is why it costs ten times what the window does. It is what makes a basement room a legal bedroom.
• Window well cost$300 to $1,500per eachA window well costs $300 to $1,500 installed, or $600 to $2,700 with drainage. It causes a disproportionate number of wet basements, because a well without a drain is a bucket against a basement window.
• Wet basement repair cost$2,000 to $15,000per projectFixing a wet basement costs $2,000 to $15,000. The cheapest fixes are outside and cost a few hundred dollars. Doing them in the wrong order is the most expensive mistake in this subject.
• Drainage and grading cost$500 to $8,000per projectRegrading around a house costs $500 to $3,000 and drainage $1,500 to $8,000. Together they are the cheapest structural insurance a house has, because most foundation problems begin as water against a wall.