Foundation & Structural costs
Foundation repair, underpinning, framing and the structural work nobody budgets for.
Foundation work is priced by the method and the number of points, not by the size of the crack. A hairline crack that is not moving is an injection and a few hundred dollars; the same crack with displacement is a structural repair priced per pier, and the pier count comes from an engineer's assessment rather than from a contractor's walkthrough.
Water is the cause behind most of it, so drainage is usually part of the fix and sometimes all of it. Regrading, extending downspouts and a perimeter drain are cheap against underpinning, and a quote that recommends piers without addressing where the water goes is answering half the question.
Access decides the rest. A crawl space with eighteen inches of headroom, a finished basement that has to be opened, or a pier location under a deck all add hours that have nothing to do with the repair itself. A structural engineer's report costs a few hundred dollars and is the single best thing to buy before accepting any quote in this category.
Sump pump battery backup cost$350 to $1,800per projectA sump pump battery backup costs $350 to $1,800 installed, typically $900. Runtime depends on the battery, the pump's draw and how often your pit fills, and the battery needs replacing every few years.
Helical piers cost$2,000 to $4,000eachA helical pier costs $2,000 to $4,000 installed, typically $3,000. It needs no house weight to install, so it suits porches, additions and light structures, and torque proves each one's capacity.
Exterior foundation waterproofing cost$100 to $220per linear ftExterior foundation waterproofing costs $100 to $220 per linear foot, typically $160, for excavation, membrane, footing drain and backfill. Access, depth and what sits against the wall decide where a job lands.
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 labor-heavy, so it tracks wages more closely than most trades.
Structural engineer cost$400 to $1,500eachA 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 $1,000eachA 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 $2,500eachMudjacking 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 $8,000eachAn 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.