Foundation settlement repair: signs, causes and cost

Signs you may need foundation settlement repair

• Doors that stick or swing open on their own
• Cracks above doors and windows, or stair-step cracks in brick
• Floors sloping toward one side of the house
• Gaps at baseboards or between the chimney and the wall
• Cracks in the slab or a corner that has dropped

How foundation settlement repair is done

1. Inspection and floor elevation survey to map which part is moving
2. Find the cause: soil drying and shrinking, soft fill, erosion, plumbing leak
3. Choose the method: piers (push or helical), or mudjacking / foam for light slab settlement
4. Install piers to load-bearing soil or bedrock and transfer the load
5. Lift where possible, then fix cracks and drainage

How much foundation settlement repair costs

The number and type of piers drive the price, followed by access, depth to firm soil and how much the house is lifted. Light slab settlement can sometimes be lifted with mudjacking or polyurethane foam instead of piers, for much less.

Source: HomeGuide, Foundation repair cost (updated Feb 2026); This Old House, Foundation repair cost; HomeGuide, Helical piers cost (updated Feb 2026); HomeGuide, Polyjacking cost (updated Nov 2025); HomeGuide, Foundation inspection cost (updated Feb 2026). Checked October 2026.

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Sinking foundation repair cost

For a sinking foundation the repair is the same as for settlement: piers under the sinking part. A small corner may need 3–4 piers; a whole side 8–15. At $1,000–$4,000 per pier, that's the difference between about $4,000 and well over $20,000.

Before you hire

• Ask how many piers, where they go, and to what depth or load they're driven
• Ask whether they will try to lift the house or only stabilize it
• Ask what happens to plumbing under a slab when the house is lifted
• Compare at least two quotes with the same number of piers

Permits, codes and licensing

Contractor licensing is set by each state, and some leave it to cities or counties. Some states license this work at state level (for example the CSLB in California, the Registrar of Contractors in Arizona or the DBPR in Florida); others only require registration or local licenses. Check the license or registration number on your state's or city's public lookup before you pay a deposit, and ask for proof of liability insurance.

Companies that offer foundation settlement repair

755 companies in the directory name this repair on their own website (the quote is on each company page); they are listed first in each state. Another 659 are companies that usually offer it but don't say so online – confirm when you call.