You’re looking for some estimates on how much the average foundation repair costs, but all you’re finding are answers like, “It depends,” or “It varies.” Grrrrr . . . why can’t someone just tell you some average, ballpark, *within the range of* numbers?? Well, we can help you out with this one.
Who’s we? Oh right, we are Anchor Foundation Repair and we have been inspecting and repairing foundations for two generations and 35+ years. We know what the average costs are using our foundation repair method as well as our competitors. We’re not afraid to share this information with you so that you can make the best financial choice for your home.
This article will quickly reveal the cost ranges for foundation repair using the two most common methods used and available in our area of Central Texas. The two most readily available repair methods for slab-on-grade foundation repair are the pressed pile method and the drilled bell-bottom pier method.
Different repair methods are used more commonly in other areas of Texas depending on the geologic conditions. But in the Brazos Valley, those are the two available methods through local foundation repair companies. While we only use the drilled bell-bottom pier method of repair, we can still give you a fair idea of what pressed pilings cost.
Of course, we know the pricing for our competitors, so let’s not pretend that we don’t. Let’s also get right to the info you want to know most about the cost of foundation repair.
What is an Average Foundation Repair Job?
Before we hand over the pricing goods, let’s establish what typical foundation repair projects might look like. Just in case you don’t already know, foundation repair consists of adding vertical supports under the ground that hold up your foundation.
It’s kinda like buried stilts underground holding your home in position. These supports are primarily added to the perimeter of the home aka the outside edges.
Sometimes you just need a small part of the home supported and the area is minimal. Sometimes it’s a bit more but only around the perimeter. This would be considered a middle-of-the-road repair. Other times the work is extensive. You need many supports under all sides as well as under the middle of the home (called interior work).
For this article, we will present the cost ranges for the different methods as minimal, average, and extensive projects.
Cost Range for Pressed Piling Foundation Repair Job
Pressed piles are typically the least expensive method of foundation repair. This method uses premade concrete cylinders and presses them into the ground using hydraulics. You end up with a pile of these cylinders stacked under your home at each support point. Hopefully the name “pressed piles” is making sense to you now.
Anyway, I know you really just want to know how much this foundation repair method costs and don’t want to know how they do it so here ya go . . .
A minimal pressed pile foundation repair, working on a small section of the home, will be around $5,000. An average home that needs partial work around the exterior sides only could be around $11,000 or so. The extensive pressed pile foundation repair project that needs work on all sides and under the interior goes up to $32,000 or more.
Average Cost for Pressed Pile Foundation Repair
Now you’re thinking that a range between $5,000 and $32,000 is not very specific, right? So let’s take a look at the most typical. As in, what do most people end up paying for foundation repairs with pressed pilings?
As an average, the usual range of supports needed for a home is between 15 to 25 supports. Most repairs also don’t need any interior work, only along the perimeter. Pricing is set per pile so you would multiply the number of supports by the price per pile. More piles equal more cost.
In about 10% of homes, supports are also needed under the inside areas of the home. These are called interior piles or piers and they cost more than the perimeter ones because they are harder to do and take longer to install.
Since interior supports are only needed in 1 out of 10 homes, we’re going to leave that out of our average repair scenarios since we are trying to present a normal sort of foundation repair project.
SO, average job = 15 to 25 perimeter supports only. This will give each repair method a fair, apples-to-apples comparison on cost. We estimate that for pressed pilings, a more average range that most people tend to pay for this method of foundation repair is between $7,500 to $12,500.
Cost Range for Drilled Pier Foundation Repair Project
The drilled pier method of foundation repair, also called bell-bottom piers, does have a higher price point than pressed pilings. So here is the same array of minimal, average, and extensive pricing estimates using this method.
A minimal drilled bell-bottom pier project on a small portion of the home might cost from $7,000 to $9,000, while an average job that needs perimeter work around more of the home would be in the $13,000 to $19,000 range. Extensive work that needs both exterior and interior piers could be $50,000 or more.
Typical Cost for Drilled Pier Foundation Repair
Yes, somewhere between $7,000 and $50,000 is a huge range so let’s get more specific. Using the same scenario of an average project calling for between 15 and 25 piers, a more narrowed window of average cost for bell-bottom pier method foundation repair falls within the $12,000 to $20,000 range.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Foundation Repair Work
Now that you have been given some estimated price ranges and more specific average costs, you might be wondering what contributes to the cost of foundation repair. We won’t get into too much detail here but these are the basic factors that push costs up or down.
Method: Your chosen repair method automatically impacts the total cost of the project from the beginning. This includes both the cost per support, some features unique to the drilled bell-bottom pier method, like mud-pumping, and other finishing services.
Number of Supports: The number of supports needed is determined by how much of the home has settled. The more supports needed, the higher the cost. Pricing is calculated per pile or pier.
Accessibility to Support Locations or General Access:
- Exterior Piers – Basic perimeter piers will be the least expensive.
- Breakouts – If you have to break out concrete (like from a sidewalk, porch, or patio) or a deck or other obstacle to access the support location, it will cost more to install and repair.
- Accessibility Challenges – Working around major landscaping, hardscaping, difficult terrain, and obstacles will add to the cost. How a home is situated on a lot and the proximity to town are general accessibility factors.
- Interior Piers – Piers that need to go under the interior of your home will cost more and are the most challenging to install.
More Differences Between Foundation Repair Methods
Now that you have some general cost ideas, you might be wondering why the different price points between the two methods. Why is one more expensive than the other? What’s the difference? Glad you asked . . .
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we have been serving Bryan, College Station, and surrounding towns like Brenham and Navasota since 1985. We want to provide the best option for our neighbors and the community we live in.
We don’t stick with the drilled bell-bottom pier method of foundation repair because we like how much it costs. We continue to use this technique because we believe it to be a great fit for many homeowners to provide the most stability for their homes in the long term.
Lucky for you, we have an article that details the pros, cons, and key features in bell-bottom vs. pressed pile methods of foundation repair so you can see why there are cost differences and which method meets the future goals you have for your home.
***All prices are estimations for educational purposes only and may change depending on the extent of repairs and underlying issues. This pricing also applies to our area of Central Texas and may not be estimable in other regions or states.
