$26,000 Foundation Repair Quote

Smyrna, GA · Member since 2017 · 41 posts · 14 votes

I'm in the Atlanta area and I got a quote from AquaGuard today for fixing the foundation of a house I'm interested in purchasing and it came out to $26,000. House is in pretty good shape outside of the foundation issues.

The house is on a hill and the part on the lower side of the hill is sinking into the ground. So far it has sank about 2 inches at the worst corner.

AquaGuard recommended putting in about 18 piers as one side of the 3,100sqft house needs to be jacked up. Is this price reasonable?

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Mark H. Porter

Investor · SC NC, VA · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 756 votes

Gotta ask ya, and I'm not being a smart alec, but if the foundation slipped 2 inches in 47 years it may not be a massive hurdle unless you're seeking to make it perfect (or the cracks look brand new). Cracks can be sealed and a foundation stabilized without lifting the house and building pillars. Certainly, there are others on here that may know better, but I would check with a few more foundation contractors and ask them for a cost to stabilize and repair from water leaks.

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Mark H. Porter
Investor · SC NC, VA · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 756 votes
6y
Frank - sorry, just so I understand, the house's foundation has sunk two inches on the downslope side? Should I assume that there are substantial cracks in the foundation as a piece of it breaks away? May I ask how old the building is?
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Frank Z.
OP
Smyrna, GA · Member since 2017 · 41 posts · 14 votes
6y
Yes, two inches on the downslope side. There are substantial cracks all the way down the long side of the house. The building was built in 1973
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Mark H. Porter
Investor · SC NC, VA · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 756 votes
6y
Gotta ask ya, and I'm not being a smart alec, but if the foundation slipped 2 inches in 47 years it may not be a massive hurdle unless you're seeking to make it perfect (or the cracks look brand new). Cracks can be sealed and a foundation stabilized without lifting the house and building pillars. Certainly, there are others on here that may know better, but I would check with a few more foundation contractors and ask them for a cost to stabilize and repair from water leaks.
9 Reply
Frank Z.
OP
Smyrna, GA · Member since 2017 · 41 posts · 14 votes
6y
I'm not a foundation expert either so open to suggestions.
House needs new flooring throughout, and the slab cracked about 5 feet away from the edge on the downward slope. Basically once you get 5 feet from the edge it's a very noticeable slope so I didn't want to put the floors on that. The house is also two stories...
One the bottom story I could theoretically just pour a bunch of levelquick. On the top story I guess I could add some more subfloor along that edge to level things out....
The plan though is to sell the house in two years and I wouldn't want to sell anyone something that wasn't built right,

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Natalie KolodijBusiness Member
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Tax Strategist| National Tax Educator| Accepting New Clients · Member since 2014 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
6y
I just backed out of a property due to similar issues.
I was quoted around $10k JUST to add the piers to reinforce the existing damage- but without additional drainage and re structuring the damage would continue to the crawl space.
Now I avoid houses with hills.
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Jingru Sui
Real Estate Agent · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2014 · 683 posts · 317 votes
6y
Might worth getting more quotes on fixing it. Maybe there are options on how to fix the issue.
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David S.
Investor · Prairieville, LA · Member since 2015 · 311 posts · 424 votes
6y
@Jingru Sui
That does seem high although it might be geographical differences in price. You should have at least 3 quotes for a job that expensive. I have seen a 200 percent difference in estimates for foundation repair. If you have any doubt as to whether it needs it, get a structural engineer to look at it. It is well worth the expense considering the overall costs. I have heard of situations where foundation repair was not needed as per a well qualified engineer but the foundation repair company said that it was needed. Some foundation repair companies will overshoot the treatment so the engineer may tone that down too and have a perfectly fine repair.
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Dan H.Pro Member
Investor · Poway, CA · Member since 2015 · 7k+ posts · 8k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @David S.:
@Jingru Sui
That does seem high although it might be geographical differences in price. You should have at least 3 quotes for a job that expensive. I have seen a 200 percent difference in estimates for foundation repair. If you have any doubt as to whether it needs it, get a structural engineer to look at it. It is well worth the expense considering the overall costs. I have heard of situations where foundation repair was not needed as per a well qualified engineer but the foundation repair company said that it was needed. Some foundation repair companies will overshoot the treatment so the engineer may tone that down too and have a perfectly fine repair.

>That does seem high although it might be geographical differences in price.
I thought it seemed very reasonable but I am used to So Cal prices. I got 3 quotes on a little ~800' unit. Cement platforms for piers (currently no platforms which is why the piers are sinking and damaged), new piers, and new sill platform where needed (entire north wall needs new sill plate and north part of East wall needs new Sill plate - not sure exactly how far the problem goes). Lowest bid $28K.
Even at San Diego rents, that consumes a lot of rent/cash flow.
I recommend OP look for a different property as I doubt the purchase price will truly reflect the repair costs and associated risks.
Good luck
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Matthew Irish-JonesBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Buffalo, NY · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
@Frank Zondlo. For that large of a line
Item I’m getting at least 3 quotes from reputable companies
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Karen MargraveBusiness Member
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Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
6y
@Frank Zondlo first off do any of the neighboring properties have problems with slippage? Do you know for certain the fix suggested will fix the problem? Will a geological engineer be testing soil as part of fix? It's not a cosmetic fix that's needed, its structural, and they can be expensive. In so cal there were several.lits in a very expensive neighborhood that the HOA had to buy back due to a problem like that, and it started with one house.
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Josh C.Pro Member
Property Manager · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2010 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y
We do piers. I’m in a different market but maybe similar prices. That works out to $1450 a pier. We see anywhere from $1300-$2000 per pier depending on ho many you need and how deep we are going. So in line price wise. As long as the deal makes sense I wouldn’t run away from it.
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Marci Stein
Rental Property Investor · New York, NY · Member since 2011 · 956 posts · 510 votes
6y
I hope you’re getting an incredible deal on this house to compensate for the foundation damage .
if not , I would run , not walk , the other way .
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Account Closed
Contractor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2018 · 432 posts · 221 votes
6y
@Frank Zondlo
NO. Piers are easy to add and they are praying they get your job. Probably the only thing they can do is support it, rather than try to raise it and replace the perimeter wall (which can be done, but may cause other problems). If you’re local, you can YouTube how to add piers to support or hire a handyman or someone to knock it out for half that (or maybe a quarter of that price really)
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Account Closed
Contractor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2018 · 432 posts · 221 votes
6y
@Frank Zondlo
Ok, I just read how long the house has sat there. The reason it’s sinking is usually due to water drainage issues. Maybe there’s a roof pouring water in that direction, or they let the gutters fill up long ago and it flooded that spot when water poured over them etc. whatever the case, to deal with the cracks, I recommend a stucco material by quikcrete called quick wall. It is fiberglass reinforced, can be found at lowes or ordered at Lowe’s, and it will help slightly structurally also. If the cracks are wide, you should fill with mortar first. Make sure you have proper slopeage away from the house and don’t pay the big dollars! Come up with a game plan and hire a handyman with a good reputation and let them know your plan.
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Caleb Heimsoth
Rental Property Investor · Durham, NC · Member since 2016 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
6y
@Frank Zondlo. I had foundation work done on a rental last year. The one that recommended piers would have cost 600 a pier. You’re being overcharged.
Foundation company quotes will vary greatly.
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Josh C.Pro Member
Property Manager · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2010 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y
@Jonathan Greer a handyman to bore a 2” thick piece of steel 30 ft into the ground til it reaches a certain pressure? What? You need a special bob cat to do this and people that know what what they are doing to every window and drywall seam will be broken. Are we talking about different things?
2 Reply
Kanwar Sodhi
Real Estate Agent · Chantilly, VA · Member since 2016 · 245 posts · 61 votes
6y
Vertical Cracks: OK
Horizontal Cracks: Big problems
Get multiple quotes BECAUSE good companies have innovative, newer ways of fixing foundation issues
3 Reply
Frank Maratta
Rental Property Investor · CT · Member since 2019 · 105 posts · 68 votes
6y
@Frank Zondlo
I own many old multifamilies built in the early 1900s even late 1800s and I have floors like roller coasters. None of my tenants mind, and if I were to sell the place, it’s just a given with the age of the buildings. So to me 2” is nothing. I would leave it and mortar the cracks and be done with it. Not sure how your house is built but if it’s really bothering you why not throw in a header under the floor joists with some Lally columns and pads? Me an my guys do it all the time, one section gets jacked up at once and they build a temporary wall and then throw in the Lally columns and take the wall down. Or simply jack sections of the house up little by little and just shim out the sill plate.
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Stephen KeigheryBusiness Member
Rental Property Investor · New Orleans, LA · Member since 2018 · 717 posts · 555 votes
6y
@Frank Zondlo you see plenty quotes that high in New Orleans. I have found that there can be huge differences between different companies quotes though so I would get at least 3.
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Lynnette E.
Rental Property Investor · TN · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
In TN I have paid from $600 to $1000 per pier. The price is higher for the ones I did when the crawl space is smaller. One was so small that they had to in some places use a fold up shovel to dig a pathway for the person to move. For the cheaper ones they had easy access. This was people that did foundations/house leveling along with other things, not 'foundation companies". They really do not like foundation work, but do it sometimes.
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John Collins
Investor · Tx, GA · Member since 2019 · 313 posts · 337 votes
6y
Originally posted by @Frank Z.:
I'm in the Atlanta area and I got a quote from AquaGuard today for fixing the foundation of a house I'm interested in purchasing and it came out to $26,000. House is in pretty good shape outside of the foundation issues.
The house is on a hill and the part on the lower side of the hill is sinking into the ground. So far it has sank about 2 inches at the worst corner.
AquaGuard recommended putting in about 18 piers as one side of the 3,100sqft house needs to be jacked up. Is this price reasonable?
Just not enough information. No pictures. It's really a crapshoot asking with less information.
What I would do, get 3 quotes from foundation specialists and write down every detail of what they would do.
Get 2 quotes from other companies or licensed entities that do foundation, but don't specialize in them, and write down every detail of what they would do.

Is this only a sinking problem, or a situation where there is serious structural issues - cracks, broken ceiling, basement,etc? If it's only a sinking problem, you could just work on drainage. Put up gutters, grade the land with a cat 5 to slope down at sharper angles from the house, and put in some of the 80lb home depot concrete bags (the super strong stuff) in any problem areas. That will do a real good job if it's 2" now, you can measure again every 6 months and see how it progresses.
From what you've described in post 1, there is no need to jump into a $26k foundation repair, and I am someone who is very picky about structural issues and will always get them done IF NEED BE.

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John Collins
Investor · Tx, GA · Member since 2019 · 313 posts · 337 votes
6y
Originally posted by @Frank Z.:
One the bottom story I could theoretically just pour a bunch of levelquick. On the top story I guess I could add some more subfloor along that edge to level things out....
The plan though is to sell the house in two years and I wouldn't want to sell anyone something that wasn't built right,

You would want to lay the concrete / cement below the leveler in all of the cracks (don't count on the leveler to fill them), then use schluter ditra below the flooring if you're going to use tile.
Ditra is expensive but worth it - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Schluter-Ditra-54-sq-ft-3-ft-3-in-x-16-ft-5-in-x-1-8-in-Thick-Uncoupling-Membrane-DITRA5M/100143471
Otherwise, based on the info given, I would focus on drainage and monitor the situation.

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Dena Wesley
Kansas City · Member since 2015 · 23 posts · 13 votes
6y
@Frank Z. I would get a few more estimates. Several years ago on my primary residence, my front porch steps were settling and pulling away from the porch slab causing some settling in the entryway. You could see the drywall seem tearing in the corner. My first quote was $19,000! The guy said I needed 12 piers all around my house. He was working the hard sell let me tell ya, and had a credit application ready for me to fill out.... had me thinking my house was going to crumble if I didn't get all those piers. He happened to be driving a nice, newer Cadillac so needless to say, my gut said get more estimates because this guy wants me to contribute to possibly another Cadillac purchase ; )
Other quotes I received were $7000, $3500 and finally $1800. The last quote is what I went with not because it was cheap but because the guy said for now, let's start with one pier to lift the steps then see what happens from there. Also, some grading around the rest of the house to lead water away should be done as well. Glad I got several estimates because for my situation, the one pier remedied the problem.
Good luck!
Dena
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Account Closed
Contractor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2018 · 432 posts · 221 votes
6y
@Josh C. What are you talking about 30 feet into the ground? What I’m talking about is bracing the house with piers to prevent it from further sinkage. It’s usually not worth it to try to raise the house.
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Derek Smith
Rental Property Investor · Waco, TX · Member since 2017 · 28 posts · 21 votes
6y
@Frank Zondlo
Run...!
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