Investor · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2012 · 596 posts · 587 votes
7y
@Rick Levada This is my rule of thumb for a "quick and dirty" foundation estimate without engaging a foundation contractor...yet.
Take the floor area and divide by 49. Generally piers need to be set 7' apart, so 7x7= 49sf.
Let's say the house is one story @ 1,400sf. 1400/49 = 28.6 or total of 29 Piers.
Now multiply the number if piers by $250. 29x250 = $7,250.
Now add $200 for permit & $400 for Engineer's letter (yes, both of these are required by the City). 200+400 = $600
Total foundation price = $7,850.
In the above scenario, this assumes all piers need to be replaced (this is usually not the case). It does not account for new beams. I do not have a rule of thumb for beam replacement cost, but it's usually another line item on the foundation bid. It should also be noted price per pier cost can vary different from contractor to contractor, from around $200/pier on the low end, to $600/pier on the Retail end.
Real Estate Agent · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2013 · 153 posts · 132 votes
7y
The majority of houses I deal with are pier and beam and almost 100% of them have Foundation issues. Typically you can get it done for about $4,500 unless there is a beam involved and then it's more. When it comes to slab foundations I don't touch him way too expensive
Contractor · College Station, TX · Member since 2017 · 61 posts · 49 votes
7y
@Arissa Pedroza is correct. P&B are usually much cheaper to work on (sometimes not if it’s low to ground, poor access, and/or wood rot and termite damage.
But, never a need to get scared off, sometimes those are good opportunities if you know a reliable foundation repairman
Investor · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2012 · 596 posts · 587 votes
7y
@Rick Levada This is my rule of thumb for a "quick and dirty" foundation estimate without engaging a foundation contractor...yet.
Take the floor area and divide by 49. Generally piers need to be set 7' apart, so 7x7= 49sf.
Let's say the house is one story @ 1,400sf. 1400/49 = 28.6 or total of 29 Piers.
Now multiply the number if piers by $250. 29x250 = $7,250.
Now add $200 for permit & $400 for Engineer's letter (yes, both of these are required by the City). 200+400 = $600
Total foundation price = $7,850.
In the above scenario, this assumes all piers need to be replaced (this is usually not the case). It does not account for new beams. I do not have a rule of thumb for beam replacement cost, but it's usually another line item on the foundation bid. It should also be noted price per pier cost can vary different from contractor to contractor, from around $200/pier on the low end, to $600/pier on the Retail end.
http://www.allensfoundation.com Jim will treat you right. They helped me convert an old single family pier/beam to a 2,700 sq ft duplex in New Braunfels last year.
Rental Property Investor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 971 votes
7y
There is more to foundation repairs than just the foundation. Here is what I collected as "warnings" or lessons (from various sources and some experienced myself) about foundation problems and/or repairs:
1. If you have brick on the exterior, you might have to do tuckpointing. $$$
2. If you have tiles inside, the tiles will crack. And if they have to drill holes for interior piers, you pretty much will have to replace the entire flooring. $$$$
3. You'll have drywall cracks, so you should factor in drywall repairs and repainting. $$$
4. If the doors were adjusted to a crooked foundation, you might need to readjust or even buy new doors. $$$
5. A hydrostatic plumbing test is recommended to be performed by a licensed plumber post Foundation work. Plumbing leaks may void warranty. Old houses have cast iron pipers that will disintegrate (because of age and/or foundation shift). You'll have to replace all plumbing at that point. $$$$
6. Depending on how bad is the foundation state (how many inches you have to correct), is very possible the sewer line will disconnect/break in the horizontal portions. Repairing that requires tunneling, a repair that could be very expensive. $$$$
7. If the driveway- garage differential is big (for example, the driveway slab is sunken and you need to raise the house, you'll end up with an even bigger gap after repair) you might need to replace the driveway. $$$$
8. If you are dealing with an addition built on 12" beams (or if the original foundation is old and not built to current standards), the repair company might not be able to push the piers down to refusal depth or psi due to the beam not taking the load, thus leveling it, but not guaranteeing it will not continue to move in the future, thus not providing warranty.
9. The owner may be required to provide a structural engineers evaluation prior to warranty work.
10. Damages to the property, interior and exterior as a result of the foundation movement are not covered, during and after works completion. This usually includes but is not limited to PLUMBING, flooring, landscape, utility lines and masonry. The foundation repair does not cover any repairs that may be needed to the home during and after works completion. And you'll have new cracks in unexpected places, old cracks that will not close, but instead enlarge. My suggestion is to add at least 25% to the cost of the foundation repair as mitigation to the problems that will come from the foundation repair.
If anyone has more experience with any of these, please correct me if mistaken.
I've been told you can shim vs complete repair. I'm primarily looking a quick turns for rental properties. Would you folks consider this "kicking the can down the road" and setting myself up for future disasters?
To me this is kicking the can down the road. I think these types of band-aid repairs seldom work out for the best. Plus when you go to sell it, the buyer will likely want a discount for the foundation repair work THEY will need to do and/or they wont be interested in buying at all.
i had a house under contract with major foundation issues. The middle of the house was the high point and the perimeter was lower in elevation all around. The foundation estimate was over $10k. Did a hydrostatic on the sewer and it was not holding water at all. If you fix the foundation, you almost have to fix the plumbing leaks because the water will eventually compromise the soils over time and lead to movement of the slab/foundation. To replace the plumbing was another $8-10k. Plus all the incidental work mentioned by @Costin I. Ended making the deal not feasible for me.
I terminated the deal because I believe in providing a sound home to live in and not just a shack held together by duct tape just to milk a few bucks out and move on...not that you are doing this, just saying that's how i look at this. Others may disagree...
Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
7y
Hi Rick,
I've seen some DIY leveling that involved setting the house on car scissor jacks, cinder blocks, wooden roofing shingle shims on top of stacked lumber, tree stumps and rock piles.
It's best to get under there and look at what the house is sitting on. There might be driven piers in there already, or it could be the DIY special.
I watched one family jack their house up four feet in the air, build a foundation of lumber stacks and sit it back down, reattach the plumbing and then build a curtain wall around it.
It's best to get under there and look at what's there before you buy.
"I've been told you can shim vs complete repair. I'm primarily looking a quick turns for rental properties. Would you folks consider this "kicking the can down the road" and setting myself up for future disasters?"
A few things to consider:
1) Your reputation,
2) Just because you can do something, doesn't means it's the correct way to do it,
3) Shims are for fixing minor settling, generally after the foundation has already been repaired. In most cases, shims will not suffice.
Property Manager · San Antonio Texas · Member since 2018 · 21 posts · 29 votes
7y
Out of the 108 sf doors we manage we have repaired over half of that. So much the broker hired a in house foundation tech. When it comes to p&b some homes have cedar post and some have concrete piers. Get the deal under contract with a 100 option. You'r not going to ask the seller to repair the foundation you always must practice due your due diligence and know whats it going to cost you before moving forward. Last thing whomever you get to repair the foundation make sure your fixed cost includes engineering report. We have had piers fail on one side of the home due to bad drainage. Engineer approve 8 piers with additional engineered metal shims, gave us the report and we moved on. Hope this helps...
Specialist · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2014 · 122 posts · 11 votes
7y
@Seth Teel - Great rule of thumb, you do this for both pier and beam and slabs foudnations? I'm buying a 1,685 sq ft house in NE SA and Mitchco (who did previous work about a decade ago) quoted 41 pressed pilings on slab foundation for a whopping $23k, and that's giving a discount for previous work. I think I can get it done at half that, but dang, some of these guys I think just want to take advantage of homeowners.
I don't work much with houses that have slab foundations, so I am not confident the rule of thumb translates. That being said, my go-to guy at CJ House Leveling does repair slab foundations and is likely to give you a much better quote then MitchCo. Companies like MitchCo, Olshan, and PermaPier are what we refer to as "Retail Contractors." These are the folks that are usually hired by non-investor homeowners and they pay a premium for it. You can google CJ House Leveling or DM for their contact info.
Specialist · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2014 · 122 posts · 11 votes
7y
@Seth Teel - Yes, I've worked with CJ before. The seller called MitchCo (assuming that the 20 yr warranty was still good) and they told him that since he failed to pay $100/year to keep the warranty, they wouldn't cover it. I was hoping they would, that's why I didn't send anyone else out there. But they are basically at $500 per pressed piling! I've gotten bids at half that or less.
Real Estate Agent · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2016 · 67 posts · 58 votes
7y
Wow. A very timely thread for my situation - thank you to all for your contributions. Also in negotiations for a p&b foundation property on cedar pilings and meeting with the engineer on Tuesday. Fingers crossed!
Rental Property Investor · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2019 · 18 posts · 9 votes
6y
@Rick Levada how did your P&B project go? I am looking to do a similar project on a 1920s house in SA and want to get the right people to do the right job. Did you learn anything in the process?
San Antonio, TX · Member since 2019 · 19 posts · 10 votes
6y
@Brian Gee since this was my first project I learned a ton! My biggest lessons were to be more organized in both budgeting and planning the phases of rehab. I used a “friend” as a handyman and really just hit projects randomly as time would allow. Next time I will be detailed and have specific phases to be completed and won’t move to the next one until the first is done. I also learned a lot about what to look for before purchasing. Since I was involved in most of the rehab all of the surprises are now things I know to look for next time.
Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
6y
Hi Rick,
You may run into Self-proclaimed "Experts" who will offer to do this for you, and will use all sorts of "paraphernalia" to level it. (old car scissor jacks from the junk yard, scraps of wood, cinder blocks, random rocks, etc...).
While these will all work (for a time), when you go to sell the buyers inspectors seem to have some issue with them.
So when it's time to level it again, it's probably best to go with a real company that's been in business for a while that you think may be able to back up their warranty.
Also realize that once it's leveled at some point it will probably un-level again and again and again, because San Antonio has some very movable soil (from the rains and then drying out over and over).
Rental Property Investor · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2019 · 18 posts · 9 votes
6y
@Rick Levada thanks! I am getting ready for a major flip and i am trying to be methodical with the process. I was gonna address the foundation, then roof, then move two small walls, then install air conditioning (old house that never had it), then kitchen, then floors. It is a small house but I am thinking it will be costly just because the amount of work needed to be done.
Rental Property Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2018 · 31 posts · 34 votes
6y
I'm a newer investor on my third foundation repair, and what I've learned amplifies some of what's already been said here:
First, foundation repair is incredibly labor intensive. Most of the time, the answer begins with "a guy grabs a shovel and ..."
Second, repairing the foundation and repairing the under-foundation drain line generally go hand-in-hand, especially if it's a slab and not pier-and-beam. And once again, the answer begins with "a guy grabs a shovel and ..."