Our Ranking Methodology

We aim to make our process as thorough as possible. Using machine learning and natural language processing, we collected and analyzed data of over 20,000 companies nationwide. We extracted the highlights and lowlights for each company and scored them using a variety of review criteria, including:

• Experience: We look for companies with experience in their field, and companies that employ high-quality contractors. We also look for experience with various types of foundation repairs or installations.
• Service area: It's important that a company recommended for Washington homeowners serves that area. Higher scores are also given to companies with larger service areas.
• Customer experience: We analyze customer reviews to determine how satisfied customers are with the company.
• Accreditation: Proper licensing and well-educated professionals help boost a company's rating. We consider whether a company meets all of licensing requirements for District of Columbia and whether it is properly insured.
• Pros and cons: We use the collected information to sort out pros and cons, such as customer satisfaction, experience with certain services, availability, and price. We then use these pros and cons to weigh a company's score.

After we score companies, we map them based on service area in order to show you only the most relevant providers.

• Inspection and Estimate Process: Any local foundation repair company should be able to provide a free inspection and estimate. This will help you understand what problems your foundation is having, what solutions might be required, and how much you can expect to pay.
• Licensing and Insurance: Be sure to confirm that your company has at least general liability insurance. Make sure to also verify that they meet the general contractor licensing requirements for the state of District of Columbia.
• Warranties: Before signing a contract with a company, you should ask about their warranties. Any reputable company should offer some form of warranty for their work.
• Structural Engineer Partnerships: If your foundation repair company does not have a partnership with a structural engineer, you can establish one yourself. A structural engineer will charge a fee of a few hundred dollars, and is tasked with performing a third-party inspection of your foundation and giving feedback on the suggested repairs.
• Cost: It's a good idea to get multiple quotes before taking on foundation repair, and to be wary of those that are extremely high or extremely low. Foundation repair can be an expensive project, but the benefits are worth it.

Cost of Foundation Repair Washington

Many things can affect the amount you pay for foundation repairs in Washington, including:

• Home Size: The size of your home's foundation will affect the cost of repairs; if your home is larger, you can expect to pay more.
• Accessibility and Foundation Type: How easy it is to access your foundation will influence the cost of repairs. So will your foundation type — whether you have a concrete slab, basement, crawl space, or some other type.
• Soil Stability and Foundation Settlement: More severe foundation settlement often leads to more costly repairs. If the soil around your foundation is less than stable, you may find yourself spending more.
• Severity of Issue: The total cost of repairs will be affected by the severity of the issue and how much work is needed to remedy it. If you only need to fix a minor crack, you'll spend less than if your foundation needs extensive waterproofing.
• Permits: A permit may not be needed for smaller jobs like crack repair, but your company will likely need one for larger jobs such as underpinning. Permits are purchased from the Washington government, and the price may vary based on the job. The range for foundation repair permits varies. Generally, start around $150.
• Labor and Materials: As when completing any home maintenance job, the cost of foundation repairs will be affected by the materials and labor required. On average, you will pay around $205.44 per hour for foundation repair.

Types of Foundation Repair

The amount you spend on your foundation will also be affected by the repair(s) that you need. More minor jobs can include things like crack repair, while larger repairs can include leveling or waterproofing. You might plan on employing a local foundation services professional for:

• Waterproofing: Waterproofing solutions can be anything from straightforward fixes like rerouting a gutter system to major changes like modifying your landscaping. Waterproofing can be expensive, but it goes a long way towards protecting your foundation. On average, homeowners spend $5,583 on waterproofing.
• Leak Repair: A local foundation repair professional can visit your home and inspect any foundation leaks to discover the underlying cause. They can then recommend next steps to fix them. The final cost will vary depending on a number of factors, such as the size of the leak and the underlying cause — typically, you can generally anticipate paying around $5,023.
• Stabilization: If you have walls that are bowing, your foundation repair expert can assist in fixing them. Signs of wall bowing can include uneven floors, leaning chimneys or porches, doors and windows that are difficult to shut, visible bulging of walls, and horizontal cracks on walls. Your company will stabilize your home by inserting steel or carbon fiber strips into your walls. The amount you spend will vary depending on the material of the strip and how many are used — typically, you can anticipate paying about $5,303.
• Piering / Underpinning / Leveling: These terms refer to the process of leveling your foundation with the use of (normally concrete) piers, which are pinned underneath your foundation to level and support it. Your foundation may require this if you notice uneven floors, wall or floor cracks, misaligned windows or doors, or your property leaning to one side. This process can be expensive, but is often necessary and can go a long way towards preventing future issues. The total amount you spend will depend mainly on how many piers are required — usually, you can expect to pay around $2,722.
• Crack Repair: Typically, you don't need to be stressed by small hairline cracks, but cracks larger than that should be examined by a foundation repair expert. Even if a crack looks like one you could repair easily on your own, a local foundation expert will be equipped both to fix and to determine the cause of the crack. The cost of crack repair will change depending on how large the crack is and whether any additional services are needed. Crack repair generally costs around $591.