When a foundation is leaking or when a homeowner discovers that they have a foundation crack, homeowners are understandably concerned about foundation crack repair costs. In this post I cover what it costs to have a foundation crack repaired and provide typical pricing for the repair of cracks in both poured concrete and cinder block foundations.
What poured concrete foundation crack repairs cost
Quoting the price for a typical foundation crack repair is a simple matter – in general, a foundation crack injection repair done from inside the home costs between $595 and $1200, depending on the company. For an exterior crack repair the cost to repair and waterproof the crack is generally $1800 – $2000, depending on the company and other factors such as space available to dig, etc.
Leaking crack in a poured concrete foundation
Pricing when foundation crack repairs are more complicated
Most foundation cracks in poured concrete are 1/8″ wide or less; because such cracks are not usually structurally significant, they can be repaired via the simplest method – crack injection. Wider cracks may also be injectable but may require stabilization, especially if there is reason to believe that crack might widen slightly at some point in the future. The cost to stabilize a crack while it is being repaired is generally $150 – $450, in addition to the crack repair cost.
Follow this link for more information on crack stabilization which prevents cracks from widening.
When there are concerns about the structural integrity of a foundation (significant settlement, cracks 1/4″ wide or more, etc.) the cost to repair a foundation crack and the underlying cause of foundation movement is usually upwards of $10,000. This relatively high cost is due to the fact that it may be necessary to support the foundation from beneath the base of the wall. This type of repair is referred to as a structural foundation repair.
Be sure to check out our post on structural foundation repair.
5mm wide structural foundation crack
Crisscrossing foundation cracks are abnormal
Concrete block foundation crack repairs
Fixing cracks in concrete block, or cinder block, foundation walls is completely different from a technical and cost perspective than for poured concrete foundations. It is beyond the scope of this post to get into the technical issues associated with block foundation crack repairs; however, minor cracks usually don’t require anything more than simple waterproofing.
Waterproofing a cinder block foundation will typically cost $5000 and up. The cost of this type of repair is dictated by how much waterproofing is required as well as associated technical factors.
Cinderblock wall lifted by frost heaving
When a cinder block foundation wall has heaved as in the picture above, repairing the cracks can only be accomplished by having a mason rebuild the wall.
Bowed block wall stablized with carbon fiber straps
When reinforcing a horizontally cracked cinder block wall, expect to pay upwards of $1750 in addition to any wall straightening and waterproofing that might be required.