11 Best Foundation Companies in Chicago, IL

On average, Chicago homeowners pay roughly $3,032 for foundation repair, although the actual cost will vary widely depending on several factors. The fastest way to get an estimate for the cost of your specific project is to request quotes from a handful of local foundation repair companies. Your total cost will be influenced by things like the size of your house and type of repair(s) needed.

The primary types of foundation repair are crack repair, leak repair, underpinning, stabilization, and waterproofing.

Crack repair and leak repair are what they sound like: your foundation repair expert will perform an inspection and take necessary measures to remedy cracks or leaks. The price will depend on the size and cause of the issue.

Underpinning, also called leveling or piering, is when a contractor levels your foundation by underpinning it with large concrete piers. The cost will depend on how many piers are needed. The price of stabilization varies similarly. This process involves fixing bowing walls by reinforcing them with steel or carbon fiber strips, and the cost will depend on the material chosen and how many strips are used.

Finally, waterproofing is an overarching term for a category of repairs designed to prevent water from getting into your foundation or basement. This can include exterior waterproofing, interior waterproofing, or both, and costs can vary greatly. We recommend contacting a waterproofing specialist if you're planning to waterproof your foundation.

When building a new house, have a soil report completed. This report contains information about how well the soil on a given piece of land can support a foundation, and can give you a heads-up about any potential future issues. If your concerns are about an existing home, a few hundred dollars will cover an inspection and report by a structural engineer. They can point you to any issues that could use some attention, and advise you on avoiding future problems.

You also want to make sure that the moisture around your foundation is appropriate. Don't let the soil around your Chicago home get too dry or too wet; at different times, you might find yourself having to reroute your gutters or water your foundation. Also, be on the lookout for leaky gutters or pipes and repair them quickly.

Your foundation repair professional should acquire the needed permits. You can ask the company to provide a detailed explanation of the steps in its process and to see the permits and paperwork it has assembled to make sure everything is properly authorized per Chicago regulations.

Indicators that you're in need of foundation waterproofing include white powder or spots on your walls, basement flooding, discoloration or odors, uneven floors, hairline cracks, or signs of mildew, fungus, or mold. Your contractor can tell you whether you need interior or exterior waterproofing.

Interior waterproofing can involve the installation of sump pumps and drains or the use of sealants and is generally less expensive than exterior waterproofing. Exterior waterproofing can involve things like applying physical barriers to basements and crawl spaces, installing exterior drains, or making landscape changes.

We caution against putting off a foundation repair project. A single issue may have an underlying cause that could potentially result in future problems, and it's best to treat the root of the issue as fast as possible. A small and moderately costly problem now could turn into a large and very expensive one in the future if the signs are ignored.