11 Best Foundation Companies in Ames, IA

On average, Ames homeowners pay roughly $2,644 for foundation repair, although the total cost will depend on several factors. The best way to get an estimate for the cost of a specific job is to solicit quotes from one or more local foundation repair companies. The total price will be influenced by things like the size of your house and type of repair(s) needed.

Types of foundation repair include leak repair, crack repair, stabilization, underpinning, and waterproofing.

For both leak repair and crack repair, a technician will come to your home, complete an inspection, and use various repair techniques to fix leaks or cracks. The amount you spend can vary greatly depending on the size and cause of the issue.

Stabilization helps to fix bowing walls by inserting steel or carbon fiber strips. The cost will depend on the material used and how many strips are needed. The cost of underpinning also varies. This process, also called leveling or piering, involves underpinning your foundation with concrete piers to level it; the cost is based on how many piers are used.

If you're interested in waterproofing your foundation or basement, we recommend finding a waterproofing specialist. This process might include outdoor waterproofing, indoor waterproofing, or both.

One way to protect your foundation is to make sure it has the right amount of moisture. Avoid letting the soil around your Ames house become too wet or too dry – make changes to your gutter system to route water away, or water your foundation if it starts to get too dry. Also make sure that you promptly identify and repair any leaking pipes or gutters.

If you think there may be any problems with your foundation, you can call a structural engineer for an evaluation. This will cost a few hundred dollars, but the consultation can provide you with a list of potential concerns as well as additional steps to further protect your foundation. Lastly, if you're building a new house, be sure to have a soil report done. This report provides information about how well the soil on your property will be able to support a foundation and highlights potential future issues.

A permit is normally required for foundation repair, but applying for one isn't your responsibility. Your foundation repair professional should get all the permits and other documents required in Ames, and should be able to provide the documents and/or explain the process if asked.

Although some foundation problems may seem small and not worth the cost to repair, when left untreated, they can lead to larger and more expensive problems down the road. Foundation issues can also have underlying causes which are not obvious until after a professional inspection. It's important to handle these underlying issues as soon as possible. For these reasons, we advise against procrastinating on foundation repairs.

In most cases, foundation repair takes from one to several weeks. The range is wide because the time taken will vary greatly depending on things like the type of repair and the size of your house. You should consult with your Ames foundation repair expert for a more thorough timeline for your specific project.