11 Best Foundation Companies in Mentor, OH

On average, Mentor homeowners pay about $2,635 for foundation repair, although the actual cost will vary widely depending on several factors. The fastest way to estimate the cost of your specific project is to request quotes from a few local foundation repair companies. The amount you pay for a job will be affected by things like the type of the repair(s) and the size of your house.

The main types of foundation repair include crack repair, leak repair, underpinning, stabilization, and waterproofing.

Crack repair and leak repair are exactly as they sound: your foundation repair expert will perform an inspection and complete any repairs necessary to remedy cracks or leaks. Costs will vary based on the size and cause of the problem.

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 is also variable. This process reinforces bowing walls with carbon fiber or steel strips. The cost will depend on the material chosen and how many strips are used.

Finally, waterproofing is an overarching term for a number of jobs that help prevent water from getting into your foundation or basement. This can involve interior waterproofing, exterior waterproofing, or both, and the price can vary greatly. We recommend contacting a waterproofing specialist if you're planning to waterproof your foundation.

When constructing a new house, have a soil report completed. A soil report will contain information about how well the soil on a given piece of land can support a foundation, and can provide you with a heads-up about potential future problems. If you have concerns about an existing house, for a few hundred dollars, you can get an inspection and report by a structural engineer. They can alert you to any issues that could use some attention, and give you advice 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 Mentor 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.

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

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

Interior waterproofing can involve the use of sealants or the installation of sump pumps and drains and tends to be less costly than exterior waterproofing. Exterior waterproofing can involve applying physical barriers to crawl spaces and basements, making changes to your landscaping, or installing exterior drains.

We recommend that you do not put off a foundation repair project. A seemingly small issue may have an underlying cause that could potentially result in future problems, and it's better to treat the root of the issue as fast as possible. A small and moderately costly problem now could become a large and expensive one in the future if the signs are ignored.