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Some foundation repairs are permanent, like underpinning and exterior drainage systems like the French drain. These fixes address the underlying problems—insufficient support from the soil and hydrostatic pressure on your foundation walls, respectively—so they can last for many decades, making them “lifetime fixes.” There are other solutions to address these issues that will last for up to a decade, making them temporary. These include slabjacking to raise concrete slabs back into place and dampproofing to reduce the water in the soil that interacts with the concrete foundation.

Barring extreme home foundation problems, most horizontal foundation cracks are fixable using one or more methods. Most of the repair methods require professional expertise to accomplish, and include plate anchors, steel reinforcement, soil anchors, reconstruction, or carbon fiber strip applications. Contacting a professional to diagnose the problem early can minimize repair expenses.

Yes, slab foundations can sink just like any other foundation type. Floating slabs are the most prone to differential settlement and foundation sinking because they sit directly on the surface of the earth. Slab foundations that have footings—including slab-on-grade foundations and monolithic slab foundations—get additional support from soil further down and are less likely to sink over time, especially under larger, heavier structures.

A slab-on-grade or slab foundation is a great option in many areas—usually in warm or moderate climates—and has been a successful foundation style for many decades. Slab foundations don’t require excavation or concrete block wall construction, so they’re the least expensive foundation type. They’re also the fastest to construct and don’t have many issues with moisture or water intrusion. However, they don’t give you extra storage space or potential living space like a crawl space or basement would, and they’re not ideal in colder areas where utility lines can freeze and frost heave can cause major damage.