"Had Austin Smith & Derick Bievenue do some foundation repair at our house. They were on time, professional, and got the job done exactly how I wanted it."
"We had an attached screened-in porch that was sinking.Acculevel came in and detailed every aspect of the repair project and then followed thru to the most minuet detail. Excellent work and very detail oriented. Friendly and cooperative service team that completed the work. This seemed like what was going to be a complicated job, using augered jacks, concrete removal, and replacing trex floor. ...In a nutshell, they made what seemed hard..very manageableand 100% solved.Excellent service, excellant price......Terry M."
"Professional! Andrew recognized the root cause of the water entering the basement while other foundation experts were charging thousands more and never addressed the root cause. Andrew executed a simple yet elegant solution. The cost again was highly reasonable. Highly recommended."
After 30 years together, my wife and I bought our pickup and I am now looking to supplement my income by putting my pickup truck to work for me. Whether moving appliances or delivering purchases, I've got the tool for the job.
Frank's team at Advanced Foundation Repair and Replacement identified that my cracked basement wall and fireplace foundation had settled 1 1/2" along one side of my home, and needed 12 piers installed to lift and stabilize the foundation to prevent further cracking. Frank provided a competitive estimate for pier jacking, based on other pier jacking I had had done on a front porch and laundry room slab, but he used a far more sophisticated technology than the other company I had used in the past.
They first removed a 560 sq foot cedar deck, then excavated with a Bobcat down to the base of the foundation wall. The gentleman running the excavator operated with surgical precision, leaving a clean wall and trench for the next phase. They preserved the shrubs I wanted saved, and the only ancillary damage was a pinched gas line for my bbq, which Frank had repaired immediately after the job was completed. My wife was impressed that they salvaged the deck boards and reused them for roof joists on another project, and salvaged the old bricks from an underlying brick patio and provided them to another who needed a patio but could not afford bricks.
The pier jacking involved driving 12 heavy steel pipes down to the solid subground (not down to bedrock) using a hydraulic press, then using those same presses and hydraulic rams to lift the foundation of the home 1 1/2 inches when all of the pipes were in place. They then bolted and welded the pipes to the lifting flanges, making the lift permanent, and cut off the excess pipe. The team brought in a Bobcat front loader to backfill the excavation after putting a waterproof sealant on the outside of the exposed basement wall, again operating it with surgical precision.
Through the entire process, Frank and his team communicated what they were doing, and met the schedule that they had proposed. The site was left very clean, with all of the debris removed and the area of the lawn that was covered with excavated debris was scraped clean and ready for reseeding.
Frank was very responsive to my questions throughout the process, and left me with no surprises. I wholeheartedly recommend Advanced Foundation Repair and Replacement for any foundation work needed.
"Perfect! All our questions were answered timely and with extreme professionalism. They showed up exactly when they said they’d be here. The dirt work was done when they said it would be, concrete was poured exactly when they said. They cleaned up all their own tools and trash. They did their job and didn’t linger. They offered suggestions to make the concrete look better and not crack as easy. There were no questions left unanswered! We would absolutely use Levi and his crew again!!!!"
"Jay did a great job. I underestimated the amount of work that needed to be done to fix my kitchen cabinets. We painted our cabinets ourselves and in the process did not hang them back properly. It was quite an undertaking to repair. Jay meticulously reconfigured the cabinets and repaired them to their original condition. I plan on hiring Jay's Handyman Services for other projects we have in the future."
"After scheduling the initial appointment, the provider had to re-schedule two times. However, they did compensate for this by providing free sanitizing of the interior passages which was a value of $216.00. Even though I had the vents cleaned in my house before, I didn't remember how many vents and returns I had in the house. So what I thought would be a cost of $89.00 turned out to cost over a $300.00. However, I did get free sanitizing which saved me $216.00. Steven and Dave were friendly and seemed knowledgeable. It's good to know since I got the sanitizing, I won't to have this service performed for another 7-10 years. I would have given them an A in quality, but after they had left, I noticed they hadn't put at least four of the vents back to their original position. Three of the vents I know are older and perhaps, they weren't able to put the vents back as they had found them. However, they could have mentioned this before they left to let me know that I probably should have them replaced. I gave them a B on pricing as I wasn't expecting to have to pay for additional vents and I don't know what the going rate is to have vents cleaned. "
"They crew was hard working in terrible conditions. They finished on time but had to work in very wet conditions because of water seeping into their work areas. Their equipment was always up to date and working properly. They brought the foundation back up and stabilized the house with piers down to bed rock."
Most single-story homes don't have foundations strong enough to support a second story, but they can be reinforced for an addition. A structural engineer can assess your foundation and what needs to be done to get it ready. They'll look at any cracks or unevenness in your current foundation and consider any special framing or beams your home needs, especially if it’s in a high-wind or hurricane area.
“To support a second story, many structural engineers will require that you install additional concrete piers in the crawlspace,” says Tschudi. “This involves hand excavating, pouring a large concrete footing—usually with specially coated rebar—and then building concrete piers right up to the girders.”
Generally, foundation cracks and repair are not covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. This type of damage is often considered normal wear and tear or a result of poor maintenance, which is the homeowner's responsibility. For example, damage caused by settling, shifting soil, or drainage issues is typically excluded.
However, there are exceptions. Coverage may apply if the foundation damage is a direct result of a covered peril, such as a house fire, a burst pipe, vandalism, or a vehicle accident. Coverage for natural disasters like earthquakes and floods often requires a separate, specific policy or add-on.
Not all cracks in the basement floor signal foundation problems. As the house settles, you’ll notice very thin hairline cracks, which you don’t need to worry about. Cracks that are 1/8 inch or wider should require sealing, while ones that are 1/2 inch or wider require leveling. However, if you have cracks in your basement floor with heaving, you should call a pro to assess the situation. Heaving can lead to uneven flooring, structural issues, and foundation problems.
Whether you need a permit for foundation repair depends on your location and the scope of the work. Major repairs like foundation stabilization typically require a building permit, while smaller projects such as sealing non-structural cracks or applying waterproofing solutions often do not. It's crucial that your contractor follows all local building codes, as an inspector will review the work to ensure it's up to standard. Failing to obtain the necessary permits can create issues when selling your home and may lead to further damage if the work is not done correctly. Your foundation repair specialist will usually know if a permit is needed and can handle the process for you. You can also contact your local building department or municipal office to confirm the requirements and verify that your contractor has filed the appropriate paperwork.
Yes, you can fill cracks in concrete if you’re a somewhat handy homeowner. It’s important to know which concrete patching method to use, as small cracks require different approaches than large ones. It might seem challenging to determine which product to use and the tools necessary for the project, but with a bit of background, homeowners can restore their cracked concrete easily.
The Hermann, MO homeowners’ guide to foundation repairs
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Foundation repair costs can be tricky when you have a large repair on your hands. This guide walks through costs from small cracks to total replacement.
Worried about pier and beam foundation repair costs? Get a better understanding of how to budget by learning about the repair methods available to you.
Unstable or sinking foundations require comprehensive and expensive solutions. Learn about foundation underpinning costs in this guide to set your budget.
A house’s history of foundation repairs doesn’t always mean you shouldn’t buy it. Learn what to consider when purchasing a house with an unstable past.
