Repair Methods
The short answer
The main foundation repair methods are underpinning with pressed-concrete or steel piers (to stabilize and lift settled areas), crack repair (to seal non-structural cracks), drainage correction (to stop the water that causes movement), and re-leveling for pier and beam homes. The right method depends on your foundation type and what's driving the movement.
Foundation repair isn’t one procedure — it’s a toolkit. The skill is in the diagnosis: figuring out why the foundation moved, then choosing the method that addresses the cause, not just the symptom.
The method follows the diagnosis, not the other way around. Settlement (a corner or section has dropped) calls for underpinning with piers. A non-structural crack with no differential movement calls for crack injection or sealing alone. Recurring or seasonal movement — cracks or sticking doors that come and go with the weather — points to a drainage or moisture problem that piering alone won’t fix. A bowing or cracked foundation wall needs wall stabilization, not underpinning. An engineer-reviewed inspection is what tells you which category you’re in before you agree to a specific method.
| Method | What it fixes | Typical Austin cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel push piers | Settlement; lifts and stabilizes a sunken slab | $1,200–$2,500 per pier | Heavy homes, deep unstable soil |
| Helical piers | Settlement; lifts lighter structures | $1,500–$3,000 per pier | Lighter structures, additions, pier & beam |
| Concrete / bell-bottom piers | Settlement; traditional underpinning | $700–$1,500 per pier | Slab homes, budget-conscious jobs |
| Pier & beam re-leveling | Sagging or bouncy floors | $5,000–$15,000 per job | Older pier-and-beam homes |
| Crack injection | Non-structural cracks, water intrusion through cracks | $500–$1,500 per crack | Cosmetic cracks with no differential movement |
| Wall repair | Bowing or cracked foundation walls | $4,000–$15,000 per wall | Basement/retaining walls under lateral pressure |
| Waterproofing / drainage | The moisture swings that cause repeat movement | $2,000–$10,000 per project | Prevention, or after piering to stop recurrence |
| Slab leveling (mudjacking/foam) | Minor unevenness without full underpinning | $600–$2,500 per job | Small settled areas, driveways/walkways |
Ranges are typical Central Texas figures for the job alone; see the cost guide for what drives your specific number, or estimate your repair in about 30 seconds.
Slab and pier-and-beam homes fail differently on expansive Central Texas clay, so they’re repaired differently too. A slab is underpinned from the exterior — piers are driven or drilled around the perimeter and the slab is lifted onto them. A pier and beam home is corrected from inside the crawl space, where a contractor can shim and add piers directly under the beams without excavation, which is why comparable pier-and-beam jobs usually cost less. See foundation types for how to tell which one you have and how each fails on clay.
There's no single 'best' method — it depends on the cause. Settlement needs piers; a non-structural crack needs sealing; recurring movement needs drainage correction. A good contractor diagnoses the cause first (ideally with an engineer) and matches the method to it, rather than selling one product for every problem.
Start with an inspection and elevation survey, not a method — a good diagnosis identifies whether you're dealing with settlement, heave, a non-structural crack, or a drainage problem, and each has a different fix. Piering corrects settlement, crack injection addresses cosmetic cracks, and drainage correction stops movement caused by uneven soil moisture. A vetted specialist should explain which one applies before quoting a price.
Yes. Slab homes are underpinned from outside with steel, concrete, or helical piers driven or drilled to load-bearing soil or rock. Pier-and-beam homes are re-leveled from inside the crawl space — shimming and adding piers under the existing beams — which is usually less invasive and less expensive per comparable job. See foundation types for how each one fails on Central Texas clay.
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