Foundation Repair
Sorting a visible foundation problem into the right category before anything gets fixed.
The foundation repair services this site explains
Ten categories, because ten genuinely different problems live under the phrase "foundation problem." If you are not sure which one applies to your house, that is the normal starting point — describe what you are seeing and the diagnosis sorts it.
Related services
Settlement Repair
Stopping and correcting ongoing, uneven movement of the foundation itself.
Foundation Crack Repair
Telling a cosmetic crack from a structural one, and closing or monitoring it accordingly.
Crawl Space Repair
Sagging joists, failed piers, or damaged framing under the house — the structural half of the crawl space, not the moisture half.
Crawl Space Encapsulation
Moisture, humidity, and musty smells under the house — the vapor and environmental half of the crawl space, not the structural half.
Foundation Waterproofing
Water moving into or through the foundation itself from the outside — grading, exterior sealants, and drainage around the structure.
Basement Waterproofing
Keeping water out of a basement that is actually lived in or used for storage, not just the foundation around it.
Concrete Lifting
Raising a sunken driveway, patio, or walkway slab back to level — flatwork, not the house itself.
House Leveling
Restoring the structure itself to level, distinct from stopping the ground movement that caused it to move.
Retaining Wall Repair
A leaning, bulging, or cracked retaining wall is its own structure with its own repair questions, separate from the house foundation.
Why the list is ten and not one
A site that offers one generic "foundation repair" service is treating a crack, a sinking corner, a wet crawl space, and a leaning retaining wall as the same problem wearing different clothes. They are not. Each of the ten categories below has its own causes, its own diagnostic questions, and in several cases its own qualified professional — a structural engineer for a settlement assessment is not the same call as a waterproofing contractor for a wet basement wall. They also overlap in ways worth knowing before you pick one. A crack can be the visible edge of a settlement problem, or it can be genuinely on its own. A sunken driveway slab (concrete lifting) is a completely different scale of problem from a sinking house corner (settlement repair or house leveling), even though both get described as "sinking." Which is why the first useful step is naming the actual category, not picking a service off a list.
Related reading
Signs a House May Have Foundation Problems
A room-by-room read of the signs that are worth taking seriously, sorted by what they usually mean.
Foundation Repair Cost Factors in San Diego
What actually moves a foundation repair estimate, and why the same-looking job can price two different ways.
Can Crawl Space Moisture Cause Structural Damage?
Yes, over time — here is the escalation path from a moisture problem to a structural one.
Foundation Waterproofing vs. Drainage Improvements
Two layers of the same defense, not competing options — here is what each one actually does.
Not sure which category fits?
Most people are not, and the guess is not the useful part. Describe what the house or the yard is doing and we will work out which of the ten it actually is.
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