Serving Rochester and nearby areas
Foundation crack repair in Rochester for basement walls that leak or keep growing, with a free inspection and a written price.
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Need help sooner? Call (585) 449-9661.
We connect property owners in Rochester and nearby areas, including Corn Hill, South Wedge, Park Avenue, 19th Ward, Greece and Irondequoit, with one independent local foundation repair specialist.
Typical published ranges for Rochester. The contractor's written estimate is the price, and the inspection is free.
| Work | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Inspection and written estimate | Free |
| Crack sealing or epoxy injection | $200 to $1,000per crack |
| Seal a leaking crack, waterproofing guide | $250 to $1,000per crack |
| Carbon fiber straps, when the wall has moved | $4,000 to $12,000 |
| Structural engineer report | $300 to $2,000 |
Most Rochester homeowners find a foundation crack one of two ways. Water shows up on the floor after a melt or a hard rain. Or they notice a crack that seems longer than it was last year.
Not every crack is a problem. But a crack that leaks, grows, or has one side pushed out needs a look. The free inspection tells you which kind you have and what it takes to fix it.
These are the cracks Rochester homeowners call about most:
"Water drips through a crack in my poured wall."
"The crack runs from the corner of a window down to the floor."
"There is a long sideways crack across my block wall."
"The crack zig-zags like stairs along the mortar."
"The crack is wider at the top than at the bottom."
"One side of the crack sticks out past the other."
"The buyer's inspector flagged a crack."
Concrete shrinks. Poured walls shrink as they cure. Thin, straight cracks from shrinkage are common in newer homes. Many never leak.
Frost pushes. Wet soil freezes and swells against the wall every winter. The push is strongest near the top. That can open cracks and widen old ones.
Water pressure. Soil that stays wet in spring pushes water against the wall. Water finds any crack and comes through.
Soil settles. The soil packed back around a new basement can take years to firm up. A corner can drop a little and crack the wall.
Old mortar wears out. In stone and early block walls, the mortar slowly washes out. Cracks open along the joints.
Wider than about a quarter inch
You can slide a coin into it.
Growing
It is longer or wider than it was last season.
Sideways in a block wall
This often means soil is pushing the wall in.
Stair-step
It zig-zags along the mortar joints.
Offset
One side sticks out past the other.
Leaking
Water comes through every time it rains or melts.
See signs of foundation problems for more on which cracks are cosmetic.
The fix depends on the wall and on why it cracked.
For a leaking crack in a poured wall, foam is pumped in through small ports. It swells to fill the crack from the inside face to the outside face. It stays a little flexible, so it handles small seasonal movement. It is often the first choice when the goal is to stop water.
Epoxy is pumped in the same way, but it hardens like glue. It bonds the two sides of the crack back together. It is often used when the crack needs to carry load, not just stop water.
If the wall has moved, sealing the crack alone will not hold. The wall needs to be braced first. That can mean carbon fiber straps, steel beams, or wall anchors. Then the crack is sealed. See wall anchors.
Hollow block and stone walls are not injected the same way as poured walls. Cracks in these walls are often fixed with new mortar, bracing, and an inside drain that takes the water away. See basement waterproofing.
Sometimes a crack is dug out and sealed from the outside. This costs more and tears up the yard. It can make sense when the outside wall needs work anyway.
The price table on this page shows typical ranges from Fixr. These are typical ranges, not a quote. A single crack in a stable poured wall is one of the smallest foundation jobs. A crack in a wall that has moved costs more, because the wall needs bracing too. See the cost guide for more detail.
You can patch a thin, dry crack with a kit from the hardware store. Surface patches often fail on a crack that leaks under pressure. A crack in a wall that is moving needs bracing, not just a patch.
Both are pumped into the crack. Epoxy hardens like glue and bonds the two sides back together. Foam swells to fill the crack and stays a little flexible, which makes it good for stopping leaks.
Most crack injection jobs take a few hours. The material sets over the next day or so. If the wall needs straps or anchors too, that adds a day or more.
A sealed crack in a stable wall usually stays closed. If the wall is still moving, the crack can open again or a new one can form next to it. That is why the inspector checks if the wall has moved.
Usually not the same way. Block is hollow, so injected material can run into the cores. Block cracks are often fixed with bracing, new mortar, or a drain that takes the water away.
Sealing a crack is often minor work. Structural repairs usually need a permit in the City of Rochester. The contractor should tell you if your job needs one and pull it for you.
Call (585) 449-9661 or send the short form with a photo of the crack. A local crew will call you back, usually the same day. The inspection is free, and the price comes in writing.