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Rochester Foundation Repair Co

Serving Rochester and nearby areas

Foundation Repair in Rochester, NY

Foundation repair in Rochester that stops the movement and fixes the cause, with a free inspection and a written price.

Call now: (585) 449-9661 or book your free inspection online

Book a free foundation inspection

Tell us what you are seeing. A local specialist calls you back the same business day.

Local to Rochester

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.

  • Frost about 42 inches down

    The Town of Chili asks for deck posts at least 42 inches below grade. That is how deep frost can reach here. The top few feet of a basement wall take the push every winter.

  • Packed glacial till

    The Ontario soil was first named in Monroe County in 1910. USDA says it formed in a red, limy glacial till on drumlins and till plains. Till is packed tight, so water drains through it slowly.

  • Hills the glacier left

    Cobbs Hill, on the east end of the Pinnacle Range in Rochester, is a moraine of boulders, sand and gravel left by the melting ice sheet. Soil can change from one block to the next on ground like this.

  • A century of frost on old walls

    About 7 in 10 homes in Rochester's 19th Ward were built in 1939 or earlier. Walls that old have taken more than 80 winters of frost.

What it costs

Typical published ranges for Rochester. The contractor's written estimate is the price, and the inspection is free.

WorkTypical range
Inspection and written estimate Free
Most foundation repairs, national $2,200 to $8,200
Wall anchors $400 to $700per anchor
Carbon fiber straps on a bowing wall $4,000 to $12,000
Brace a bowing wall, any method $4,000 to $15,000
Steel pier to lift a sinking corner $1,000 to $3,000per pier
Structural engineer report $300 to $2,000

See typical foundation repair prices in Rochester

Your foundation moved. Here is what that means

A foundation almost never fails all at once. One block wall starts to lean in. Mortar in an old stone wall turns to sand. A crack shows up and grows a little each winter. Then you see water on the floor, a crack over a door, or a wall that is no longer straight.

Foundation repair has two jobs. First, stop the movement. Get the wall or corner back as close to straight as it can safely go. Second, fix the cause. If you skip that part, you pay for the same problem again in a few years.

You do not need to know which fix you need before you call. That is what the free inspection is for.

What the local crew fixes

Tell us what you see in your own words. These are the problems Rochester homeowners call about most:

"My basement wall is pushing in at the middle."

"There is a long crack running sideways across my block wall."

"Water comes through a crack every spring."

"The mortar in my stone wall is falling out."

"There is a crack over my bedroom door, and it keeps getting longer."

"The back door will not shut unless I lift it."

"The brick outside has a crack that looks like stairs."

"The home inspector flagged the foundation, and the buyer wants it fixed."

If any of these sound like your house, a local crew can tell you why it is happening and what it takes to fix it.

Why foundations move here

Most Rochester foundation problems come from water and frost, not from the house sinking.

Water that sits against the wall. Snow melts in spring and rain soaks in. The soil here is tight and slow to drain. So water sits against the basement wall and pushes on it.

Frost that pushes in. When that wet soil freezes, it swells. It pushes on the top part of the wall, where the frost reaches. When it thaws, the push lets up. Over many winters, that push and release opens cracks. In a block wall, it often makes one long crack along a mortar joint. Then the wall starts to bow.

Old walls wearing out. Stone and early block walls were built before modern drains and damp proofing. The mortar slowly washes out. The wall gets weaker and lets in more water.

Soil that changes from spot to spot. The glacier left a mix of packed till, sand, gravel and old lake clay. One corner of a house can sit on different ground than the other. That is why some homes settle at one corner.

How a local crew fixes it

The inspector picks the fix based on your house, your soil and what caused the movement. These are the common methods.

Wall anchors and wall braces

When soil pushes a basement wall in, the fix is to hold it, and sometimes pull it back. Wall anchors run from the wall out into firm soil in the yard. Steel beams or carbon fiber straps brace the wall from the inside. See wall anchors for how each one works.

Stone and mortar repair

Old stone walls can often be saved. Loose mortar is raked out and packed with new mortar. This is called repointing. Badly damaged parts can be rebuilt. An inside drain often goes in at the same time to keep water off the wall.

Crack repair

Cracks in poured walls can be filled with epoxy or a foam that seals the crack all the way through. Cracks from a moving wall need bracing first, then sealing. See foundation crack repair.

Steel piers

When a corner or one side of the house sinks, steel piers go down beside the footing until they reach firm ground. Then the house is lifted and held there. Helical piers screw into the ground. They work well for lighter loads like porches and add-ons.

Fixing the water

If water caused the movement, a brace alone will not stop it from happening to the next wall. Inside drains, a sump pump, downspout extensions and regrading keep water away. See basement waterproofing.

Crawl space support

Some homes, and many add-ons like back porches and sunrooms, sit over a crawl space. Sagging floors there are fixed with new supports under the beams. See crawl space repair.

What a good inspection covers

A real inspection is more than a look at one crack. Expect the crew to:

  • Walk every basement wall and measure any that bow, lean or slide.
  • Check the mortar in stone and block walls.
  • Take floor level readings across the house, not just the problem room.
  • Map cracks inside and outside.
  • Open and close doors and windows to see which ones stick.
  • Check gutters, downspouts, window wells and the slope of the yard.
  • Ask when you first saw the problem and if it changes with the seasons.
  • Give you a written plan that shows where each brace or pier goes and why.

What moves the price

The price table on this page shows typical ranges from Fixr and Angi. These are typical ranges, not a quote. These things move the price most:

How many walls need work

One wall costs a lot less than three.

Which fix

Straps, anchors and steel beams each cost a different amount per wall.

How many piers

The pier count drives the price on most pier jobs.

Water work

Adding a drain and sump pump raises the price, but it often protects the repair.

Finishing

Moving shelves, taking down drywall and patching after the work all add cost.

Read the full cost guide for more detail.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common foundation fix in Rochester?

For basement homes, the most common jobs are sealing cracks that leak, bracing block walls that bow in, and adding a drain and sump pump. Old stone walls often need new mortar. When one corner of the house sinks, steel piers lift and hold it.

How long does foundation repair take?

Crack sealing is often done in a few hours. Wall bracing and most pier jobs take one to three days. A drain around the whole basement can take a few days more. Your written estimate should list the schedule.

Do I need a permit in Rochester?

The City of Rochester says permits are usually needed for structural repairs. Homes in a preservation district may also need a Certificate of Appropriateness. In the towns, the town building department sets the rules. A good crew pulls the permit for you.

Does New York license foundation contractors?

The New York Department of State says the state does not license home improvement contractors. Some counties and cities do, but Monroe County is not on the state's list. Ask for proof of insurance, a written contract and the warranty in writing.

Can I stay home during the work?

Usually yes. Most bracing and crack work happens in the basement. Digging work happens in the yard. It can be loud and dusty for a day or two. The crew will tell you what to expect.

Will the repair close my cracks?

Pulling a wall back can close cracks part of the way. Drywall, brick and concrete usually still need patching after. Ask what the price includes.

What warranty should I expect?

Many foundation contractors offer a warranty on braces and piers, and some transfer to the next owner. Read what it covers and get it in writing with your estimate.

Will foundation repair hurt my home's value?

A buyer's inspector looks for foundation problems either way. A finished repair with paperwork and a warranty is usually easier to sell than a problem nobody fixed.

Questions to ask before you sign

  1. What caused the movement, and does the plan fix that cause?
  2. How many walls, braces or piers, and where do they go?
  3. Will the wall be pulled back, or only held where it is?
  4. What does the warranty cover, for how long, and does it transfer if I sell?
  5. Who pulls the permit, if the job needs one?
  6. Does the price include cleanup, backfill and patching?
  7. Can I see proof of insurance?

Book your free foundation inspection

Call (585) 449-9661 or send the short form. A local foundation crew will call you back, usually the same day. The inspection is free, and the price comes in writing before any work starts.

Other services

Areas we serve around Rochester

(585) 449-9661 Free inspection