Foundation repair in Wake Forest NC - a repair aimed at the cause, not the crack

Foundation repair in the Raleigh area usually costs about $2,000 to $18,000 per job, with crack filling and sealing toward the low end and structural repairs toward the top. That's the going rate around here, not our price, and your own figure comes from the written estimate once I've seen the house.

Not always, because cracks and sticking doors or windows are possible signs that the house is shifting as the soil shrinks, not proof of it. For an older home, one extension guide says some cracks are acceptable if settlement has stopped, so what matters is whether the house is still moving. That's the question I try to answer on the visit before anyone talks about a repair.

Plan anything you do with the tree together with the repair instead of cutting it down first. Engineering guidance written for Texas homes says trees or large shrubs near a foundation may shrink the soil under it and removing them may stop that, but removal may also lift the foundation as the soil gets wetter, especially when the tree was there before the house. We'll look at the tree on the visit and talk through the timing with you.

For addresses inside the town's jurisdiction, the Town of Wake Forest Inspections Department handles permits and building inspections, from its office on the ground floor of Town Hall, and you can reach it at 919-435-9531. Homes around Wake Forest sit in either Wake or Franklin County, and where Franklin County handles your address, the county takes permit applications online at any time and usually processes them in 1 to 2 business days. Knowing which county you're in before the visit saves a step.

Keep your gutters and downspouts intact and clear of debris, and have the downspouts carry water 6 to 10 feet out from the foundation. In a dry spell, general guidance written for North Dakota homes suggests watering the soil 1 to 2 feet away from the foundation edge, because water poured straight into the gap along the wall can end up in the basement.

It depends on where your footing sits and what the repair needs, and I'll point out on the visit how deep any outside digging would go. A Kansas extension guide says adding footing drains to an existing house means digging outside down to the footing or removing a section of concrete floor inside, and that it's likely to be quite expensive. The same guide notes that digs deeper than 5 feet usually require shoring to protect workers, so it's a fair question to ask any contractor.