Five reasons for foundation repair cost differences:
- Pier spacing: There are established quidelines for pier spacing for both one and two story concrete slab foundations. Sometimes these are violated to provide a “low bid”
- Cost of installing piers: The installation cost for concrete cylinders pilings is dependent upon soil moisture and installation technique. When soil is dry, a reputable company will water inject to achieve greater piling depth. Water injection takes longer and costs more in materials and man-power. The result is well worth the additional cost of foundation repair.
- Pier type: In the Dallas Fort Worth area the two most common piers are concrete pilings and steel piers. Steel piers are driven to rock or shale, while concrete pilings are limited in depth by soil moisture and the weight of the house. A deeper drive is alway preferable. In areas of Houston, where rock is 600 feet deep, steel in not practical.
- Insurance: A reputable company will carry Liability Insurance and Workers Comp Insurance. This insurance is expensive. Workers Comp Insurance assures that if a worker is injured at your house, his injury is fully covered by the company. Without the insurance an injured worker can seek reimbursement for all medical costs from the homeowner.
- Permits: There is the direct cost of the permit, and the indirect cost of an engineering report by a professional engineer. Skipping the permit process can save upwards of $600…unless the city catches the violation.