When Your Foundation Is Sinking
Visible signs your foundation has settled and needs underpinning: cracked drywall (especially at corners), doors that won't latch, uneven floors, sticking windows, gaps between trim and ceiling, exterior brick cracks running diagonally. Once you see two or more of these, the foundation has moved — and it's not going to stop without intervention.
Push Pier System — $1,500 to $2,500 Per Pier
Best for total settlement on heavy structures. Hydraulic steel piers get driven through the soil until they hit load-bearing strata (in Wayne County, usually 15–40 feet down). The home's weight drives them. Once the pier hits refusal, we transfer the load and stop further settling — often lifting the home back toward level.
- Driven by hydraulic ram, not torque — most reliable for heavy loads
- Goes to load-bearing strata regardless of depth
- Steel — won't rot, won't degrade
- Lifetime written contractor warranty terms
Helical Pier System — $1,200 to $2,000 Per Pier
Best for lighter loads — additions, garages, porches, or homes on stable but settling soil. Helicals screw into place with a torque motor; professional installers measure installation resistance to help confirm load capacity. Installs in 1 day per pier, no excavation visible after backfill.
Typical Project Cost
Most Wayne County underpinning projects need 4–10 piers. Total: $8,000 to $25,000. The variation comes from:
- Number of affected corners or wall sections
- Depth to load-bearing soil (5–40 feet)
- Pier type (push vs helical)
- Whether we attempt to lift back to level (called "recovery") or just stabilize
- Access — narrow yards, landscaping, basements all add labor
What Underpinning Won't Fix
Piers stop foundation settling. They don't fix:
- Existing cracks in walls (we patch separately — see crack repair)
- Bowing basement walls (different problem — see bowed wall repair)
- Drywall and trim cracks upstairs (you'll patch after the lift settles)
The Honest Truth About Lifting
Some contractors promise to lift a foundation perfectly back to its original position. Lifting can crack pipes, open new wall cracks, break tile, and damage drywall. A cautious, engineer-informed plan prioritizes stabilization; any attempted recovery should be limited by the structure, utilities, and finishes.