Our team is committed to delivering comprehensive, unbiased, and transparent reviews of foundation providers. Our reviews aim to earn homeowners’ trust with detailed research and data that support our ratings. To provide you with unbiased information on foundation companies, we analyze provider websites, secret shop over the phone, chat with customer support, read through customer reviews, survey homeowners, and interview industry experts. This research and rating system helps us confidently recommend companies that meet your home needs.
Foundation Research Process
Our research process focuses on understanding each provider’s reputation, product quality, customer service, pricing, and availability. Below is a list of the steps we take when researching foundation repair companies.
Customer Insights
We look at star ratings and customer feedback across multiple review sites, including the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Trustpilot, and Google Reviews, to get an idea of customer experiences with each provider. When available, we read at least 50 customer reviews per company we review.
Secret Shopping
In addition to listening to customers, we interact with each company’s website and customer service team as a homeowner would. In addition to browsing company websites, we chat with representatives if there’s an online chat feature available and call customer service to ask questions.
We request quotes from every foundation company we research, either online or over the phone. We then compare average prices to determine which providers offer the best value for homeowners. Finally, we look into warranty terms to determine coverage and exclusions.
Industry Interviews
We interview foundation experts and other industry professionals for further insight into real-life experiences and foundation business trends. We also use this knowledge to inform our reviews.
Pro Tip
- Jim Nolan, a Napa contractor who rebuilt the Duffy house for This Old House, advises that cracks are the major sign of foundation trouble, “probably indicating a weak concrete mix or a lack of reinforcing steel rods, called rebar, in the wall. Even if a wall does have rebar, cracks are bad news because they allow water to penetrate and rust out the rebar.” When we evaluate foundation repair companies, we assess whether providers can identify and address these root causes—not just patch surface-level symptoms.
Factors We Evaluate When Comparing Foundation Companies
We apply our research and data to our review standards and use that information to rate companies. We evaluate each provider in seven categories: foundation repair services, basement waterproofing services, crawl space services, concrete services, financing options, warranty options, and additional benefits.
Pro Tip
- A reliable foundation repair company should conduct a thorough evaluation before recommending a fix. As part of our review process, we look for providers who perform the kind of hands-on inspection our experts recommend—including checking concrete strength, identifying whether footings are present and properly sized, and determining if structural supports like lally columns need replacement. On one This Old House project, an inspection revealed columns with no footings at all, requiring full replacement with new columns and properly sized footings to stabilize the home and stop further settling.
Each category includes company specifics and features with assigned point values. We add together these points for individual category scores, which we then add up for an overall provider score. We then divide that score by 20 for a final rating on a 5-star scale. Learn more about the categories we use to rate companies in the sections below.
Available Services
This is our most heavily weighted category. We start by looking at each common foundation repair service a company performs, such as carbon fiber reinforcement, leaning chimney repairs, and soil stabilization. We also consider basement waterproofing services, crawl space services, and concrete services. For example, we look for basement dehumidifying, emergency waterproofing services, sump pumps, debris removal, crawl space encapsulation, insulation services, mold remediation, and more.
The more services a company offers, the more points it will receive in this category.
Financing Options
We look at how many financing options a company offers to assess convenience and flexibility for customers. We give providers points for accepting cash or card, which represent the most common payment options. Companies can earn additional points for offering internal and external payment plans, customizable financing, and a same-as-cash option.
Warranty Options
We carefully review the warranty terms provided by foundation repair companies to ensure that they provide adequate coverage for their services. We award companies points for offering a manufacturer’s warranty and for providing customers with a transferable lifetime warranty.
Additional Benefits
We look at any additional benefits a company offers outside of its direct services. For example, we look for commercial services, online blogs and resource videos, photo galleries of past work, online customer portals, and eco-friendly products and services. The more benefits a company offers in addition to its base services, the more points it will earn in this category.
Factor Weights for Rating Foundation Companies
Below is an overview of the weights we assign to each of our categories.
| Category | Percentage of Overall Score |
|---|---|
|
Foundation repair services |
20% |
|
Financing options |
18% |
|
Additional benefits |
17% |
|
Warranty options |
15% |
|
Basement waterproofing services |
12% |
|
Crawl space services |
10% |
|
Concrete services |
8% |
How To Interpret Company Ratings
We rate companies on a 100 point scale, which is then converted into a 5-star rating. We consider companies that score 90 points or above as “excellent.” Providers that score between 80 and 89 points rate well as far as reputation and services but may have lost points for other lesser factors, like not serving commercial properties or offering payment plans. We don’t usually recommend a company with a score below 80 points, though when we do, we explain why the provider lost points and why we still feature it on our list.
Pro Tip
- Before calling in a professional, do a quick self-assessment so you can better evaluate a company’s diagnosis. As This Old House Magazine has noted, check inside your home for windows and doors that no longer close properly, cracked tiles, and sagging floors—these are indications that your house may have shifted. Outside, look for gaps in window trim and inspect the roofline for separations in the frieze board. Having this information on hand will help you gauge whether a company’s recommended scope of work is appropriate.
How To Choose the Best Foundation Company for You
We recommend taking the following steps when choosing a foundation company:
- Check for availability: First, check to see which providers offer services in your area. If you don’t know where to start, you can always ask friends, family, or neighbors for recommendations.
- Services: Next, confirm the company you’re looking at offers the services you need for your home.
- Price: Get a quote online or over the phone. We recommend comparing prices across at least three companies to find the best deal.
- Warranty: While a transferable warranty is a positive feature, also look for a manufacturer’s warranty to guarantee coverage.
- Financing options: Cash and card are standard payment options, but if you need to go another route, check that the company offers other options like payment plans.
- Customer service: We suggest reading a company’s online reviews to get an idea of customer satisfaction. You can also call and speak with a representative to assess service quality and get any questions answered.
Pro Tip
- Structural engineer Jim Graham advises homeowners to look beyond just the foundation walls when evaluating a company’s assessment. According to Graham, on a poured foundation, “a web of hairline cracks or widely spaced vertical cracks less than 1⁄8 inch wide generally mean the concrete shrank a bit too much as it cured. Unless they grow wider or leak water, these can usually be left alone. Cracks 1⁄8 inch wide or wider deserve a closer look.” A reputable foundation company should be able to explain the difference and not upsell you on unnecessary repairs.