Common Causes of Foundation Problems in Dearborn Heights
A few factors can contribute to foundation issues. These are the most prevalent ones for Dearborn Heights residents:
- Improper modifications: Roofing or landscaping work that wasn't completed properly could lead to your foundation settling.
- Aging plumbing: Dearborn Heights has its fair share of older homes, with a median building year of 1958. Many of these properties use cast-iron plumbing. When the pipes start eroding, leakage could reach your foundation and even pool beneath it.
- Topsoil Frost: When temperatures plunge, topsoil freezes rapidly and lower layers can't expand, forcing upper layers to heave and permanently damage infrastructure.
- Standing water: Pooling water around your home can be menacing to your foundation, especially when it gathers in areas your drainage system doesn't reach.
- Tree Roots: Tree roots can enter a home's foundation through cracks, and may exert pressure that causes your foundation breaking, pipes being damaged, and overall structural weakening.
How to Choose the Best Foundation Repair Company
When choosing a foundation company, you should consider your personal priorities. Ask each provider on your list about the following qualities.
Licensing and Experience
Michigan foundation repair companies need a Residential Builder license, a Residential Maintenance & Alteration Contractor license, or both. The state's Licensing and Regulatory Affairs department oversees new applications. It also administrates continuing education required of all contractors. To further understand your contractor's experience, we recommend asking questions about how the company inspects foundations, what local codes apply to your project, and how its team will draft plans and pull permits.
Another way to assess a company's standing is to check its website. There, you can learn how long it's been in business and its trade accreditations. It might also share insights and knowledge through blog posts, podcasts, or videos.
Customer Reviews
When you're researching a company's standing, go to its Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile. There, you can find its "letter grade" rating and a list of customer reviews, both positive experiences and complaints. Complaints aren't necessarily a red flag in themselves. Instead, discover how a company manages them. If the management team proactively and consistently resolves issues, it's a good sign. However, if the company lacks accreditation, has an abundance of negative feedback, and doesn't communicate effectively, you should avoid working with it.
Lastly, we encourage you to search different websites, like Trustpilot and Google, for more opinions.
Foundation Repair Cost in Dearborn Heights
The price of foundation repair can vary substantially depending on the degree of the issues and what's needed to resolve them. For minor foundation fissures and settling problems, you may pay as little as $1,800. However, if there is significant damage, the normal cost falls at about $2,900. More complex projects involving tunneling, helical piers, or major mudjacking could cost upwards of $6,800. See below the average foundation repair costs for common issues.
Common Foundation Repair Services | Average Cost |
---|---|
Crack Repair | $340 |
Leak Repair | $2,712 |
Stabilization | $4,685 |
Underpinning | $1,302 |
Waterproofing | $2,994 |
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Frequently Asked Questions About Foundation Repair in Dearborn Heights
What will I pay to repair my foundation in Dearborn Heights?
What are the different types of foundations in Dearborn Heights?
Will my homeowners insurance cover foundation repair?
Are there telltale signs I should avoid a particular foundation company?
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviewsteam@thisoldhousereviews.com.
More Foundation Resources
National Foundation Repair Ranking Methodology
Sources
U.S. Census Bureau (American Communities Survey)