Best 5 Foundation Repair Companies in Berkeley, NJ

Common Causes of Foundation Problems in Berkeley

A few factors can lead to foundation issues. These are the most common ones for Berkeley residents:

• Aging plumbing: The average Berkeley home construction year is 1971. If you live in an older home, it's likely to have cast-iron plumbing. When the pipes start to erode, leaking water could reach your foundation and even pool beneath it.
• Improper modifications: Roofing or landscaping work that wasn't performed properly could lead to your foundation settling.
• Soil composition: Soil with large clay or sand concentrations is highly expansive. In the heavy rainfall Berkeley receives, the soil absorbs moisture like a sponge, then releases it in dry seasons. The constant expansion and contraction puts pressure on nearby foundations, even if the foundations keep dry.
• Standing water: Water accumulation around your home can be a menace to your foundation, especially when it gathers in areas your drainage system doesn't reach.
• Tree Roots: Tree roots can intrude into a home's foundation through cracks, and may exert pressure that leads to your foundation cracking, pipes leaking, and overall structural deterioration.

How to Choose the Best Foundation Repair Company

When choosing a foundation repair company, you should consider your personal priorities. Ask each company on your list about the following qualities.

Licensing and Experience

New Jersey requires home improvement contractors, including foundation companies, to register with the state's Division of Consumer Affairs. They're also required to apply for a home repair contractor license with the Department of Banking and Insurance, which regulates the financial business of construction work. Talk to team members to gain more insight into a company's experience. You should ask about local inspection processes, permit ordinances and building codes.

Contractor websites are among the best places to do your research. Usually, a company will discuss how long it's been operating. It might also share blog posts to help prospective customers.

Customer Reviews

Before signing a contract with a company, check its online profile with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can examine both positive reviews and complaints. Complaints aren't necessarily a red flag in themselves. Instead, discover how a company manages them. If the management team consistently and proactively 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 recommend you search additional sites, including Trustpilot and Google, for other reviews.

Foundation Repair Cost in Berkeley

The price of foundation repair can differ quite significantly depending on the scale of the issues and what's required to resolve them. For minor foundation fracturing and settling problems, you may pay as little as $2,000. However, if there is considerable damage, the average cost is about $4,500. More complex projects involving excavating, helical piers, or major mudjacking could cost upwards of $7,400. This table shows the average foundation repair costs for common issues.