Common Causes of Foundation Problems in Lorain
A few factors can lead to foundation issues. Here are the most common ones for Lorain residents:
- Topsoil Frost: When temperatures plummet, topsoil abruptly ices over and lower layers can't expand, pushing upper layers to heave and permanently damage infrastructure.
- Aging plumbing: Lorain has its fair share of older homes, with a median building year of 1960. Many of these properties use 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.
- Tree Roots: Tree roots can encroach on a home's foundation through crevices, and may apply force that leads to your foundation breaking, pipes rupturing, and overall structural deterioration.
How to Choose the Best Foundation Repair Company
To pick a foundation repair business, you should think about what's most important to you. Use this guide to help you navigate the process.
Licensing and Experience
While Ohio doesn't regulate foundation repair companies at a state level, cities can choose to require licenses, exams, or continuing education. Contact the Lorain city hall, Lorain County, or your regional building district for more information about what's necessary. To further understand your contractor's experience, we recommend asking questions about how its team will draft plans and pull permits, what local codes apply to your project, and how the company inspects foundations.
One of the most effective ways to assess a company's reputation is to explore its website. Look for the company's history and what credentials its team holds. Many top companies offer educational content for potential customers.
Customer Reviews
We advise looking into the company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile to determine whether it's accredited and has a high customer review score. You can check whether other homeowners have expressed satisfaction or filed complaints. Pay special attention to what customers say about company warranties. Complaints aren't necessarily a red flag in themselves. You want to 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, shows more negative reviews than positive ones, and doesn't communicate well, you should think twice about working with it.
Finally, we recommend you search different websites, like Trustpilot and Google, for other reviews.
Foundation Repair Cost in Lorain
The price of foundation repair can range widely depending on the scale of the issues and what's needed to resolve them. For minor foundation fracturing and settling problems, you may pay as little as $1,800. However, if there is substantial deterioration, the average cost falls at about $2,500. More complex projects involving excavating, helical piers, or major mudjacking could cost upwards of $6,700. This table shows the average foundation repair costs for common issues.
Common Foundation Repair Services | Average Cost |
---|---|
Crack Repair | $306 |
Leak Repair | $2,391 |
Stabilization | $4,090 |
Underpinning | $1,177 |
Waterproofing | $2,633 |
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Frequently Asked Questions About Foundation Repair in Lorain
How much does foundation repair cost in Lorain?
What are the different types of foundations in Lorain?
How long does foundation repair usually take?
Will my homeowners insurance cover foundation repair?
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)