Best 5 Foundation Repair Companies in Portsmouth, VA

Common Causes of Foundation Problems in Portsmouth

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

• Aging plumbing: The average Portsmouth home construction year is 1966. If you live in an older home, it's likely to have cast-iron plumbing. When the pipes start eroding, leakage could reach your foundation and even pool beneath it.
• Soil composition: Soil with large sand or clay concentrations is highly expansive. In the heavy rainfall Portsmouth gets, the soil soaks up moisture like a sponge, then releases it in dry seasons. The constant expansion and contraction puts pressure on nearby foundations, even if the foundations stay dry.
• Improper modifications: Landscaping or roofing work that wasn't performed properly could lead to your foundation settling.
• Standing water: Standing water around your home can threaten your foundation, especially when it gathers in areas your gutters don't cover.
• Tree Roots: Tree roots can enter a home's foundation through cracks, and may exert pressure that causes your foundation breaking, pipes rupturing, and overall structural destabilization.

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

The Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation issues licenses to foundation repair companies. The license a company has determines what work it can do and what size projects it can handle. You can also get a sense of a company's experience through what its representatives say. Ask about its inspection processes, local codes, permit-pulling procedures, and fees.

Contractor websites are excellent places to do your research. Typically, a company will disclose how long it's been in the industry. It might also publish articles to help potential clients.

Customer Reviews

Before committing to a company, review its online profile with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can examine both positive reviews and complaints. Remember that negative feedback doesn't necessarily mean a contractor is unqualified. BBB comments also show how companies address complaints. A responsive team that strives for excellent outcomes is a good one. Steer clear of a contractor if you don't see effective communication about problems.

Foundation Repair Cost in Portsmouth

The price of your foundation repair project can vary substantially based on the extent of the issues and what needs to be fixed. For minor foundation fissures and settling concerns, you may pay as little as $1,800. However, if there is significant damage, the normal cost falls at about $3,000. More complex projects requiring digging, helical piers, or major mudjacking could cost $6,900+. This table shows the average foundation repair costs for common issues.