Replace or Repair Foundation
We can perform a comprehensive inspection of your foundation, providing a professional consultation and a written cost quote.
Get Your Free EstimateShould I Repair My Foundation Or Replace It?
Many homeowners feel that if their foundation is cracked or damaged, the logical thing to do is to replace it. However, as with most home repairs, it’s important to consider ALL your options if you want to get the most for your money and the least disruption of daily family life.
Whether you choose to repair or replace the foundation, this is a job you’ll only want to take care of once. The most important thing is to find an effective, permanent solution from a contractor you can trust.
At Foundation Systems of Michigan, we’d like to help you find the best solution to your foundation problem. We can perform a comprehensive inspection of your foundation, providing a professional consultation and a written cost quote.
Call or e-mail us today to schedule your free quote! We proudly serve Metro Detroit, Ann Arbor, Saginaw, Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Muskegon, Jackson, Troy, Bloomfield Hills, Sterling Heights, Charlevoix, Flint, Clio, Gaylord, Madison Heights, Midland, Lexington, Mt. Pleasant, Adrian, and the surrounding areas in Michigan.
What’s Causing My Foundation Problem?
In a nutshell, foundation settlement is the movement your home experiences when the soil beneath it shrinks, settles, or can no longer support the structure’s weight.
Changes that occur in those soils — such as drying & shrinking, wetting & softening, compacting and swelling — all affect the stability, strength and overall condition of your foundation.
A foundation with bowing, buckling walls is demonstrating the damage caused by expansive soils. When clay-rich soils absorb moisture, their volume increases dramatically.
This can increase pressure on your home’s foundation walls by thousands of pounds, causing walls to bow and buckle inward.
A home that is experiencing foundation issues is not likely to get better on its own. As the constant cycle of wet and dry periods continues, your home is likely to experience damage on a continuing basis.The sooner the problem is addressed, the better.
The different types of soil around a foundation will behave in different ways as temperature and moisture conditions change, possibly affecting the condition of the foundation.
Foundation Replacement
With total foundation replacement, heavy equipment is brought in to totally excavate the soil around your home and expose the foundation.
Anything around the foundation — such as porches, steps, gardens, walkways, and foliage — would be removed.
The house would need to be “jacked up” on temporary supports as the foundation walls and slab floor and are removed. After the new foundation is built, the house is lowered into place, the soil is replaced and the landscape details are restored as much as possible.
This process is disruptive, time-consuming, and much more expensive than foundation repair.
Foundation Repair
Following a thorough foundation inspection, the foundation repair contractor will explain how and why the damage occurred, and how specialized materials and techniques can be used to make permanent repairs.
There are a variety of solutions that can be applied. If you have buckling foundation walls, for example, foundation wall anchors may be suggested as the solution. Foundation settlement issues are often solved with foundation piers.
Foundation repair can be performed year-round, and many repairs just take a day to complete. Our foundation products include a 25-year written warranty, as well as our own performance warranty.
More about our foundation repair products.
An article from Consumer Reports has shown that an alarming 15% of new homes constructed also experience structural problems.
These problems generally have two causes: poor construction quality, and homes built on poorly compacted fill soils.
Repair The Foundation Or Replace It?
While there are some extreme cases where a foundation just can’t be fixed, we recommend repairing the foundation whenever possible.
Not only is choosing to total foundation replacement extremely disruptive and expensive, it doesn’t address the source of the problem: your foundation soils.
Since you’ve built a new foundation on the same troublesome soil, you can expect the same behavior from that soil — the kind that will “break” your new foundation just like it did the old one!
What Makes Foundation Repair Better?
A reliable foundation contractor will do more than simply repair a damaged foundation. Their repair strategy will take problematic soils and site conditions into consideration so that the original problems cannot recur.
Wall anchors reach beyond foundation walls, using the soils outside of your foundation to anchor the walls and counteract inward pressure.
FAQs
Sometimes it feels only natural to fix the issue with your driveway, by removing the slab altogether and replacing it with a new one. That’s sometimes the only way to go when the damage is too great. However, it’s not always the case and a lot of the time, the right repair can do the trick.
Replacement
There are two main considerations to take into account when contemplating replacing the driveway: the cost and the time it takes to do it. The existing concrete needs to be broken up and removed using heavy machinery. In some cases, that means digging in your yard and that’s messy and loud. All of this happens before you actually get to pour new concrete.
The cost of replacing the concrete can be quite high as well. It depends on how large the driveway is and what underlying issue has caused it to sink in the first place. That needs to be addressed first so that the new slab isn’t affected by it as well. Replacing the concrete will take about two to three times longer than lifting it. That said, it’s still sometimes necessary to do it.
Repair
Unlike replacing, the repairs are addressing the root cause of the issue and fixing it. That means that it’s also a solution for any future concrete trouble that may come up. All of this is done without the need to remove the concrete and cause a mess in the yard. All it takes are a few small drill holes. The repair done using PolyRenewal will take a few hours to complete.
This option is a bit more costly than the traditional mudjacking, but it’s an advanced product you’re paying for and it’s worth the difference. It’s still much less expensive than replacing the sidewalk altogether. It’s a long-lasting solution meaning that you only need to pay once and you get your sidewalk as it once was.
The cost for foundation repairs varies based on multiple elements, including the severity of damage and the products employed. For a precise quote, reach out to Foundation Systems of Michigan. We offer free inspections and estimates, transparent cost structures, and versatile payment options.
Typically, yes, it is possible to stay in your home. However, the scope of necessary repairs might necessitate temporary relocation. Rest assured, a Foundation Systems of Michigan inspector will assist you every step of the way and provide optimal advice tailored to your situation.
Leah Leitow
WHY CHOOSE US?
Since 2007, Foundation Systems of Michigan has been Michigan’s most trusted foundation repair contractor. We have grown and continue to grow as a leader in the industry because of our outstanding reputation. We have earned this reputation year after year, one job at a time, and we work hard every day to maintain that reputation. We don’t just fix foundations – we help people. Restoring your peace of mind, and protecting your home.
Our Customers Trust Us
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Jason R and Jordan B were great and very helpful. They very were professional and did the job in a timely manner. Thank you to you both!
Jason R and Jordan B were great and very helpful. They very were professional and did the job in a timely manner. Thank you to you both!
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Nick P & Tim H did a phenomenal job with our service. They went above and beyond to help us out. Thank you so much!
Nick P & Tim H did a phenomenal job with our service. They went above and beyond to help us out. Thank you so much!
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Great service! The technician was very knowledgeable and explained everything! This was a maintenance check and he was prompt and very…
Great service! The technician was very knowledgeable and explained everything! This was a maintenance check and he was prompt and very helpful and clean!
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John Terry was knowledgeable, answered all my questions, explained all solutions throughly and was just overall great to work with thank…
John Terry was knowledgeable, answered all my questions, explained all solutions throughly and was just overall great to work with thank you!
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Had Jason R. and Jacob B. out to the house to correct a safety issue with the bottom of the driveway at our Brownstown home. Jason and…
Had Jason R. and Jacob B. out to the house to correct a safety issue with the bottom of the driveway at our Brownstown home. Jason and Jacob did an outstanding job correcting the driveway problem and making the driveway safe. Appreciate FSM for sending out two great guys. Thank you Jason, Jacob and FSM.
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Both crews with Foreman’s Timothy and Jalen were great to work with. Very polite and respectful, and always kept me informed on what was…
Both crews with Foreman’s Timothy and Jalen were great to work with. Very polite and respectful, and always kept me informed on what was happening.
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The guys did a fabulous job leveling my sidewalk and driveway. I highly recommend! One sidewalk section was completely lifted from a tree…
The guys did a fabulous job leveling my sidewalk and driveway. I highly recommend! One sidewalk section was completely lifted from a tree root. Now it is level. Professional and knowledge of their craft. No mess left behind. They cleaned up as they worked. Well done!
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A+++ service! Daniel S., Riley G. and Jacob K. were outstanding!!!
A+++ service! Daniel S., Riley G. and Jacob K. were outstanding!!!
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Hunter K, Logan D and Theo F were very professional and did a great job re-enforcing the walls of my crawl space and treating the spots of…
Hunter K, Logan D and Theo F were very professional and did a great job re-enforcing the walls of my crawl space and treating the spots of mold that were down there. They also put some more encapsulating material down where there could be water entering.
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Rock on roll Joe did a great job. Thank you!
Rock on roll Joe did a great job. Thank you!
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We have had FSM for two separate jobs in our basement and each time the crew has been efficient and friendly. They answered all my…
We have had FSM for two separate jobs in our basement and each time the crew has been efficient and friendly. They answered all my questions completely and cleaned the work area when they finished. There have been no further problems since their visit. Thank you FSM!
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Just have to say, in what could be one of the worst situations to find yourself, this process was made so much easier with the help of our…
Just have to say, in what could be one of the worst situations to find yourself, this process was made so much easier with the help of our awesome inspector Rana! She was beyond helpful, courteous, and went above and beyond to try and make everything work out for us. She was very knowledgeable, patient, and explained everything in great detail. She reviewed all our options and worked tirelessly with us to find the best possible solution. Not once did she ever make us feel that we were putting her out or wasting her time with our endless questions. Rana, you are the best!
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Good company, my parents had the steel beam in the basement replaced about 3yrs ago and they come to check on it adjust it if necessary,…
Good company, my parents had the steel beam in the basement replaced about 3yrs ago and they come to check on it adjust it if necessary, thank you Ethan Ross, he was the inspector that came out this yrs (1-12-26), did a great job appreciate him
William, Nairobi and Will were great! They were very joyful and efficient. They did great!
William, Nairobi and Will were great! They were very joyful and efficient. They did great!
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Tim Hooper from FSM completed my 1-year basement inspection after a waterproofing job and was outstanding. He arrived on time, was…
Tim Hooper from FSM completed my 1-year basement inspection after a waterproofing job and was outstanding. He arrived on time, was professional and thorough, and clearly explained his findings and any recommended maintenance in plain language. He took photos, answered all my questions, and left me confident the system is performing as expected. Highly recommend Tim and FSM for reliable, knowledgeable service!
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5 stars! Great job guys. Thanks to Luis S. Garson G. And Luis L. In and out in a day!
5 stars! Great job guys. Thanks to Luis S. Garson G. And Luis L. In and out in a day!
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We had Groundworks out to install a sump pump and other water proofing measures at our home. Dean gave us an initial estimate and he was…
We had Groundworks out to install a sump pump and other water proofing measures at our home. Dean gave us an initial estimate and he was thorough and very kind. Jacob was our main contact for the on site work and he was excellent. He was kind and explained every step of the process with us. He showed us how everything would work and offered his number in case we had any questions afterward. I appreciate him and his onsite crew- they all worked very hard carrying heavy buckets of concrete in and out of our house. Very thankful and appreciative of Jacob and his crew!
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Our tech, John Terry was very courteous and did a awesome service job for us. After he was very helpful answering all question's that we…
Our tech, John Terry was very courteous and did a awesome service job for us. After he was very helpful answering all question's that we had. Company is a little pricey but the work is top notch.
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Everything about my interaction with Groundworks was extremely professional. Joe helped scope out the concrete leveling work, and Jason,…
Everything about my interaction with Groundworks was extremely professional. Joe helped scope out the concrete leveling work, and Jason, Chad, and Daniel came out to execute the work flawlessly. Great communication, efficient work, and I could tell they took pride in doing a good job. Would 10/10 recommend
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The crew arrived promptly this morning led by Hunter the Foreman and crew members Dalton and Dawson. They covered the walls and floors…
The crew arrived promptly this morning led by Hunter the Foreman and crew members Dalton and Dawson. They covered the walls and floors leading to the crawl and were extremely neat and conscientious. They answered our questions, showed and explained the results of their skillful work, all delivered exactly as contracted. They cleaned up the crawl floor, even areas we had on our “to do list”! SO IMPRESSED! We must include Zachary, our Sales Rep, who developed the solution initially, came out a week beforehand at our request to make sure we had prepared the exterior as needed. HIGHLY recommend FSM, now Groundworks of Traverse City.
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Our Locations
32985 Schoolcraft Road
Livonia, MI 48150
5985 Clay Avenue SW
Grand Rapids, MI 49548
2817 Bond St.
Rochester Hills, MI 48309
5555 Airport Hwy
Toledo, OH 43615
3805 Elmers Industrial Drive
Traverse City, MI 49685