Foundation repair in Palm Bay FL - floors and walls that stay where they belong
New cracks, sticking doors or a sloping floor? We find out why your house moved, then steady it so it stops.
What does foundation repair in Palm Bay involve?
Foundation repair in Palm Bay steadies a house that has settled, either with piers that carry it down to firmer support or with polyurethane injected under the slab to lift it, so the house stops moving and your floors and walls stay where they belong.
Most calls start the same way. You've spotted a crack running up a wall, a door that won't latch anymore or a floor that feels off, and you want a straight answer before you spend money. We're based in Palm Bay and work in many of the cities around it, north toward Rockledge and south into the West Vero Corridor. The price depends on how far the house has moved, which method fits, how many supports it needs and how hard it is to dig along the walls. The schedule depends mostly on the method and on whether a permit has to come first. Your own figure comes from the estimate I write after I've looked at the house.
How we handle foundation repair
Before we talk about piers or lifting, I want to know why the house moved, so we start by looking at the cracks, the doors and windows that stick, and the ground around the home. If it looks like more than ordinary settling, we'll tell you to get a specialist's assessment first, because a fix built on a guess is money wasted. Once the cause is clear and dealt with, we dig where the work goes and set the supports or lift the slab. Then we close up the cracks that have stopped moving and leave the site clean.
When a foundation moves, the masonry usually shows it too. Mortar joints in brick and block walls crack as the house shifts, so once it's steady we can rake them out and refill them with tuckpointing to keep water out. If your chimney has leaned or pulled away from the wall, we'll look at it for chimney repair while we're there.
Piers for deeper or ongoing settling
This suits a house that has dropped a fair amount or keeps moving, because the support goes down past the ground that's giving way. It means more digging along the foundation and a longer job.
Foam lifting for a sunken slab
This suits a slab or a smaller area that has sunk a little, because the foam fills the gaps underneath and raises it with very little digging. It's usually not the pick when the house is still on the move.
Holding the house where it is
Sometimes the better goal is to stop the house from moving further and leave it where it sits now. That's often the case in an older home whose walls and finishes have already adjusted to where it settled.
Crack repair when movement has stopped
If what we find is ordinary settling that's finished, closing the cracks and sealing the joints may be all your house needs. We'd rather tell you that than sell you supports you don't need.
Foundation repair permits and houses in Palm Bay
Palm Bay's Building Department issues permits for structural work whatever the job costs. Its list of permitted work names things like exterior doors, windows, roofing and sheds, not foundation repair, so whether your job needs a permit is something to confirm with the city, not something to guess at. Before work starts we check with the office that covers your address, and we handle the permit when your job needs one. If the work needs temporary access along the Melbourne-Tillman Canal, the city issues its permit only after the Melbourne-Tillman Water Control District issues one. If your lot backs onto the canal, tell us early and we'll plan for that step first.
Most of the houses we work on here are concrete block on a slab. When one of them moves, it usually shows as a stair-step crack in the block, a gap at a window corner or a door that drags. We look first at what's happening right next to the house, because a downspout emptying against the wall, a low spot that holds water or a leaking line under the slab can each start the trouble. We see the same block homes on jobs in West Melbourne and Sebastian, and we check the same things there.
Foundation and masonry repair work
Why call us for foundation repair
The owner looks at every job
I come out to look at every job and write the estimate myself, and a crew led by our lead mason does the work. You hear what's wrong from the person who priced the fix.
Licensed for construction in Palm Bay
Palm Bay says anyone you hire under a verbal or written contract for construction work must be a state certified or registered contractor, and we're fully licensed and insured. That matters when the work is right up against your foundation.
In business here since 2013
Before I opened our doors in 2013, I spent years running another Palm Bay mason's jobs and crew. That's where I learned to look for why a wall cracked before deciding how to fix it.
No question is too small
We take the time to explain what's wrong and why we'd fix it the way we suggest, down to the hairline crack by the back door. We want you to understand your own house when we leave, whatever you decide.
A repair only lasts when it fixes the cause, and the first step is letting me see the house. Call (321) 326-1779 or send us a message and tell us what you've noticed.
(321) 326-1779Book an on-site look at your foundation
Tell us about the cracks you've seen, any doors or windows that stick, and whether your house sits along the Melbourne-Tillman Canal. We reply to every message within one business day, and then I set a time to come out, look at the house and write a free estimate with no obligation.
Foundation repair questions from Palm Bay homeowners
How much does foundation repair cost in Palm Bay, FL?
Foundation repair in the Palm Bay area usually costs about $3,000 to $19,000 per project. Where yours falls depends on the method, how many supports the house needs and how much digging it takes. I'll give you your own figure in the estimate after I've seen the house.
What is the best way to fix a settling foundation, piers or polyurethane lifting?
For severe or ongoing settling, piers are usually the better fit. That comes from one polyurethane lifting maker, which says piers are the answer when the soil near the surface can't be relied on and that its foam may not be an option for severe settlement. Piers can also lift the house back up or just keep it from moving further, depending on what's best.
How long does foundation repair take?
Piers usually take days rather than hours, because they go in from outside with digging around the foundation. Polyurethane injection often finishes within a day, depending on the size of the project, so a crew spends far less time at your house. That's one lifting maker's comparison, and your job's timing depends on what we find.
What's the difference between a certified and registered contractor in Florida?
A certified license covers work anywhere in Florida, while a registered one covers only the cities or counties where the contractor holds a certificate of competency. Before you sign with anyone for foundation work, us included, look them up with the state licensing board and make sure their license covers where you live.
Is the sinking in my yard in Palm Bay a sinkhole?
Not always, because several other things can make ground sink. Florida's environmental agency notes that broken sewer or drain pipes, a broken septic tank, clay or organic layers that compress as water is removed, poorly compacted soil and buried debris can all cause it. For a possible sinkhole, the agency points owners to a certified home inspector or foundation specialist, and that's the first step I'd suggest too.
Will foundation pier work tear up my yard and landscaping?
It can, because pier work disturbs the ground around the house, so ask any contractor how they'll restore your landscaping before you sign. At the estimate we'll go over the plants, beds and pavers along the walls so you know what gets moved and what goes back.
Talk to us about foundation and mortar repair
Call (321) 326-1779 while the cracks are still small, since catching movement early usually means a smaller repair.
