How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Foundation?

From ill-fitting doors to cracked walls and even wobbly houses, foundation issues can lead to serious structural faults. If traditional foundation repairs aren't an option, a structural engineer may recommend replacing your home's foundation to prevent an emergency.

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Believe it or not, physically lifting your home and replacing damaged sections of your foundation can help restore stability to a structurally unsound house.

Why Would You Need to Totally Replace Your Foundation?

Builders make foundations from masonry, concrete or steel to support the other structures in your home, such as the walls and floors. Your foundation sits above the soil and spreads the weight of your home, preventing it from sinking into the earth or absorbing moisture from the soil. A failing foundation puts your home at risk of dampness and subsidence and can make your house unsafe to live in.

You can usually repair faulty foundations by reinforcing the foundation walls or underpinning the foundation with piers. However, these techniques may not be enough to save a severely damaged foundation. In this situation, you may need to replace some or all of your foundation to prevent a major disaster, such as a collapsed building. Signs you require a foundation repair or replacement include:

• Large cracks in the foundation walls

• Sloping floors

• Stuck windows and doors

• Cracked or wrinkled wallpaper and paint

Often, repair workers can salvage part of the existing foundation through repairs while replacing any irreparable areas, which means complete foundation replacements are relatively unusual. Replacing part or all of the foundation involves lifting the building using specialized jacks, removing the damaged foundation and installing a new, stable foundation. The builders then lower the building onto the new foundation and backfill the excavated area to improve stability.

How Much Does Foundation Replacement Cost?

As you might expect, foundation work is relatively expensive. According to HomeGuide, a foundation replacement costs between $20,000 and $100,000 (CAD 28,748 and CAD 143,742) or $20 to $80 (CAD 29 to CAD 115) per square foot. These figures include the cost of materials, lifting the structure and labor rates of $5,000 to $30,000 (CAD 7,187 and CAD 43,123) per project.

The larger and heavier your home, the more expensive it is to lift. Lifting a house costs $10,000 to $40,000 (CAD 14,374 to CAD 57,497), not including the cost of any repairs or improvements once you've elevated the building. Single-story wood-framed houses typically cost $10,000 to $25,000 (CAD 14,374 to CAD 35,936) to elevate. Meanwhile, lifting a brick or stone building costs at least $25,000 (CAD 35,936). Expect to pay 20% to 40% more if you need to lift your house higher than 8 feet.

Various other factors can impact the cost of replacing your foundation. They include:

• Permits: $500 to $6,000 (CAD 719 to CAD 8,625)

• Disconnecting and reconnecting plumbing and electrical services: $45 to $150 (CAD 65 to CAD 216) per hour

• Structural engineer fees: $100 to $220 (CAD 144 to CAD 316) per hour

• Excavation: $1,500 to $10,000 (CAD 2,156 to CAD 14,374)

You'll also need to find alternative accommodations while workers replace your foundation. Accommodation prices vary by area and the type of accommodation you choose.

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Is It Cheaper to Build a New Home?

Although foundation replacement is pricey, it's almost always cheaper than building a new home. Building a new house costs around $100 to $155 (CAD 144 to CAD 223) per square foot or between $155,000 and $416,000 (CAD 222,800 and CAD 597,967) in total.

These ranges only include the costs involved in building the house itself. If you don't own a suitable plot of land, purchasing and finishing the plot could add roughly $80,000 (CAD 114,994) to your costs.

Bear in mind that you'll need to demolish your existing house if you choose to build from scratch instead of replacing your foundation. Demolishing a house usually costs between $4 and $10 (CAD 5.80 and CAD 14) per square foot.

All CAD conversions are based on the exchange rate on the date of publication.