Foundation Repair in Pittsburgh, PA

What foundation repair fixes

Foundation repair is about two things. First, stop the part of the house that is moving. Second, keep it from moving again. In Pittsburgh, that can mean a corner that sank, a wall that pushes in, or a footing that is sliding on a hill.

Here is what homeowners tell us when they call:

• "One corner of the house is sinking. The floor slopes that way."
• "Doors upstairs stick, and some will not latch."
• "There are cracks over the doors and windows that keep coming back."
• "The porch or chimney is pulling away from the house."
• "My basement wall has a long crack and it is getting wider."
• "We are on a hill and the back wall seems to be moving."
• "The buyer's inspector says the foundation needs work."

Why foundations move in Pittsburgh

Hills and clay. Much of Pittsburgh sits on steep hillsides. A clay-rich layer called the Pittsburgh red beds runs under many of them. When it gets soaked, it gets slick and can slide. The Pittsburgh area is ranked the most landslide-prone part of the state. Even slow soil creep can push on a basement wall or drag a footing downhill.

Heavy rain. Most of the state has seen more heavy rain events in recent years than in the 1980s. In 2018 alone, more than 200 landslides hit Pittsburgh and nearby counties. Soaked soil is heavy, and it loads the wall that holds it back.

Freeze and thaw. Water in the soil freezes, swells and pushes. Then it thaws. Year after year, that cycle cracks walls and lets more water in.

Old walls. About half of the homes in the city were built before 1940. Many have block, brick or stone basement walls with no footing drain. Mortar wears out, stones shift, and block walls bow.

Old mines. Parts of Allegheny County sit over abandoned coal mines. When the ground over a mine drops, the house above can crack. In 2023, at least seven homes in the Lincoln Place neighborhood had foundation cracks after a mine collapse, and the state drilled under ten buildings to fill the voids with grout. You can check if your address is over a mine on the state's mine subsidence risk map.

Common repair methods

Steel push piers

Steel pipes are driven down under the footing until they hit firm soil or rock. Then the house is lifted and set on the piers. This is a common fix for a sunken corner or a settled wall. The pier carries the weight past the soft soil.

Helical piers

These are steel shafts with flat plates, like a large screw. They are turned into the ground until they reach the right resistance. They work well for lighter loads like porches and additions, and for spots where push piers will not work.

Wall anchors and braces

For basement walls that push in, the crew braces the wall from inside. Options include steel beams bolted floor to joist, carbon fiber straps, and wall anchors that run through the wall to plates buried in the yard. See bowing wall repair.

Crack repair

Cracks in poured concrete walls are often injected with epoxy or foam from the inside. Cracks in block, brick or stone walls are often sealed and then braced. See foundation crack repair.

Drainage and waterproofing

If water caused the problem, piers alone will not stop it. Gutters, downspout extensions, regrading, and an inside drain with a sump pump keep water off the wall. See basement waterproofing.

What a good inspection covers

• A walk around the outside: grading, gutters, downspouts, retaining walls and the slope
• Every basement wall: cracks, bulges, water stains and white chalky marks
• Floor level readings in the rooms above, not just the problem room
• Doors and windows that stick
• Signs of sewer backup at floor drains
• A written plan that shows what will be done, where, and why

What foundation repair costs in Pittsburgh

Here are typical ranges from published cost guides. They are not quotes.

The biggest drivers are how many piers you need, how hard it is to reach the footing, and whether the yard is steep. Digging by hand on a tight hillside lot costs more than digging with a small machine. See the Pittsburgh foundation repair cost guide for more.

You get a written price before any work starts. No hidden fees.

How to compare estimates

• Same problem, same fix? If two crews give different causes, ask each one to explain why.
• How many piers, and where? The estimate should show a count and a drawing.
• What lift is expected? Old houses can crack more if pushed too far.
• What is in the warranty? Get it in writing. Ask if it transfers when you sell.
• Is the contractor registered? Pennsylvania requires most home improvement contractors to register with the Attorney General. The registration number should be on the contract and the estimate.
• Written contract. State law requires a written contract for home improvement jobs over $500, with a right to cancel within three business days.

Where we help

We connect homeowners with local foundation crews across Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, including Mount Washington, Spring Hill, Lincoln Place, Polish Hill, Bethel Park, Dormont, Penn Hills, Shaler and Moon Township. See all service areas.

Get a free foundation inspection

A moving foundation rarely stops on its own. The sooner a crew looks at it, the smaller the fix tends to be. Call (412) 990-2570 or send the short form, and a local crew will call you back to book your free inspection.