How much does bowed wall repair cost in Kansas City?
KC Pier offers repair solutions to problems like bowed or cracked walls since it’s a common problem around here. In this post, we’ll discuss ways to fix bowed walls, and explain what contributes to cost estimates.
What Causes Bowed Walls?
Bowed walls happen when the outside soil (lots of clay in Kansas City) has swollen to where it inflicts heavy pressure, leading to various damages. Soil expansion contributes to bowing walls (in the middle), detachment from the bottom, or detachment from the top.
Either way, your wall is moving, and it often gets worse until we fix it. In extreme cases, it can lead your wall to collapse altogether. We recommend doing something about it before you experience such a catastrophe.
How Much Does Bowed Wall Repair Cost When Things Get Worse?
Naturally, customers will ask us about repair costs. They can be affordable or costly depending how long you’ve had the problem. Just like any other foundation issue, the repair bill increases when you wait months or years to take action.
In a bowed wall scenario, it’s especially true because the walls can be repaired at a reasonable fee if you catch it early and install I-beam braces. Those normally cost about $300 or $400 per beam, which is significantly better than if you wait too long. For this project, we can space each one anywhere between three to six feet apart. If it involves fewer beams over a wider distance, when the bowing is still minimal, installation can be much more affordable.
However, once the bowing becomes more severe, and the tolerance gets beyond three inches, then the I-beam method doesn’t work. Then, you’re left with a much more extensive excavation project, requiring more equipment, more labor, and higher costs. That forces us to do lots of additional waterproofing, too.
We encourage homeowners to call us for an inspection, something we do for free, to make sure things don’t get worse.
Bowed Walls – A Common Basement Problem
As we’ve mentioned before, bowed walls are something you may find in your basement, or anywhere exposed to extra moisture. Since that’s true, it helps to investigate the problem and identify the source of intrusive water entering your home.
Hydrostatic pressure could result from many things, including:
- Heavy Rainfall: This is something we experience during the spring and fall in Kansas City. It can be a serious problem if your gutters aren’t working effectively, or you have negative soil grading, leading a bunch of water toward your basement foundation.
- Plumbing Leaks: If there are leaky pipes around your home, that water could invade your basement walls, causing them to bow or otherwise deteriorate.
- Invasive Tree Roots: Believe it or not, even your landscaping can mess with basement or crawl space walls, and cause them to loosen. This happens in the spring, when trees are growing and in search of water. If you have moist soil around your home, this will only aggravate the problem.
Bowed Wall Repair Cost Factors: Contact KC Pier to Learn More
Once again, the best way to know what kind of repair bill you’re facing is to call us as soon as possible for an inspection. It may not be that bad, but even if there’s a major issue, we’ll help you explore the most affordable solution.
KC Pier has a terrific reputation with homeowners around Kansas City because we offer permanent solutions to common foundation problems. Whether you need us to waterproof your basement, encapsulate your crawl space, or install helical piers, we’re up to the task any time of year.
If you’d like to know more about bowed wall repair cost estimates, contact KC Pier soon.
