Underpinning that lifts settled foundations back to original elevation where possible, stabilizes against further movement permanently. The right fix for the Verona-buildout and Waunakee-marshland settlement cases we see most.
Foundation Settlement Repair pricing: Helical piers $1,500 to $2,500 per pier, push piers $1,800 to $3,500 per pier. Most Madison-area homes need 4 to 12 piers, total project $10,000 to $30,000. Lifetime warranty on the underpinning.
Free inspection first. We map the settlement pattern with a zip-level run across the slab, photograph every visible crack on the interior and exterior, and check the lot grade with a six-foot level at the foundation perimeter. The measurement drives the pier count and the engineering scope. Day one of the project: excavate access pits at each pier location, exposing the footing. Day two: drive the piers under hydraulic power until each one hits the target torque value (which correlates to load-bearing capacity), then bolt the steel bracket between the pier head and the underside of the footing. Day three: load-test every pier to 1.5x design load, perform the lift if the engineer has called for re-leveling, backfill the access pits. The Dane County permit is pulled before the crew shows up, the engineering stamp lands within a week of quote acceptance, and the underpinning carries a lifetime warranty against further settlement at the pier locations.
Helical piers run $1,500 to $2,500 per pier. Push piers run $1,800 to $3,500 per pier. Most Madison-area projects use 4 to 12 piers, putting total project cost between $10,000 and $30,000. Add $250 to $400 if a lender or buyer requires a written engineering report.
A localized corner-settlement job typically uses 4 piers along one wall. A whole-house lift on weak soil can run 12 to 16. We map the pier locations during the free inspection, and the engineering stamp on the project plan tells you exactly how many your footing geometry requires.
Push piers need significant structural weight above to drive the pier down, and they work best on heavy two-story homes. Helical piers torque into place under hydraulic power and work on ranch homes and porches where push piers cannot generate enough resistance. In the Madison market, helical piers handle roughly 75 percent of residential underpinning. Per pier, helical is $1,500 to $2,500, push is $1,800 to $3,500. The right call is the one that fits your soil and structure, not the cheaper line item.
Sometimes. We design every project with a lift target, but the achievable lift depends on the soil response and the structural condition of the wall above. On a recent Atwood-neighborhood project we lifted a settled corner back to within a quarter-inch of original elevation. On a Cottage Grove cut-fill project we held the settlement at zero further movement and accepted that the existing displacement would stay. The inspection tells you which outcome is realistic before the rig rolls.
Two to four days for most residential projects. Day one: excavate access pits at each pier location and expose the footing. Day two: drive the piers and install the brackets. Day three: load-test every pier to 1.5x design load, lift where the engineer has called for re-leveling, and backfill. Larger 10-plus-pier jobs in Waunakee or Verona stretch to four or five days.
Almost never. Standard Wisconsin homeowners policies exclude foundation settlement caused by soil movement, which is the trigger behind nearly every underpinning project. The narrow exception: if a documented covered event (a burst service line, a sewer backup, a major plumbing failure) directly caused the settlement, the insurer may cover the structural repair. Document the trigger in writing before you call, and we will work with the adjuster on the engineering side.
