What happens when you call
- You call and say what you need and where you are.
- If no one picks up, leave a message. It is passed to a local foundation repair company the same day.
- The foundation repair company confirms the price with you before any work starts.
Foundation repair in Kansas City
Bowing basement wall repair
Soil pressure can push a basement wall inward. Walls are held or pulled back with anchors, steel braces or carbon fiber straps.
Wall anchors and tiebacks
An anchor set in the yard is tied to a plate on the inside of the wall. Tiebacks use helical piers in the yard the same way.
Foundation piers for settling
Steel piers are long and reach deeper, firmer ground. Helical piers work like large screws turned into the ground.
Basement wall crack repair
Many vertical cracks in block walls come from shrinkage and are rarely serious. Horizontal cracks need a closer look.
Sunken slabs and floors
Mudjacking and foam jacking pump material under a sunken slab to lift it. They are cheaper fixes, but they don't treat the cause.
Drainage away from the walls
Broken downspouts and poor grading let water soak the soil against the wall. HUD says to check for these when expansive soil is suspected.
Foundation repair across the Kansas City metro
- Kansas City, MO and the Northland
- Independence
- Lee's Summit
- Blue Springs
- Raytown and Grandview
- Gladstone and Liberty
- Kansas City, KS
- Overland Park
- Olathe
- Lenexa
- Shawnee
- Prairie Village and Leawood
Foundations in Kansas City: what to know
Clay soils that shrink and swell
A 1973 Kansas Geological Survey study of Johnson County rated the Martin and Oska soils, in an association covering about 165,000 acres, as having severe limits for houses because of their high shrink-swell potential.
Freezing winters
January lows average 20°F at Kansas City International Airport. HUD's home inspection guide says freezing and heaving of water-soaked soil next to a block or brick wall can cause horizontal cracking.
Wet years and dry ones
National Weather Service records for 1889 to 2010 show the wettest year was 1961, with 60.25 inches, and the driest was 1953, with 20.93 inches. A regional climate report notes back-to-back flood and drought years in 2011 and 2012.
A basement region
In 2025, 64.4% of new homes in the Census region that includes Missouri and Kansas were built with full or partial basements, according to NAHB. Basement walls hold back the soil around them.
Typical prices
| Typical foundation repair | $2,200-$8,200 |
| Basement foundation repair | $2,500-$25,000 |
| Bowing walls | $4,000-$15,000 |
| Wall anchors, per foot of wall | $80-$150 |
| Tiebacks, each | $1,500-$2,000 |
| Each pier | $1,000-$3,000 |
| Crack sealing or epoxy injection | $200-$1,000 |
| Structural engineer's report | $300-$2,000 |
Ranges from published cost guides, not a quote. The foundation repair company sets the price and should confirm it before starting.
Before you hire
- Kansas City, Missouri says contractors doing regulated work in the city must get the right city licences before pulling permits or doing the work. Search the city's licensed contractor database.
- In Johnson County, Kansas, a builder must get a county contractor licence before getting a building permit. The Class C licence covers single-family homes and duplexes.
- Other cities, including Kansas City, Kansas, set their own rules, so ask the city where the house is.
- Ask who pulls the permit. The FTC lists a contractor asking you to get the permits as a warning sign.
- Ask whether a licensed engineer's report on your house is included, and get the warranty in writing, including whether it transfers if you sell.
- Get more than one written estimate, and don't pay the full amount up front.
Missouri and Kansas don't license foundation repair companies statewide. Kansas City, Missouri and Johnson County, Kansas license contractors locally. Prices above are national ranges from Fixr and Today's Homeowner, not Kansas City quotes.
More help in Kansas City
Questions
My basement wall has a horizontal crack. Is that serious?
It can be. HUD's inspection guide calls horizontal cracking of block or brick foundation walls potentially serious, because the wall carrying the house may be bent or broken. Causes include backfill, heavy vehicles near the wall, and swelling or freezing of wet soil.
Are vertical cracks in a block wall a problem?
Often not. HUD says shrinkage cracks usually sit in the middle third of a wall and are rarely serious. Watch for cracks that widen.
How is a bowing wall fixed?
Common options are wall anchors or tiebacks, steel braces and carbon fiber straps. HUD notes a wall can sometimes be jacked back carefully and then reinforced, and lowering the ground outside can ease the pressure.
Will fixing my downspouts help?
HUD says to look for broken downspouts and poor drainage when expansive soil is suspected. Drainage fixes reduce the water against the wall, but a wall that has already moved may still need repair.
Do foundation companies need a licence in Kansas City?
Not from either state. Kansas City, Missouri requires city contractor licences for regulated work, and Johnson County, Kansas requires a county licence before a building permit. Other cities have their own rules.