Foundation Repair
Sloping floors and cracked foundation walls are upsetting to North Carolina homeowners. Tar Heel Basement Systems' stabilization methods allow you to rest easy knowing your home is supported.
Get Your Free EstimateWhy is Foundation Repair Important?
Tar Heel Basement Systems understands that the decision to go forward with foundation repairs can be frightening, largely due to its potential financial implications. That’s why many homeowners put it off, but doing so only makes your problems worse and the solutions more expensive. So, it’s crucial to start now. And starting now will put your fears to rest.
Safety Hazards
Your primary concern is a structural collapse, accompanied by a variety of safety hazards. Although smaller issues, like uneven floors, may seem unimportant, a tilting chimney will collapse if left unchecked. Sticking doors and windows may appear to be mere inconveniences, but they could spell disaster during an emergency. We offer solutions that permanently stabilize your foundation and protect against potential hazards, so you can live in a safe home.
Decreased Home Value
If you’re hoping to sell your home, you’re likely concerned about getting the most profit out of it. Foundation damage may increase slowly, but even minor damage significantly reduces property value. Wall and floor cracks are clear signs of foundation issues, which potential buyers and home inspectors will notice.
Simply covering up these cracks won’t solve the problem, as they’ll just keep coming back without addressing the root cause. When your most valuable investment – your home – is at risk, you can’t settle for inexpensive, ineffective solutions. At Tar Heel Basement Systems, we guarantee the highest quality service.
Decreased Functionality
Foundation damage can make it difficult to use your living space. Doors and windows may become hard to open and close, and items may roll off counters or rattle in cabinets when you walk into the kitchen. Even infants in wheeled highchairs have been known to roll across uneven floors on their own! These everyday irritations constantly remind you of the growing issues beneath your home. We understand how frustrating this can be and believe that you deserve better than feeling like your home is falling apart.
Expensive Home Damage
As damage to a foundation increases, so do repair costs. Foundation problems won’t fix themselves and will only worsen if left untreated. They can cause secondary forms of damage like cracks in the floor, walls, and ceiling. By addressing foundation problems early, you can avoid spending more money on future repairs and make your home safer.
Protect Your Investment and Ensure Your Safety
Identifying Foundation Problem Signs
Foundation damage causes a variety of problems in your home. The most common problems include:
- Wall cracks
- Sticking doors
- Sagging floors
- Gaps between walls, ceilings, or floors
- Leaning chimneys
- Visible cracks in exterior brickwork
- Mold Growth
If you notice any of these problem signs, contact a professional foundation repair contractor as soon as possible.
What Causes Foundation Damage?
Water and soil stand as the primary factors that contribute to foundation damage. The manner in which these two elements interact in North Carolina’s distinct environmental conditions can precipitate numerous issues for your foundation.
Excess water swells the soil on which your foundation lies, while insufficient water causes it to shrink. Both scenarios result in a shift in the foundational piers that support your home. The problem escalates when abrupt changes between excessive and scarce water lead to swift soil expansion and contraction, making your foundation issues increasingly challenging to manage.
In North Carolina, one of the prevalent problems stems from variable rainfall and local soil characteristics, leading to oversaturated soil or severe dryness. Several reasons can be attributed to this:
- Climate conditions (variable rainfall, hurricanes, etc.)
- Suboptimal drainage (inefficient gutters, improper property grading)
- Underground water sources (aquifers, subterranean water bodies)
- Natural disasters (flooding, hurricanes)
Aside from soil-related issues, other less common causes of foundation damage specific to North
Carolina includes plumbing leaks and intrusive tree roots growing too near to your home, potentially piercing the foundation’s footing.
The Tar Heel Basement Systems Solution

No matter what issues your home is facing, Tar Heel Basement Systems can provide custom-engineered solutions to fix them. We always go above and beyond to produce unique products that can withstand the test of time and mother nature.
Our foundation repair solutions come with a “Life of the Structure Warranty”, demonstrating Tar Heel Basement Systems’ unwavering commitment to its work. Furthermore, all of our warranties are transferable. If your home changes ownership, the new owner inherits the same high-quality level of care that you currently enjoy.
SettleStop™ Pier Systems
If you notice popping noises, wall cracks, or problems with doors and windows in your home, the cause is unstable soil. To permanently stabilize your home, reaching bedrock or load-bearing strata is key. That’s where our SettleStop™ pier systems come into play.
Tar Heel Basement Systems uses two types of pier systems to stabilize your foundation: helical piers and push piers. Each type has its unique application but serves the same purpose.
Here’s how these pier systems work:

Helical Piers
Tar Heel Basement Systems uses SettleStop™ Helical Pier System to anchor your home in the stable soil beneath by employing steel piers with helical plates. Helical piers can be used in many situations and work best beneath lighter structures.
Our SettleStop™ Helical Pier System ensures a solid foundation for your property.
The installation process involves using hydraulic equipment to install the piers next to the foundation after removing soil to expose the footing. The helical blades slice through the soil, and our crew monitors their progress until they reach the necessary depth.
A heavy-duty steel bracket is secured to the footing, and the weight of the home is transferred through the piers to stable soil below. We’ll also install benchmarks, aligning a laser level with small rivets in the exterior foundation walls to confirm everything is still secure and give you peace of mind.

Push Piers
SettleStop™ Push Piers are similar to helical piers in function but differ slightly in design and installation. They are long steel rods that are driven into the ground.
After soil is removed to expose the footing and a bracket is secured to it, the piers are driven through the bracket and into the earth until they reach bedrock. This provides long-lasting stability for your home by bypassing problematic soil.
Benchmarks will also be installed on your exterior foundation walls above the piers, as with helical pier installations.
SettleStop™ Wall Repair Tools
Foundation damage can cause cracks and bowing in basement walls, allowing moisture to enter.
To prevent basement wall damage, the best solution is wall repair. Once installed, your basement will be better protected against issues like mold or efflorescence.
Our wall repair options minimize disruption to your home and yard, with most of the process taking place inside your basement for a clean and fast installation.
We use the following wall repair options:

Wall Anchors
SettleStop™ Wall Anchors help support basement walls that are bowing or leaning. They have anchor plates that are installed on the interior basement wall and in the ground outside the foundation. Steel rods connect the plates, and special wrenches are used to tighten the steel rods. This pulls the plates toward each other, and the tension stops the walls from moving inward any further. This restores the strength of the basement walls.

I-Beams
If there isn’t enough room outside or a wall is too close, you may not be able to use wall anchors.
Instead, you can use SettleStop™ IntelliBrace I-beams.
These steel I-beams are put vertically against the inside of basement walls and then fastened to the floor and joists using brackets. They are then tightened to push against the walls and keep them in place.
This helps to support the structure by moving the weight from the walls to the floor and joists, stopping the walls from moving inward and making the basement walls stable for a long time.

Carbon Fiber Reinforcement
SettleStop™ Carbon Fiber Straps are an excellent solution for limited spaces. Our carbon fiber reinforcement is designed to fit into tight spaces while strengthening and stabilizing your basement walls.
To install the carbon fiber reinforcement, high-strength carbon fiber straps are applied to the inside of your basement walls using epoxy adhesive. This process is minimally invasive and takes place entirely inside your basement.
The carbon fiber straps provide additional support to your walls and resist hydrostatic pressure.
SettleStop™ IntelliJack™ Crawl Space Support Posts

Sagging floors can cause issues like creaky noises, tripping, or rattling furniture. Our SettleStop™ IntelliJack™ crawl space support posts solve this problem by providing extra strength to weak floor joists in crawl spaces.
The steel posts are installed under the joists and secured to the support beams above. They can be adjusted to provide upward support, stabilizing the floor. Each support jack is rated to support up to 24,860 pounds and is tested and certified to meet industry standards.
We know how important your home is because we’re homeowners too. That’s why we believe you deserve local experts you can trust and the best products for your home. We can also assure you that we will permanently stabilize your foundation.
View more Foundation Repair Solutions >>
Factors Affecting Foundation Repair Cost
The cost of foundation repair on a home can vary depending on several factors, including:
- Extent of damage: The cost of repairing the foundation depends on how serious the damage is. Small cracks are usually cheaper to fix than big shifts in the foundation or damage to the structure.
- Type of foundation: There are different ways to fix different foundation types. This can change how much it costs to repair them. For instance, basements might be pricier to fix than slab foundations.
- Location: The cost of foundation repairs can be affected by where the home is located. For instance, places with expensive living costs or stricter building codes may lead to higher repair costs.
- Soil conditions: The cost of repairs may be affected by the type and condition of the soil around the foundation. If the soil is expansive, meaning it swells and shrinks with changes in moisture, there could be more severe foundation issues that require higher repair costs.
The cost of foundation repair depends on the condition of your home’s foundation and how bad the problems are.
What to Expect from Tar Heel Basement Systems
As a homeowner, you may have had bad experiences with contractors who break promises, don’t communicate well, and take shortcuts.
At Tar Heel Basement Systems, we prioritize communication, safety, and transparency in our work.
Our team is dedicated to providing excellent service and treating your home with the utmost respect. We take care to wear clean booties over our shoes before the initial inspection and thoroughly clean up the work site before we leave. We treat your home as if it were our own.
- Scheduling an Inspection: You can schedule by calling us or booking online. After you book, you will receive a confirmation email with more information about Tar Heel Basement Systems and the proprietary solutions we provide.
- 48-Hour Confirmation Call: Two days before the inspection, you’ll receive a call and a text to confirm the time we arrive at your address.
- On the Way Call: On the day of the inspection, your Certified Field Inspector will call you to let you know when they will arrive. You can also use a GPS system to see where your team is in real-time for complete transparency.
- Arrival & Introduction: We understand that having an unknown person inspect your house can be stressful, so our Certified Field Inspector will introduce himself politely upon arrival. He will listen to you patiently, and you can take as much time as you need to tell him about any issues with your house. Based on your input, he will clearly explain what he will do during the inspection and where he will do it.
- The Inspection: Our inspector will look at your home inside and outside, take measurements, draw a detailed map, and (if you let us) take pictures to help our installation team. Our goal is to make sure that the things you told us about when we first came will be fixed when we finish the repairs.
- Review of Outcomes: After inspecting your property, we will share key findings and a comprehensive repair plan. You choose the work to be done; we just provide all the necessary information for you to make an informed decision. Our same-day estimates cover foundation repair costs and financing options.
- Schedule Work: When you approve the solution, we’ll start right away and choose a date for installation that fits your schedule. We get any needed permits, check over the solution, and have a licensed structural engineer supervise foundation work when needed. This is just another way we make sure you get the safest and most professional service possible.

Providing Expert Foundation Repair in North Carolina
Pennsylvania trusts Tar Heel Basement Systems for reliable basement waterproofing, crawl space, foundation, and concrete repair services. Contact us for a free inspection!
Top Cities We Serve
FAQs
Because your safety – and that of your family and your home – is our top priority, we only use the best, trusted solutions proven to effectively repair and protect your home. Manufactured here in the United States, each product is carefully designed and tested by a team of structural and geotechnical engineers. All our systems come with a long-term written warranty, giving you complete peace of mind.
Our heavy-duty wall reinforcement and piering systems are made with galvanized steel to prevent rust, corrosion, and damage. This protects them against the toughest forces and provides you and your home with a strong, permanent solution.
Here are the different foundation repair systems we use:
- Foundation Wall Repair Systems – Cracking and/or bowing walls can vary in damage and severity, so we offer a few different foundation wall repair and reinforcement options to address their unique challenges.
- Carbon Fiber Supports – Durable Carbon Fiber supports firmly adhere to the walls to not only stabilize them but also hold them in their current positions. They also prevent any further wall cracking or movement and are ideal for walls with minimal to moderate issues. These supports have a smooth finish and low profile, so they can easily be concealed with paint or basement finishing materials.
- Wall Anchors – Strong galvanized earth anchors are securely embedded in stable soil away from the foundation wall, and they are connected to sturdy steel interior wall anchor plates with long galvanized steel rods. This system will permanently stabilize the wall, as well as offer the best opportunity to straighten it over time. This unique system offers the ability to tighten the anchors when exterior soil shrinks during dry periods.
- IntelliBrace™ Beams – IntelliBrace™ beams function the same way as wall anchors in stabilizing and helping straighten shifting walls. They are best to use when there is limited access available outside of the home for exterior wall repair.
- Foundation Pier Systems – Only the most durable solutions are used to properly tackle foundation settlement. These pier systems are installed deep into the ground and to more stable soil to permanently stabilize the home and help lift it back to its original position.
- Push Piers – Push Piers are driven through a bracket attached to the foundation footing and down to bedrock or a stable soil layer. This is the most used type of pier for most foundation settlement applications.
- Helical Piers – Helical Piers are manually advanced or screwed into the ground. These round shaft helicals do not bend like square shaft pieces. These piers generally are used in specialty foundation settlement applications and for light structures like porches.
- Slab Piers – Like Push Piers and Helical Piers, Slab Piers are installed in deep, stable strata. But these are specifically used to stabilize your concrete slab foundation and potentially lift your home back toward its original position.
- Crawl Space Support Posts – Sagging floor joists or floors above a crawl space or basement call for our high-strength IntelliJacks™. These support posts are engineered to transfer your home’s weight onto stable soils and stop settling. IntelliJacks™ are rated to support up to 24,860 pounds each.
Additionally, we can install the PolyRenewal™ concrete lifting and leveling system. It typically is used on sidewalks, driveways, and other outdoor areas. But we also can execute interior slab leveling. This state-of-the–art repair method can be used to lift, level, and stabilize cracking and sinking concrete slab floors and garage floors.
One of the burning questions homeowners always have concerns the cost of repair. Which is natural. Money is a big deal, and so is your home. When you purchased your home, you made a long-term investment. So, when it needs work, you want to make sure you’re using the best, cost-effective solutions.
To give you a general idea, average home improvement spending is around $7,500, and most homeowners pay between $4,000 and $10,000 for foundation repairs. Some average foundation repair product prices include $1,000-$3,000+ per foundation pier, $500-$1,300+ for leveling/slab jacking, and $2,000-$6,000 for sealing/subfloor drainage.
Check with your insurance carrier regarding any concerns with repair needs and insurance coverage, as all policies are different. Some policies cover losses from fires, but many exclude coverage for issues such as foundation cracks or settling. Coverage may kick in, however, if the foundation has been damaged from other problems like broken plumbing, for example. (Source: SF Gate)
All that being said, no two foundation problems are alike. Every home is different and requires its own unique repairs. There’s a lot to consider with foundation repair such as the extent of damage, area needing to be repaired, square footage, material needed, etc. This differs from company to company. So be sure to have a thorough discussion with your contractor about pricing and payment.
Maybe the better question is “how can you not benefit from foundation repair?”
Many people choose to ignore even the slightest foundation problem like a crack in the wall because they think it is not a big deal and that it will somehow go away, and they keep putting off fixing it because of time and budget constraints. This is a dangerous mindset that only allows the problem to continue to worsen, which in turn puts the safety of your house and your family in jeopardy.
Instead of keeping those problems out of sight and out of mind, tackle them head-on.
Here are just a couple major perks of finally fixing your foundation the right way:
- Protected Safety and Structural Integrity
Would you feel comfortable knowing your loved ones live in an unsafe environment that could collapse? That’s what will happen if you do not attend to your foundation. When you shore up your foundation and support systems within your house, you are ensuring not only the safety of the structure but the wellbeing of your family as well. A safe, sturdy home is a happy home.
- Enhanced Real Estate Value
Your house is going to be on the real estate market at some point. Whether that’s now or many years down the road, you need to make sure your house is ready. While various factors can impact a home’s real estate/resale value, structural issues carry a lot of weight. Foundation problems can reduce your home’s resale value by 10 to 30 percent, and buyers could have problems getting a mortgage.
As a North Carolina homeowner, you are required to complete the State of North Carolina Residential Property and Owners’ Association Disclosure Statement and disclose any known past or current problems. These include any defects with the foundation, slab, floors, interior and exterior walls, or other structural components. Other related items on the checklist are damage from a past infestation of wood-destroying insects which has not been repaired and defects with grading or soil stability.
Show buyers you care about your home and the finer details by fixing these problems the right way.
Your house could be falling victim to these issues for several reasons. But there is a common thread that leads to the problems you’re noticing – the ground your home was built on.
Soil
The soil under and around your home has a significant impact on the integrity of the structure. Sand, silt, clay, and a mix of any or all these ingredients, make up soil and its texture. Sandy soils tend to quickly drain water, silt soils typically have intermediate drainage properties, and clay soils tend to hold onto water.
Soil composition maps on NASA Earth Observatory show how much of these ingredients can be found across the country. You can see that North Carolina has a good mix of all of them, but sand and clay stand out as the most common. There are hundreds of soil types throughout the state, and you can get a better idea of what kind of soil you are dealing with by searching your specific area and address in the Web Soil Survey from the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. This survey shows locations along the coast have primarily sandy soils, and silt and clay are the frontrunners in more inland areas.
Here are some different ways soil affects your home’s foundation:
- The Clay Bowl Effect and Hydrostatic Pressure
After your home’s foundation was completely built, previously excavated soil was then backfilled and replaced around the walls. This loose, fluffy, aerated soil is not dense or tightly packed like more stable, undisturbed soil farther away from the house. So, when water collects in the soil directly next to the house, it creates a “clay bowl.” The saturated soil expands and exerts pressure – hydrostatic pressure – on the foundation walls. When this constant force becomes more than the walls can bear, they will begin to show signs of failure in the form of cracks and inward movement. Water also can easily seep through these cracks and further impact the home.
- Soil Settlement and Poor Supporting Soil for Chimneys
It’s natural for soil to settle over time, and for backfilled soil to settle into place. But as it does, it can do so at an angle. If soil is sloped toward the home and not away from it, water can easily collect around the foundation walls, seep inside, and contribute to hydrostatic pressure. Unevenly settling soil also can lead to uneven settling of your foundation. When this happens, you’ll notice diagonal cracks in drywall and from corners of windows and doors. These windows and doors also may not open or close properly.
Another foundation issue that is more frightening to see is a cracking and leaning chimney. Chimneys aren’t always built on the same soil or foundation as the rest of the home, and they may not have proper footing. When soil cannot support the weight of the chimney, the chimney will begin to pull away from the rest of the structure.
- Water and Moisture in a Vented Dirt Crawl Space
Along with the clay bowl effect and hydrostatic pressure, water can enter homes in other ways. Open crawl space vents allow outside air, water, and pests inside. When this happens in dirt crawl spaces that are not properly sealed or encapsulated, it wreaks havoc on the structural support system under the house. Water and moisture in this space will lead to rust and corrosion of metal supports and rotting, warping, and buckling wooden supports. These will ultimately lead to sagging and soft floors.
If you notice the following signs and symptoms in and around your house, you’ve got a problematic foundation on your hands.
Wall Problems
- Bowing Walls
- Wall Cracks
- Sticking Windows & Doors
- Collapsing Retaining Walls
Floor Problems
- Floor Crack
- Sagging Crawl Space
Soil Problems
- Foundation Soils
- Foundation Settlement
- Foundation Heave
- Expansive Soils
Additional Problems
- Street Creep Damage
- Tilting Chimney
Signs of foundation settlement may include:
- Cracks in the walls or floor
- Sticking doors and windows
- Sagging or uneven floors
- Leaning chimney
- Bowing basement walls
- And more…
The severity of foundation settlement is influenced by factors such as the speed and degree of settlement, as neglecting foundation issues can result in substantial structural damage.
Professional inspection and repairs are crucial to prevent further structural deterioration and safety risks.

Our Locations
3400 Walsh Pky, Suite 220
Fayetteville, NC 28311
611 Summit Ave, Suite 5
Greensboro, NC 27405
208 Millbrook Rd. Suite C
Raleigh, NC 27609
8005 Knightdale Blvd
Knightdale, NC 27545
2155 Enterprise Dr. NE
Leland, NC 28451
2910 Griffith Rd
Winston-Salem, NC 27103



















