Foundation repair in Lansing MI - cracked and bowing basement walls fixed at the cause
A crack running sideways or a wall leaning in? We find out how far it's moved, then hold it or bring it back.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
When does a cracked basement wall need foundation repair?
Foundation repair in Lansing fixes basement walls that crack or bow inward when the soil outside pushes on them, either by holding the wall where it is or by pulling it back toward straight over time.
Most calls start with a crack someone spotted while moving boxes, or a wall that looks like it's leaning in at the middle. What the repair costs turns on which fix your wall needs, how long the damaged stretch is, whether we have to dig in the yard and how easy the wall is to get to, and the schedule turns on that same choice plus any permit the job needs. The estimate is where you get your own figure, along with what I'd fix first and what can wait.
How we handle foundation repair
With a cracked or bowing wall, I start by finding out how far it's moved and whether it's still moving, because that decides the fix. Some walls need to be held where they are and some need to be brought back, and I'll tell you which one yours is. From there we prep the wall, dig out where the fix calls for it, put the repair in, clean up and walk the wall with you.
A moving wall isn't always the only problem. When the mortar joints on a block foundation or the brick above it are crumbling, tuckpointing closes them back up so water has fewer ways in. A chimney usually rides on the same foundation, so if it's cracking too, it's worth a look while I'm out, and that's where chimney repair comes in.
Carbon fiber straps to hold the wall
Straps are high-strength strips bonded to the wall with structural epoxy, a strong glue, and they stop it from bowing in any further. They usually go in over a day with no digging, but they hold the wall where it sits rather than pushing it back, so they suit a wall that needs to stay put.
Wall anchors to bring it back
Anchors join a steel plate buried out in your yard to a plate on the inside of the wall with a threaded rod. The nut gets tightened a little at a time, usually over about 1 to 2 years, so they suit you if you want the wall straightened and can live with a slow fix.
Foundation repair in Lansing starts with the permit question
In Lansing, building permits go through the City of Lansing Building Safety Office, and whether your repair needs one is the city's call, not ours. Before work starts I check with the office that covers your address, and if the job needs a permit, we work out the paperwork with you before anyone picks up a trowel. That matters here, because when work that needs a permit starts without one, the city investigates before it issues a permit and charges an investigation fee on top of the permit fee, whether a permit follows or not.
A lot of the walls we look at around Lansing belong to older houses, some with block basements where a crack steps along the mortar joints and some with poured walls showing a crack here and there. We see the same kinds of basements on jobs in East Lansing and Holt, and the same measuring comes first there too.
Why Lansing homeowners call Craftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry for foundation repair
I come out and measure
I come out myself to look at your wall, in Lansing or the cities around it, and check how far it's moved before anyone talks about a fix. I'm also on site with our crew while the work gets done, so the person who sized up your wall is there when it gets fixed.
We're licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, and it's fair to ask any contractor about theirs. In Michigan the maintenance and alteration contractor license covers listed trades, masonry and basement waterproofing among them, and those trades are printed on the license itself, so you can see which ones it names.
In business since 2023
I learned on other crews, then did side jobs for neighbors, rebuilding steps and pointing up old chimneys, until the calls turned it into a full time masonry business in 2023. People call us for straight answers and repairs that go after the cause.
We'll tell you what can wait
If your crack is the harmless kind, I'll say so, and you won't get a quote for work you don't need. When a wall does need work, we go after the reason it's failing, and our work is satisfaction guaranteed.
If you've found a crack that's new or getting wider, send us a few photos or set up a visit and I'll come take a look.
Request a quoteGet a free on-site estimate for your basement wall
We reply within one business day. Estimates are free, done on site and come with no obligation. Once you send the form, I'll get back to you to set a time to come look at the wall myself.
What happens when you call about foundation repair in Lansing?
Call or send photos
You call or send a few photos of the crack. I set a time to come out and look at the wall myself.
I look at the wall
I tell you what I see, what I'd fix first and what can wait. It all goes into an estimate you can think over, so you know the fix and the price before we start.
We sort out the paperwork
Once you say go, we handle any permit the job needs and get the work on the calendar. Nothing gets dug or bolted until that's settled.
Work, cleanup and walkthrough
We do the work with me on site alongside our crew, then clean up. Before we call it finished, we look it over together.
Frequently asked questions
Is a horizontal crack in my basement wall serious?
A horizontal crack is usually more worrying than a vertical one, because it can mean the soil outside is pushing hard on the wall. Cracks like that often call for a professional inspection, so it's worth having someone measure the wall before you pick a fix.
How do I know if a foundation crack is small enough to leave alone?
On a poured wall, hairline cracks and widely spaced vertical cracks less than 1/8 inch wide usually come from the concrete shrinking as it cured, and they can usually be left alone. Keep an eye on them, because one that grows wider or starts leaking water, or any crack 1/8 inch or wider, deserves a closer look.
What causes basement walls to crack and bow inward?
Pressure from the soil outside is the usual cause, and water makes it worse. When poor drainage traps water in the soil around the foundation and that water freezes, it expands and pushes harder on the walls, and over time that can crack them. That's why I look at where your gutters and grading send water before we settle on a fix for the wall.
What is the best way to fix a bowing basement wall?
Carbon fiber straps are usually the pick when the wall has moved less than 2 inches and shows no sign of actively sliding along a horizontal crack, which is where one repair guide draws the line. Straps only stop inward bowing, so they won't fix a foundation that's settling, a floor slab that's sinking or soil moving up and down. Past that point, or when you want the wall straightened, we talk about wall anchors.
How much does foundation repair cost in Lansing, MI?
Foundation pier installation for a 12-pier job in Lansing usually costs about $12,000 to $35,000 for the whole job. That's the going rate in the area for pier work, not our price, and strapping or anchoring a bowing wall is a different job with a different price. Your own figure comes from the estimate once I've seen the wall.
Where do I apply for a building permit in Lansing?
Building permits in Lansing go through the city's Building Safety Office at 316 N Capitol Ave., Suite C-1, and you can reach the office at (517) 483-4355. The first step is its building permit application. If you're hiring us, that check is part of our job.
Other work we do on the same house
Chimney repair
A chimney that's leaning, cracked or shedding brick usually has a cause underneath it, and we track that down before we rebuild the part you can see from the yard.
Tuckpointing
When mortar between brick or block turns soft and sandy, water gets into the wall, so we rake out the bad joints and pack in fresh mortar that matches.
Lansing, MI
Get your basement wall looked at
Snap a few photos of the crack now and jot down whether it's getting wider or letting water in, because that tells me a lot before I even pull up.