Foundation repair in Lafayette LA - a fix that goes after the cause, not the low spot
Cracks getting wider or a floor that's started to slope? We find out what's moving your house, then repair the cause along with the damage.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Does that crack or sloping floor mean foundation trouble?
Foundation repair in Lafayette, LA runs from sealing a minor crack to setting piers under a settled slab or leveling a sagging pier and beam floor, and the point is to stop whatever's moving your house, not just patch what it broke.
At K&D Lafayette Masonry and Concrete, we're based in Lafayette and work across Broussard, Scott, Carencro, Youngsville and the other cities around it, where most houses either sit on a concrete slab or are raised on piers, and both move when the ground under them does. The price turns on what kind of foundation you have, how far it's moved and how much of it needs support, and the schedule turns on whether the city needs a permit and how much digging the fix takes. I'll look at your house and give you the plan and the price in writing before anything starts.
Does your house need foundation repair?
Cracks that keep growing
A crack that's wider each time you check it usually means something under the house is still moving.
Sideways cracks in walls
A crack running sideways across a block or brick wall points to pressure the wall wasn't built for.
A floor that slopes
A sloping pier and beam floor usually traces back to a settled pier or wet crawl space.
Doors that started sticking
When doors that used to close fine start sticking, the frame has usually shifted with the house.
How we handle foundation repair
I start by finding out what's making the slab or floor move before we lift anything, because a fix that only chases the low spot usually has to be done again. That means looking at where the cracks run, how the floors sit, what's going on in the crawl space and where water goes around the house. Once we know the cause, our crew digs out what needs it, makes the repair the house calls for, puts the soil back so water runs away from the foundation and cleans up before we leave.
Foundation movement often shows up higher on the house too. Stair-step gaps in the mortar usually need tuckpointing, which is cutting out the old mortar and packing in new, and a chimney that's leaning or pulling away may need chimney repair along with the work below it.
Sealing a crack that's stopped
This suits a slab or wall with a crack that isn't growing anymore. We clean it out and seal it so water stays out, and often that's all the house needs.
Piering a settled slab
This suits a slab that has dropped at a corner or along one side and is still going. Piers reach down past the moving soil to carry that section, and we set as many as it takes.
Repairing a pier and beam floor
This suits a raised house with a floor that slopes or feels soft underfoot. We fix or replace the piers and beams that have failed and bring the floor back up once what's under it is sound.
What happens when you call about foundation repair in Lafayette?
Call or send us a message
Call (337) 216-1882 or use the form and tell us what you're seeing. We'll set a time for me to come out.
I look the house over
I come out myself, check the cracks, the floors and what's under the house, and tell you what I'd do and what I'd skip. Then I write it up as an estimate with the repair and the price, so you know the cost before you decide anything.
We get the permit and work
If you go ahead, we sort out the permit side with your city before anything starts. Our crew does the repair, and I'm on site running it.
We walk the finished job
When we're done, you and I walk the house together. You see what was fixed and can ask about anything before we call it finished.
Foundation repair first, brick and mortar after
Stop the movement before fixing the cracks it left.
When a house moves, the brick and mortar crack along with it, and it's tempting to patch those first because they're what you see. If the foundation is still shifting, new mortar usually cracks again, so we fix what's under the house before we touch the walls above it.
Once the foundation is settled, I look at the brick again. Sometimes a few joints need new mortar and nothing more, and I'll tell you that rather than sell you a whole wall. Wider damage gets repointed or rebuilt to match the brick that's there.
Masonry and concrete work examples
Look through these examples of masonry and concrete work, from foundations and block walls to brick, stone and pavers, to get a feel for the options.
Get a foundation repair estimate from the person who'll run the job
Send photos of the cracks, how long they've been growing and whether the house is on a slab or pier and beam. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.
Why Lafayette homeowners call K&D Lafayette Masonry and Concrete for foundation repair
The owner writes your estimate
I come out myself to look at the house and write the estimate, and I'm on site running the crew when the work happens. The person who told you what the job needs is there making sure it's done that way.
Learned on inspected public work
I learned masonry on a municipal crew, laying block and brick on public work that had to pass inspection, and started this business in 2020. I still care most about what you can't see once we pack up, like the footing and the drainage.
Fully licensed and insured contractor
We're fully licensed and insured. That matters on foundation work, where we're digging beside your house and working under it.
Used to Lafayette's slab houses
Most Lafayette houses built since 1960 sit on a slab, and we also work on the older raised houses on piers. Call (337) 216-1882 or send us the form, and I'll come see which kind you have and what it needs.
Foundation repair questions we hear
How do I know if a foundation crack is serious?
Hairline cracks in concrete under 1/8 inch are normal, while a crack wider than 1/4 inch, one running sideways across a wall or one that keeps growing is worth having looked at. You can watch the fine ones yourself by marking the ends with a pencil and the date. If one widens, turns or grows past the mark, give us a call.
How much does foundation repair cost in Louisiana?
Foundation repair in Louisiana usually costs about $4,500 to $8,000 per job, going by a statewide price guide, so that's the market's figure and not our price. Minor crack repairs sit at the low end and major work needing a lot of piers sits at the high end, because piers are priced one at a time and most jobs need several. I'll give you your own number once I've seen the house.
What causes a pier and beam floor to sag again after leveling?
Usually the cause under the floor was never fixed, because leveling the floor alone may only make it look better for a while. If the crawl space stays wet or the beams are damaged, the sag can come back, so the repair plan has to cover those too. When you're getting bids, ask each contractor how they'll level it, since general guidance says it should go gradually and follow the cause, not just the lowest point.
Why is a cracked slab foundation so hard to repair?
Once a slab cracks, the repair turns difficult and expensive, so slab owners should expect a bigger job. Slabs sit right on the ground and move with the clay under them, and your plumbing runs under the slab too, so fixing a leak down there means jackhammering through concrete.
Does a foundation repair contractor need a license in Louisiana?
Louisiana's contractor licensing board requires a Residential license for repair work on an existing home when the job runs over $50,000, because it counts repair as home improvement. Ask any contractor you're considering what license they hold before you sign.
Do I need a permit for foundation repair in Lafayette?
Most construction work in Lafayette needs a permit before it starts, and the city's Development and Planning Department issues them for the city and the unincorporated parish. Whether your repair needs one depends on the job, so we check with the city before work starts and take care of any permit it calls for.
Got a crack you're not sure about?
I'll come look at it myself, tell you what I'd fix and what can wait, and put it in writing.
Other work that often goes with it
What Lafayette's clay and floodplain mean for foundation repair
An older parish soil record describes ground here that swells when it's wet and shrinks and cracks when it dries, and our wet winters and springs followed by dry summers keep that soil moving under foundations. That's a big part of why slabs crack and floors drop around here, so we look at drainage and moisture around the house along with the foundation itself. We see the same ground on jobs in Broussard and Youngsville.
If your house sits in Lafayette's floodplain or floodway, the city can require it to meet the standards for new buildings once improvements over a rolling ten-year period add up to more than half the home's market value. Historic homes that keep their historic character are exempt. On a large repair, I'll ask whether your house is in one of those areas, and we check with the city before work starts.