We’ve been repairing fieldstone foundations and Michigan basements for over 15 years and I thought I would shed some light on the stone foundation repair costs that we typically encounter. Projects vary widely and so to the costs associated with different projects but I think I can offer a general window of cost to fix an old Michigan basement.
Typically the stone basements we repair are between 400 square foot (approx. 20’x20′) and 600 square foot. Obviously some are larger and some smaller, but this seems to be the general rule. If it is an older foundation, say pre 1920, it is usually closer to the 400 square foot size. This is for a very pragmatic reason. Back “in the day” the excavation for the Michigan basement was by hand. So starting in the spring the goal was to dig the hole and get the stone foundation laid before the cold Michigan winter.
Fieldstone Foundation Repair Cost Variables
Here are some of the variables that determine the cost to repair a stone foundation:
- size of the foundation
- size of the stones used to build the foundation
- current condition of the walls
- current condition of the mortar joints
- availability of water and electricity on site.
- accessibility of the basement or crawlspace
When I consider the dozens of stone foundations we have repaired I would say that most of them fall in the range of $3,600 to $5,500 dollar range. We have done many that cost less, and many that have cost more, but I would say 70% of the stone foundation repair
costs we encounter fall in that range.
Having said that, most of our customers contact us before they have wall collapses and usually most of the stone is in place and intact. The main issue is usually deteriorated mortar joints or maybe some loose or fallen stones. The projects we’ve completed where walls have collapsed or failed are always much more in terms of cost to repair.
