We pour and repair concrete. We are not structural engineers. For anything that looks structural, and after any strong earthquake, a licensed engineer should look first. This page explains the signs and the usual causes in Anchorage.
The price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Alaska labor and material costs, a short building season, access and the ground under your slab all move the real number. Last checked October 2026.
Are cracks in my foundation serious or cosmetic?
Thin vertical cracks in a foundation wall are usually cosmetic shrinkage cracks. Signs that a crack is serious are width greater than about a quarter inch, one side offset from the other, a stair-step or horizontal pattern, a crack that is growing, or doors and windows that have started to stick. Many Anchorage homes picked up new cracks in the 2018 earthquake. If you are unsure, have an engineer check.
What does foundation repair cost?
National figures for foundation repair are $250 to $800 for minor crack repairs, $2,000 to $12,000 to fix foundation leaks and $4,500 to $20,000 for settling, sinking or bowed walls. Structural repair is specialist work, priced from an engineer's findings.
My garage floor has dropped on one side. Is that a leveling job or a foundation problem?
In most houses the garage floor is a separate slab that floats inside the foundation walls. If the garage floor has dropped or sunk but the walls show no new cracks, it is normally settled fill, and that is a leveling or replacement job. If the walls are cracked too, or the floor is tied into the foundation, an engineer should see it first.
My front steps are pulling away from the house. Why?
Front steps pulling away from the house were almost always poured on backfill beside the foundation. That soil settles for years and heaves with frost, while the house on its deep footings does not move. A gap opens and the steps tilt. Lifting can close a small gap. Steps that keep moving are replaced on a footing set below frost, or on a pad that is isolated from the house.
My retaining wall is leaning after heavy rain or spring thaw. Can it be saved?
A retaining wall that is leaning after rain or thaw has water pressure behind it. If the lean is slight and the wall is not cracked through, digging out behind it, adding drain gravel and an outlet pipe can stop the movement. A wall that leans further each year or has a horizontal crack is failing and should be rebuilt with a proper footing and drainage. Keep people and cars away from the low side.
I was quoted $18,000 for piers, and another company says $1,500 to seal the crack. Which is right?
They are answering different questions. Sealing for $1,500 stops water coming through a crack. Piers for $18,000 stop a foundation from sinking. Only one of those matches your problem. The way to find out is measurement: is the wall moving? An independent structural engineer can tell you for a few hundred dollars and has nothing to sell you. Do that before spending either amount.
My basement or slab floor is damp or shows a white powder. What is it?
The white powder is efflorescence. Moisture moves up through the concrete, evaporates and leaves mineral salts on the surface. It is harmless by itself, but it tells you water is reaching the slab. Check that the ground slopes away from the house, that downspouts and the sump discharge well clear, and that meltwater is not ponding by the wall. Do not coat or carpet the floor until it is dry.
How deep do footings have to go in Anchorage?
Anchorage has set the minimum frost depth at 42 inches for a warm foundation, where the soil under the footing is kept above freezing by a heated building, and 60 inches for a cold foundation, where that soil can freeze. Development Services confirms the current figure for your project at permit review. Areas north of Anchorage are colder, and local practice there goes deeper.
Does insurance cover a retaining wall, slab or foundation?
Homeowner's insurance usually covers sudden events named in the policy and excludes settling, frost heave, wear and earth movement. Earthquake damage is normally excluded unless you bought separate earthquake cover. Read your policy and ask your agent before assuming either way. Photos and dates help with any claim.
Should concrete be checked after an earthquake?
After strong shaking, walk around the house and look for new cracks in foundation walls, gaps between slabs and the house, and steps or chimneys that have shifted. New or wider cracks in the foundation call for an engineer. Cracked driveways and patios are rarely urgent, but note them, since sunken spots often appear months later as loosened fill settles.
The only real price is one written after we have seen the site. Call (907) 331-4363 or text us a photo of the area to set up a free on-site estimate.