# Methodology

> How Foundation Repair Lab researches repair methods, prices and insurance wording, including sourcing, cost models and limits.

Canonical: https://foundationrepairlab.com/methodology/

Last updated: 2026-11-08

Every number on this site is either sourced or labelled as an estimate. This
    page explains the difference, and how a claim gets from a document to a
    published page.

## 1. Primary sources first

    For repair methods we work from published engineering guidance on underpinning
    and foundation performance, manufacturer specification sheets for pier and
    anchor systems, and state or local building-code sections on permits and
    inspections. For insurance we quote the policy form's exclusion wording rather
    than a summary. For prices we use published US unit-price ranges and contractor
    price books.

## 2. Cost models show their inputs

    Repair cost is modelled from visible inputs: unit price per pier or per square
    foot, the count or area, engineering, permit, access and restoration. We do not
    present a single "average cost" as if it were a quote; the range and what it
    includes are stated on the page.

## 3. Method selection

    A method is described by the failure it addresses: piers for settled footings,
    lifting for settled slabs, restraint for bowing walls, drainage for water. We
    do not rank methods as "best" in the abstract, because the right method is a
    function of the diagnosis.

## 4. What we have not inspected

    We do not inspect houses and we do not produce engineering reports. When a claim
    comes from a published source or a contractor report, we say which. We do not
    imply first-hand inspection we did not perform.

## 5. Sources we work from

     |
       | Source type | What it decides | How it is cited

       | Engineering guidance | Failure modes and repair suitability | Method named with the failure it addresses

       | Building code excerpts | Permit and inspection requirements | Code section and jurisdiction named

       | Insurer policy forms | Covered vs excluded causes | Exclusion wording quoted

       | Published unit pricing | Per-pier, per-square-foot and job totals | Price band with the month checked

       | Manufacturer specifications | Pier capacity, anchor ratings, warranty terms | Product class and capacity stated

    When two sources disagree, the page says which one it followed and why. A
    figure that cannot be traced to a document is labelled an estimate, and an
    estimate is never presented as the price of a specific job.

## 6. Listings and directory data

    The service-area directory is compiled from public business records: the
    firm's own website, its published address and phone number, and the state or
    local licence register named on the city page. A record is marked verified only
    when the name, address, phone and licence have been checked against those
    sources and the date of the check recorded; everything else is labelled. Where
    a source does not publish a ZIP code or a website, the field is left blank
    rather than guessed.

## 7. Corrections

    If a code edition or a policy form changes, we update the article and its
    "last updated" date. Email
    [contact@foundationrepairlab.com](mailto:contact@foundationrepairlab.com)
    with the page and the correction.