Foundation Crack Repair in Baton Rouge, LA
Foundation crack repair starts with a simple question: is the crack a cosmetic shrinkage crack, or a sign the foundation is moving? We inspect cracks in slabs, brick, and walls across Baton Rouge, Highland Road area, Shenandoah, and Prairieville, and tell you which is which before recommending anything.
- Free written inspection report
- Permits through the Permit & Inspection Division of the Department of Development
- Plain answers on repair or monitor
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Please call us at (225) 396-8627.
Which Cracks Matter
Thin, vertical hairline cracks in a slab or wall are common as concrete cures and usually are not structural. Cracks that are wider than a credit card, run diagonally, form a stair-step pattern in brick, are wider at one end than the other, or keep growing deserve attention. So do cracks that appear together with sticking doors or sloping floors.
In Baton Rouge, clay soils that swell when wet and shrink when dry are the usual reason cracks grow. The soil moves with the seasons, so a crack that seemed stable in spring can open in a dry August. We mark and measure cracks so changes can be tracked.
Types of Cracks
Hairline
Thin shrinkage cracks, usually cosmetic; seal and watch.
Diagonal
Running from corners of doors and windows; often movement.
Stair-Step
Zigzag cracks in brick or block; a settling sign.
Slab Edge
Cracks or drops at the slab edge or corner.
How Cracks Get Repaired
A stable crack can be cleaned and sealed to keep water and insects out. A crack caused by ongoing movement needs the movement stopped first; sealing it alone just leaves a neat line that cracks again. That usually means piers under the low side of the slab, described on our foundation repair page, or new supports under a raised home, described under house leveling.
Once the foundation is stable, interior cracks in drywall and exterior cracks in brick can be patched and painted, and they should stay closed.
The Process
How Crack Repair Goes
Measure
Each crack mapped, measured, and photographed.
Diagnose
Elevation readings show whether the foundation is moving.
Repair
Seal stable cracks; stabilize moving areas first.
Recheck
We can remeasure after a season to confirm.
Brick Homes
Many Baton Rouge homes have brick veneer, which shows foundation movement clearly. Stair-step cracks, brick pulling away from window frames, and mortar joints opening at corners are all signs the slab beneath has shifted. Brick will not move back on its own; once the slab is stabilized, a mason can repoint the joints so the repair is hard to see.
Water and Cracks
Cracks let water reach the soil under a slab, which feeds the swelling and shrinking that opened them. Good drainage helps every crack repair last: gutters that empty well away from the house, soil sloped away from the walls, and no sprinklers spraying the foundation. Heavy rain is common here, and the city sits on bluffs above the Mississippi, with a levee system to the south, so water management matters on almost every lot.
Permits and Contractor Rules
Sealing a crack does not usually need a permit, but structural repairs often do, and we file those with the Permit & Inspection Division of the Department of Development. Louisiana has contractor rules too: home improvement work on an existing home valued at $7,500 or more falls under LSLBC rules. Ask any company to show its standing with the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC).
What to Do Now
Take a dated photo of each crack with a coin or ruler beside it, and mark the ends with a pencil. If the crack grows past your marks in a few weeks, that is useful information for any inspection. Then call for a free inspection; we will measure what you have and tell you plainly whether it needs repair or only watching.
Cracks Inside the House
Inside, foundation movement often shows first in drywall and tile. Look for cracks running diagonally from the corners of doors and windows, gaps where walls meet the ceiling, nail pops in a line, and floor tile that cracks across several tiles in a row. Homes in Mid City and Broadmoor with plaster walls may show long, branching cracks instead. These are worth recording with dated photos, because a pattern of interior cracks on one side of the house, together with doors that stick on that side, usually points to the part of the foundation that is moving. That pattern helps us place piers where they will actually help, rather than spreading them evenly and hoping.
Common Questions
Foundation Crack Questions
Are foundation cracks normal?
Hairline shrinkage cracks are. Wide, diagonal, stair-step, or growing cracks usually mean movement. Because Louisiana has clay soils that swell when wet and shrink when dry, cracks here should be checked after long wet or dry spells to see if they changed.
Can I just fill a foundation crack?
You can seal a stable crack. If the foundation is still moving, filler will crack again. An inspection with elevation readings tells you which you have, and structural repairs are permitted through the Permit & Inspection Division of the Department of Development when required.
How much does crack repair cost?
Sealing a stable crack costs little. If piers are needed to stop movement, the price depends on how many. You get a written price after a free inspection, before any work begins.
Get Started
Worried about a crack? Book a free foundation inspection or return to the home page.