Pressed concrete piles
Short concrete cylinders are pressed into the ground one on top of another under the slab's edge until they stop, then the beam is lifted and shimmed on top.
Slab Foundation Repair in Shreveport, LA
A crack in the slab under the carpet, a door that no longer latches or a stair-step crack in the brick can point to a slab that has moved. Describe it once, and independent foundation repair companies serving Shreveport, Louisiana, Bossier City, LA and nearby towns can reply with free, no-obligation quotes. Shreveport Foundation Services is a quote service, not a contractor.
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Signs a slab foundation may have moved
Look for:
- Cracks in the slab itself, often found when carpet or tile comes up
- Stair-step cracks in brick veneer, especially at window and door corners
- Interior doors that stick, swing on their own or no longer latch
- Gaps between baseboards and the floor, or trim pulling away from the wall
- Cracked floor tile or grout lines that keep reopening
- A floor that runs downhill toward one side or corner of the house
Many slabs show small shrinkage cracks that never change; a crack that keeps growing is the reason to get quotes. See foundation crack repair.
Why slabs move around Shreveport, LA
Most newer homes in the Shreveport-Bossier area sit on a concrete slab poured on the ground: NAHB's analysis of Census construction data shows nearly all new single-family homes in the West South Central states, Louisiana included, are built on slabs. A slab rides on the soil under it, so when that soil changes volume, the slab can follow. Local conditions that can contribute:
- Clay soil. Much of Caddo and Bossier parishes is mapped in clay soils with high to very high shrink-swell potential (USDA NRCS soil data): roughly 43% of Caddo's and 55% of Bossier's mapped soil acres, including Red River clays like Moreland and Buxin and upland soils like Eastwood and Keithville. Check your own lot on Web Soil Survey.
- Wet springs, dry late summers. Shreveport averages about 51.4 inches of rain a year, with April the wettest month and August the driest and hottest (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).
- Drought. Caddo and Bossier parishes each reached D3 "extreme" drought in 2022–2023 (U.S. Drought Monitor), with 88.9% of Caddo in D3 on September 19, 2023.
- Water at the edges. Short downspouts, flat grading or a plumbing leak can keep one part of the slab wetter than the rest. See drainage and grading.
On clay, that can show up as slab edges lifting when the soil swells, or one section settling as it dries. Soils change block by block, so an elevation survey of your floor says more than any map. More in Shreveport clay soil and foundations.
Concrete slab foundation repair methods
Steel piers
Steel pipe sections are pushed down to firmer soil, or helical piers with screw plates are turned in, from holes along the foundation. Ask for the target depth in writing.
Interior piers
If the low spot is mid-house, some piers go in through the floor. Ask who restores the flooring and what that costs.
Drainage and moisture
Gutters, downspout extensions and regrading keep soil moisture more even. A good proposal deals with the water too.
Driveways, patios and garage floors are usually lifted by injection instead; see concrete leveling and mudjacking. A company that sells one system may recommend only that one, so compare two approaches in writing.
What a slab repair company typically does
Survey the floor
Elevation readings, cracks, doors and drainage. A free inspection is a sales visit.
Write a proposal
Method, number and location of piers, target depth, lift goal, drainage work, permit and cleanup.
Plumbing and permit
A plumbing test before and after the lift may be recommended. The contractor pulls the permit.
Dig, install and lift
Piers go in along the beam or through the floor, and the slab is lifted slowly and shimmed.
Backfill and document
Final readings, pier depths, photos, the invoice and warranty terms in writing.
What slab foundation repair costs
| Item | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Slab foundation repair | $1,000–$10,000 | Fixr |
| Piers, per pier (underpinning) | $1,000–$3,000 | Fixr, This Old House |
| Whole underpinning project | $10,000–$40,000 | Fixr |
| Structural engineer inspection | $300–$1,000 (avg ≈ $600) | This Old House, Oct 2026 |
| Mudjacking / slabjacking | $550–$1,300 | This Old House |
| Permit | $75–$150 | This Old House |
Typical national ranges from published 2025–2026 cost guides (Fixr, This Old House, Angi), not quotes. Your price depends on an on-site inspection.
The number of piers drives most slab quotes. Depth, access, interior piers, a plumbing test, an engineer's report, the permit and landscaping repairs add to it. The Shreveport foundation repair cost guide has a calculator.
When to get a structural engineer first
Engineer first for a big slab job
For a large pier job, quotes that disagree about the cause or the number of piers, or a home you are buying or selling, hire an independent Louisiana-licensed professional engineer (LAPELS) before you sign. This Old House puts a typical inspection at $300–$1,000. The engineer should be independent of the company selling the repair. See foundation inspections.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Your LSLBC license number, proof of liability insurance, and who pulls the permit?
- How many piers, where, to what depth, and how will each depth be recorded?
- What lift do you expect, with elevation readings before and after, and is a plumbing test recommended?
- What does the warranty cover, does it transfer to a buyer, and can I have it in writing?
- Are you connected to the engineer who assessed the house?
- What payment schedule do you use? The Louisiana Attorney General's office advises several bids and no large down payments.
Louisiana license, permit and cancel-right check
Louisiana's contractor board (LSLBC) changed its thresholds on August 1, 2024. Home improvement registration now covers most projects of $7,500 to under $50,000, but structural work such as foundations, footings and floor slabs is excluded from "home improvement", so foundation repair over $7,500 generally calls for an LSLBC-licensed contractor. Look the company up at lslbc.louisiana.gov and ask for the license number, proof of liability insurance and the permit.
Structural repairs generally need a permit from your city or parish; your contractor should pull it. Louisiana's home solicitation law (R.S. 9:3538) gives a 3-business-day right to cancel many in-home sales, but it may not apply when you contacted the company yourself; ask and get it in writing.
Slab foundation repair FAQs
Is a crack in my slab foundation serious?
Many slabs carry thin shrinkage cracks that never change. Look more closely when a crack keeps widening, when one side sits higher than the other, or when it comes with sticking doors and stair-step cracks in the brick. Photograph it next to a tape measure, date it and check again in a few months.
Pressed concrete piles or steel piers: which is better?
Neither is right for every house. Both go under the slab's perimeter beam to lift and support it. Ask each company what depth it expects, how depth is recorded and how many piers it plans. When two companies propose different systems, an independent engineer's report helps you compare.
How much does slab foundation repair cost in Shreveport?
National cost guides put slab foundation repair at about $1,000 to $10,000 (Fixr), with underpinning piers at about $1,000 to $3,000 each. No reliable Shreveport-specific figure is published. The number of piers, access, interior work and the permit set your price, so compare written quotes.
Do I need a permit for slab foundation repair in Shreveport?
Structural repairs generally need a permit from your city or parish, and your contractor should pull it. In Shreveport and most of Caddo Parish that is the City of Shreveport's Permits and Inspections office; Bossier City has its own. Ask for the permit number before work starts.
Get free slab foundation repair quotes
Say where the cracks are, which doors stick and roughly how old the house is. Shreveport Foundation Services passes your request to independent companies serving Shreveport, Bossier City and northwest Louisiana, and they reply to you directly. Companies may pay to receive requests. There is no cost to you and no obligation.
Cracks, sticking doors or a soft floor? Get free foundation and crawl space quotes.
Describe it once and independent companies serving Shreveport, Bossier City and northwest Louisiana can reply with no-obligation quotes.