Most houses around Savannah stand on a slab, on a raised crawl space with brick or block piers, or, near the water, on pilings. Basements are rare because the water table is so close to the surface. The answers below reflect that.
The price ranges on this page are national figures that HomeGuide published for 2026. They are not quotes from The Savannah Concrete Company. Labor rates, material prices, truck access and the ground on your lot all change the real number. Last checked October 2026.
Are cracks in my foundation serious or cosmetic?
Most foundation cracks are cosmetic, and a few are serious. Thin vertical cracks in a slab edge or a stem wall that stay the same width are usually shrinkage. Signs to take seriously are cracks wider than about a quarter inch, cracks that are wider at one end, stair-step cracks in brick or block, doors and windows that start to stick, and floors that slope. If you see those, have a structural engineer look before any repair company does.
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. The range is wide because the work runs from sealing one crack to underpinning a house. We pour and repair slabs, footings and walls. Structural diagnosis belongs to an engineer.
My front steps are pulling away from the house. Why?
Steps pulling away from the house are usually sitting on loose fill that has settled or washed out. Builders backfill around a foundation after it is finished, and that soil is seldom packed as well as the ground under the house. The steps sink and tip outward while the house stays put. If the steps are in one sound piece they can sometimes be lifted. Otherwise they are rebuilt on a proper footing. It is rarely a sign that the house itself is moving.
My garage floor dropped on one side. Is it a leveling job or a foundation problem?
Most of the time it is a leveling job. A garage floor is commonly a separate slab that floats inside the foundation walls, and when the fill under it settles, the floor drops on one side while the walls stay where they are. Look at the walls and the door frame. If they are straight and uncracked and only the garage floor has sunk, lifting or replacing the slab deals with it. If the walls have cracked or moved too, the foundation is involved and an engineer should see it.
My retaining wall is leaning after heavy rain. Is it dangerous?
A retaining wall that is leaning after heavy rain is under more pressure than it can hold, and it can fail without much warning. Wet soil is far heavier than dry soil, and water trapped behind a wall with blocked or missing drains pushes hard. Keep people and cars away from the low side. A small lean on a low garden wall can sometimes be relieved by fixing the drainage. A wall that has moved a lot, or that supports a driveway or a building, needs an engineer and usually a rebuild.
I was quoted $18,000 for piers and another company says $1,500 to seal the crack. Who is right?
They are answering different questions, which is why the prices are $16,500 apart. Sealing treats a crack that leaks but is not moving. Piers treat a foundation that is sinking. The only way to know which you have is evidence of movement: measurements over time, or the opinion of a structural engineer who is paid for the report and sells no repair work. That report costs a small fraction of the gap. Do not spend $18,000 or $1,500 until you have it.
My slab floor is damp or has white powder on it. What is that?
The white powder is efflorescence. It is mineral salt carried up through the concrete by moisture and left on the surface when the water evaporates. In Savannah it shows on garage floors, slab floors and the piers and walls of crawl spaces, because ground water is never far down. Brush it off, improve the drainage outside and test the slab for moisture before laying any sealed flooring. Real leaks or standing water point to grading, a plumbing line or, near the marsh, a very high tide.
Does insurance cover a retaining wall, slab or foundation?
It depends on the policy and on the cause, so ask your agent. In general, homeowner insurance is written for sudden events and often excludes settling, earth movement, wear and poor drainage. Flood is excluded from standard policies and is covered by separate flood insurance, which many owners on this coast carry. Wind and named-storm damage may have its own deductible. We can write up the damage and a repair quote for you to send to the insurer.
How deep do footings go here? Is frost a concern?
Frost is a small concern on the Georgia coast, because the ground does not freeze to any real depth. Footing depth here is decided by the building code, the strength of the soil, flood and wind rules and the engineer's design, not by frost. We do not give a number, since the permit office sets the minimum for your lot. On soft marsh-side ground, footings may need to be wider or carried on piles.
Do earthquakes matter for concrete in Savannah?
A little more than most people expect. The 1886 Charleston earthquake was centered about 90 miles away and was felt strongly in Savannah, and the building code takes that fault zone into account for structures here. For driveways and patios it makes no practical difference. For foundations, walls and commercial slabs, the engineer and the permit plans deal with it.
Can you pour a slab for a garage, carport or addition?
Yes. A slab that carries a building is poured to the permit drawings, with footings, steel and inspections before the concrete goes in. In a flood zone the floor height is fixed by the local flood rules, and that can mean bringing in fill or building a raised foundation. Sheds, carports and equipment pads are simpler and can often sit on a slab with thickened edges.
Only a site visit gives a real price for your property. Estimates are free and come with a written quote. Call (912) 214-3834 or text us a photo of the area.