Foundation Repair in South Jersey

Local know-how

Why foundations move in South Jersey

South Jersey lies on the Coastal Plain, with layers of sand, silt and clay and a water table that can be close to the surface. When the ground is saturated after heavy rain, it softens under footings; in some areas, clay layers add shrink-and-swell movement.

Camden and the older towns along the Delaware River have many early 1900s homes with brick and block foundations. Suburbs such as Cherry Hill, Voorhees and Mount Laurel grew quickly after World War II, and many homes from that era now show cracked block walls and settling slabs.

Local contractors handle piers for settling sections, wall stabilization, crack repair and drainage improvements.

Sand, clay layers and a shallow water table

South Jersey lies on the Coastal Plain, and much of it sits on the Kirkwood and Cohansey Formations. The New Jersey Geological Survey describes the Cohansey as mostly sand with smaller amounts of silt, clay and gravel, and the Kirkwood as a mix of sand and clay beds. Together they hold the Kirkwood-Cohansey water-table aquifer, where groundwater sits close to the surface and rises and falls several feet over a year.

For foundations, that means water is rarely far away. Basements and crawl spaces in Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Haddonfield and Moorestown sit in soil that can be saturated for weeks in wet seasons, which pushes on walls and floors and softens the ground under footings. Clay layers within the sands can perch water and add seasonal swelling, while sandy layers can wash out where downspouts or leaks concentrate water.

Post-war suburbs and older river towns

Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Mount Laurel, Marlton, Maple Shade and Willingboro grew rapidly after World War II, and many homes from that era have concrete-block basements or crawl spaces that are now 60 to 75 years old. Horizontal cracks, bowing walls and damp block are common calls. In older river towns such as Camden, Gloucester City, Burlington and Beverly, homes from the late 1800s and early 1900s often stand on brick or stone foundations with eroded mortar and settled footings.

See bowing basement walls and stone and brick foundation repair for how those repairs work.

Typical costs in South Jersey

These are published figures for orientation only, not quotes. Averages include many small jobs; multi-pier projects cost more. The contractor you are connected with sets the price after an inspection.

Water management comes first

Because the water table is so close in much of South Jersey, drainage is part of almost every foundation plan here. Clean gutters, downspouts extended well away from the house, grading that slopes away from the foundation and a working sump pump with backup power do a lot to reduce pressure on walls. Where groundwater enters at the floor-wall joint, interior drainage to a sump may be recommended alongside wall stabilization. See foundation drainage.

Permits and contractor registration

New Jersey’s Uniform Construction Code applies in every South Jersey town, and the Department of Community Affairs lists foundation work among the jobs that need a construction permit. Home improvement contractors must register with the Division of Consumer Affairs, carry liability insurance and show their registration number on contracts and ads; towns may not issue permits to unregistered contractors. Check the number before you sign.

What to check before you call

In South Jersey the first question is usually water. Look at your basement or crawl space after a heavy rain: is water coming through the wall, up at the joint between wall and floor, or through the floor itself? Check whether the sump pump runs often and discharges well away from the house. Photograph cracks in block or poured walls with a ruler and date, and note whether a wall leans inward at the top or bows in the middle. For slab homes and additions, look for doors that stick and cracks at the corners of windows. Bring any prior repair paperwork, especially for older homes in towns such as Haddonfield, Collingswood and Woodbury, where earlier owners may already have braced a wall or installed drainage.

Ask each contractor to separate waterproofing from structural work in the quote. Many South Jersey projects combine interior drainage, a sump pump and wall braces or anchors, and understanding what each part does makes quotes easier to compare.

Communities we cover

Partner contractors take calls from Camden, Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Haddon Heights, Bellmawr, Barrington, Voorhees, Berlin, Clementon, Blackwood, Glassboro, Mullica Hill, Mantua, Mickleton, Gibbstown, Marlton, Medford, Mount Laurel, Moorestown, Maple Shade, Lumberton, Mount Holly, Willingboro, Burlington and Beverly. Enter your ZIP code above to check your address.

Sources

• New Jersey Geological Survey: The Kirkwood-Cohansey water-table aquifer
• This Old House: Foundation repair in Edison, NJ
• Bob Vila: Foundation repair cost (national price ranges)
• This Old House: Foundation repair cost (national guide)
• NJ Department of Community Affairs: Uniform Construction Code, general information
• NJ Division of Consumer Affairs: Hiring a home improvement contractor