Foundation repair in Alexandria, Louisiana
Foundation evaluations and repair for Alexandria homes, from older raised houses near downtown to slab homes in newer subdivisions.
Alexandria is the seat and largest city of Rapides Parish, with 45,275 residents at the 2020 census. It sits on the south bank of the Red River near the middle of the state. Alexander Fulton and Thomas Harris Maddox laid out the town in 1805 and named it for Fulton, and the Kent Plantation House, finished by 1800, is still standing as the oldest building in Central Louisiana.
What is Alexandria built on?
Red River sediment. The Louisiana Geological Survey maps the Alexandria quadrangle as natural levee, point bar and backswamp deposits of the Red River, with older Pleistocene terraces nearby. The city lies on a level plain at about 82 feet of elevation, crossed by small bayous including Bayou Rapides, Bayou Robert and Hynson Bayou. Lower, wetter ground near those bayous and the old flood basins tends to hold the heaviest clay.
What jobs come up most in Alexandria?
- Piering a settled corner on a brick slab house
- Releveling older raised homes whose interior piers or shims have dropped
- Replacing sills softened by a damp crawl space
- Downspout lines and regrading on flat lots that hold water after storms
Who issues permits in Alexandria?
The city's Construction Development Department, Planning Division, at 625 Murray Street handles building permits for work on existing homes. Its checklist asks for an application, drawings and a stormwater plan for any soil disturbance, and plumbing or electrical work must be done by a city-registered contractor. Ask your contractor whether your repair needs a permit and who will pull it.
Common questions
Do you cover all of Alexandria?
Yes. Call with your address and you'll be connected with a contractor that works your part of the city.
Where do I get a building permit in Alexandria, Louisiana?
The City of Alexandria's Construction Development Department, Planning Division, at 625 Murray Street. Fees can be paid at the permit counter or online.
Services in Alexandria
- Slab foundation repairStabilize and lift a slab house with a corner, edge or section that has settled.
- Pier-and-beam and raised house levelingLevel a raised house from the crawl space with new shims, supports and sill or beam repair.
- Foundation piering (concrete, steel, helical)How pressed concrete, steel push and helical piers differ, and what to ask about each.
- Drainage and moisture controlGutters, downspout lines, grading and drains that keep the clay around the house more even.
- Foundation evaluations and crack repairHave the house measured, learn what the cracks mean, and repair them once the house is stable.
Nearby areas
Brick cracking, a door that won't latch, or a floor that suddenly slopes?
Call and a foundation contractor who works in Rapides Parish will come measure the house and explain what's moving.