What a bowed-wall repair is
A wall that leans or curves inward is being pushed on, and the repair braces it or rebuilds it once the cause is known. The Texas permit pages, statutes and agency pages behind this site don't mention bowed walls, so ask your city's building office whether its foundation repair permit covers the job.
Bowed wall repair in Texas: a per-foot estimate
We estimate wall repair at $55 to $520 per linear foot of wall. One national published range sits behind it, widened 15 percent each side and scaled by the Texas cement mason wage ratio (0.82). The national sources disagree a lot, which is why the band is so wide. No Texas company price went in, and it isn't a quote.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $55 to $520 per linear foot of wall | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Texas cement mason wage ratio (0.82). Ten Texas foundation companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (no counted Texas company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Estimated range per 20-foot wall section, not a quote | $1,125 to $10,400 per 20-foot wall section | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Texas cement mason wage ratio (0.82). Ten Texas foundation companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (no counted Texas company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Masons and concrete finishers in Texas, mean wage | $23.69 an hour | Hourly mean, BLS May 2025, for the occupation nearest to wall repair; it's pay, not the job price. |
| Masons and concrete finishers nationwide, mean wage | $28.87 an hour | The US hourly mean from that release, which the Texas mean is divided by. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (1 source), adjusted by Texas's cement mason wage ratio to the US (0.82, BLS May 2025). Not a quote. Ten Texas foundation companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. We have no counted Texas company price for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Full method. Prices as of Oct 23, 2026.
State rules that reach wall work
TDLR's page of the 41 programs it licenses and regulates, read on October 23, 2026, has no foundation repair or structural repair program. The Engineering Practice Act's section 1001.056 lets someone repair a private dwelling without engineer licensing when they don't offer engineering services to the public.
What cities ask for on a structural repair
San Antonio's Bulletin 172 wants the repair designed by or done under the guidance of a Texas professional engineer, who also inspects it. Fort Worth's residential permits page says foundation repairs need building permits and engineered building plans. Corpus Christi asks for an engineered sealed foundation plan and says windstorm related repairs require an engineer.
Wall movement you shouldn't wait on
- The wall has moved in further since you last measured it.
- A horizontal crack has opened along the wall and soil or water is coming through.
- Water coming through the wall can reach the panel or an outlet.
- A wall whose dated measurements haven't changed over a few months.
Before you call about a bowed wall
- Hang a plumb line or set a straightedge against the wall, and write down the gap and the date.
- Move stored things that could fall away from the wall.
- Ask the company who decided on the repair, and whether an engineer will look at it.
Permit position for a wall repair
Cities print foundation repair permits without a separate line for walls. San Antonio and Fort Worth both attach engineer paperwork to theirs, so ask the office whether that permit and letter apply to your wall.
Texas has no state license for foundation repair, so ask for the contractor's certificate of insurance and call the insurer listed on it before you sign anything.
Questions people ask
Can a bowed foundation wall be repaired?
Companies repair them, but our Texas sources don't compare methods. Ask the contractor to name the method, the cause it fixes, and whether an engineer signs off.
What does a bowed wall repair cost in Texas?
Our model gives $55 to $520 per linear foot of wall, and that's an estimate, not a quote. It's a wide band because it rests on one national range. A few feet of wall and a whole side of the house sit at opposite ends of it.
Do I need an engineer for a bowed wall?
Cities that print foundation repair rules mostly ask for one. San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Garland and Denton print engineer requirements for foundation repair. Garland's engineer also sends a final report once the work is done.
Who can apply for the permit?
San Antonio lets the owner or a City-licensed Residential Building Contractor file it. Other cities set their own rules, so ask the building office before you sign.
- San Antonio DSD: Residential Permits Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDLR: Programs Licensed and Regulated by TDLR Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TBPELS: Texas Engineering and Land Surveying Practice Acts and Rules (effective June 18, 2026) Read Oct 23, 2026.
- San Antonio DSD: Information Bulletin 172 Read Oct 23, 2026.
- Fort Worth: Residential Permits (information) Read Oct 23, 2026.
- Corpus Christi Development Services: Residential Remodels and Repairs Read Oct 23, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (SOC 47-2051), Texas, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (SOC 47-2051), United States, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- FoundationMatch: how we estimate costs, Texas (editorial policy) Read Oct 23, 2026.
- Garland: Foundation Repair Read Oct 23, 2026.
- Denton: Foundation Repair Read Oct 23, 2026.