How Much Does Slab Leak Repair Cost? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $630 - $4,400
The cost to repair a slab leak ranges between $630 and $4,400, but you'll pay an average of $2,280 depending on the leak's size and location.
The average slab leak repair cost is around $2,280, including the price of detecting the issue. If you only have a minor leak, you might pay as little as $300, but leaks that are difficult to reach could increase the price to $6,750. Your final slab leak cost depends on its location and the price of repairing or replacing the foundation afterward.
- Average
- $2,280
- Low end
- $300
- high end
- $6,750
Slab Leak Repair Cost Factors
Your final slab leak repair cost hinges on two major factors: the type of repair needed for the leak itself and the repair needed for your home’s concrete slab after the leak gets fixed. You’ll also need to factor in the cost of detecting the leak, which requires time, skill, and specialized equipment. As much as you may want to, this is no time to DIY.
Slab Leak Detection Cost
Your slab leak cost includes the detection of any leak (or leaks) for an average price of $280. Most homeowners will end up paying $150 to $400 for slab leak detection. Where in this range your pricing falls depends on the location of the leak and how many leaks are present.
You might also pay more if you need emergency leak detection and repair, which will likely be the case if your leak is in your water main and you can’t get water to your home without the leak progressively doing more damage.
Repairing the Concrete Slab
Repairing your home’s concrete foundation after fixing the leaks will usually run anywhere from $300 to $6,750. This is a necessary slab leak cost to consider, as your plumber will need to break through the foundation in order to address any leaking pipes below the surface.
The slab repair cost will depend again on the location of the leak and the number of leaks that the plumber needs to access. The concrete material and labor costs can also vary based on the foundation repair contractor near you that you choose to complete the work.
For very severe leaks that require breaking through a large portion of your foundation, you might have to bring in a structural engineer to assess and fix the issue. Hiring this type of professional will cost around $150 per hour, or anywhere between $70 and $250 per hour.
Type of Repair
Plumbing issues come in all different shapes and sizes, and the type of repair that your slab leak requires can affect the time and materials it takes to complete the work.
| Repair | Typical Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Cured-in-place repair | $80–$500 |
| Pinhole leaks | $150–$2,000 |
| Single burst pipe | $150–$850 |
| Slab leak reroute | $200–$1,500 |
| Pipe leak repair | $500 |
| Water main leak fix | $150–$3,000 |
| Drain line leak repair | $800–$5,000 |
| Slab replacement | $10,000–$20,000 |
For example, a single burst pipe should be relatively simple for a plumber to fix. Pinhole leaks, however, are often a result of non-isolated corrosion, so the plumber may need to remove larger sections of the pipe to prevent future leaks, increasing the cost drastically.
Some contractors also offer the option of “cured-in-place-pipe” or CIPP. This method is the least invasive and involves coating the inside of the pipe with epoxy that hardens to form a new inner pipe. This method is popular because of its low cost, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have raised concerns about the health risks involved, and the longevity of this repair method is questionable.
Foundation Stabilization
Foundation stabilization in the form of underpinning for slabs usually costs around $2,500 per pier or a total of $5,000 to $10,000 after slab leak repair. Underpinning isn’t always necessary after a leak repair, so we haven’t included the cost in the average total above.
You might need underpinning if an ongoing water leak in your slab has led to excessive soil movement or settling under your foundation. Supportive piers installed under the slab can ensure that foundation sinking and resulting structural damage don’t occur.
Water Damage
Depending on the extent of the damage, repairing water damage can cost anywhere from $500 for a minor subfloor repair to $15,000 or more for more extensive damages. If a leak goes unnoticed for a while, it can cause serious water damage to your subfloor, flooring, sheetrock, insulation, and the slab itself, and it might even lead to structural damage. Repairing that water damage, removing any mold that formed, and drying out the area can all add to the cost of slab leak repair.
Build-Back
Returning the affected area to how it was prior to the slab leak will average around $500, but the cost could be anywhere from $300 to $10,000 or more.
A simple access point for a pipe in an area where the slab surface is unfinished, like in a utility closet, could just require pouring new concrete—called a cold pour—to bond with the existing concrete, which should cost closer to $300. A larger access point in the same area could bring the total to $400.
However, if you have a finished floor, hardwood kitchen cabinets, or some other more expensive building material over the access point, your build-back costs could hit $10,000 or go well past that number. Build-back averages around $2,000, unfortunately, because plumbing pipes only run through your slab if you have a slab foundation. Since everything above a slab foundation is usually finished, chances are you’ll have to pay for quite a bit of build-back.
Treating the Underlying Issue
Addressing the root cause of the slab leak could cost nothing at all if there isn’t one that could cause ongoing issues, or it could total as much as $15,000 for something like a French drain to mitigate future problems with foundation drainage and soil expansion under your foundation. Something as simple as foundation waterproofing particular problem areas might be useful as well, and this costs around $200 for application to a small area.
We recommend having a professional assess the foundation issue and come up with a plan to reduce the risk of the problem occurring again in the future.
Excavation Costs
Your pro may need to dig around your existing slab in order to get a better understanding of the leak and any damage. Residential excavation costs around $3,000, but the total cost will largely depend on how much land needs to be removed (and then put back).
Excavation costs can increase significantly if your professional needs to provide support to your foundation during the excavation process. Expect to pay an additional $2,000 or more for temporary piers or foundation jacks.
Location
If your leak is tough for a pro to access, it will drive up costs considerably. For instance, an easy-to-reach leak under an unfinished utility closet might cost around $630 to fix, while a leak tucked under a kitchen cabinet or in another tight area with minimal access is more likely to reach toward that upper cost of $4,400.
Permits
In most cases, building permits for a slab leak will cost between $75 and $200, but the total can vary based on the fee schedule for your building department. In many jurisdictions, plumbing repair specialists and foundation repair contractors both require building permits, so you could get hit twice with permit fees.
Permits are likely to cost toward the upper end of the price range if you have an issue with your water main running into your slab.
Labor
The labor for a slab leak repair costs between $500 and $4,000 in most cases or between $75 and $150 per hour. The large majority of your slab leak repair costs will be for the labor, as the materials required will often cost under $100. Slab leak repair is time-consuming, so the bulk of the total will go toward locating the leak, cutting into the concrete, replacing the damaged section of the pipe, and repairing the slab.
Structural Damage
Cutting into a foundation or tunneling underneath one is dangerous because any mistakes can lead to severe structural damage. You might save money on the initial foundation repair costs, but the structural issues that could result will likely cost you far more than you’d save in the long run. Additionally, foundation issues can put you and your family at risk, which isn’t worth any amount of savings.
Cost To DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
The cost to repair a slab leak yourself—around $400—will pale in comparison to the cost of hiring a professional—an average of $2,200. The materials make up just a small portion of the total cost of hiring a local plumber to do the work, which accounts for the lower price. While it might be tempting to do the work yourself to save money, we strongly recommend against it, as a lot can go wrong very easily.
How to Save Money on Slab Leak Repair Costs
Since repairing a slab leak is expensive and a DIY job isn’t recommended, most homeowners who need this repair completed will look for ways to save money in the process. There are a few things you can do to keep your repair costs down.
Request a reroute: Rerouting pipes through your slab is often more affordable than accessing and repairing existing ones. Ask your plumber if a reroute is possible.
Don’t put off repairs: Slab leaks tend to get worse over time and can lead to structural damage if left without a solution. Get the work done as soon as you recognize the issue to avoid higher repair costs.
Get the underlying problem fixed: If expansive soil or uninsulated pipes are the reason you need slab leak repair in the first place, get those problems addressed simultaneously to avoid future repair costs.
Refinish on a budget: If you need to build back over the area where the leak occurred, consider more affordable building materials. For example, you could opt for engineered hardwood—as low as $2.50 per square foot—over real hardwood—more likely higher than $8 per square foot.
Hire a professional: Although you could save money by DIYing the slab leak repair, we strongly recommend hiring a professional instead. You’ll pay more upfront, but the work is far more likely not to cause additional issues or further foundation damage.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Minor slab leaks typically take around three hours to access and fix, provided the leak is in an accessible location. However, a more extensive leak or a leak in a hard-to-reach location can take several days to fix, depending on the resulting damage. You might also want to consider the timeline for the build-back if the leak damages building materials like flooring or cabinets, which can take several weeks, including delivery of the materials.
Most homeowner’s insurance policies will cover the cost of slab leak repair that results from a natural disaster, like an earthquake or a severe flood, or from a tree falling on your home. Damage from frozen pipes in your slab is also typically covered. However, your policy is unlikely to cover the repair if an invading tree root causes the damage or if it’s a pinhole leak that results from corrosion. You should contact your insurance provider for a full run-down of what they cover.
Regularly inspecting your foundation—at least the visible sections—for signs of foundation issues like moisture and pest infestation is a good way to identify slab leaks early, as is keeping an eye and ear out for water damage to indoor building materials, above-average water bills, sounds of running water when no fixtures or appliances are on, and indoor humidity that causes the temperatures to feel more extreme. If you do find any issues, contact a plumber right away to check it out for you.
You could DIY the work, but unless you have plumber’s knowledge for identifying and fixing a slab leak and specialized equipment in your tool shed, attempting to DIY your slab leak repair isn’t a good idea. It’s simply not something that the average homeowner can take on themselves, regardless of how many successful DIY projects they’ve got under their belt. You could, however, do something simple like foundation waterproofing yourself to save some money on the post-repair work.