§ Rutherford County · 14.7 mi from Murfreesboro
Foundation repair in Fosterville, TN
Fosterville is a quiet rural community in the south end of Rutherford County. Rural homes here come with rural foundation questions.
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A small community with a long history
Fosterville had a post office from 1837 until 2011, and for most of that time a country store as well. It is unincorporated and rural, with farms, older homes and newer houses on large lots. It is too small for useful Census housing figures, so we leave those out.
Rural homes come with things town houses usually don't, and several of them affect foundations. A septic field near the house changes how water moves in the soil. A well house, a detached garage or a barn converted to living space may sit on a much lighter foundation than the house. An older home may have had a room or a porch enclosed on a slab poured right on the ground with no footing at all. Without a real footing, a porch slab moves with the soil while the house stays put, and the joint between them opens up.
Talbott clay over limestone
The soil the USDA maps at the center of Fosterville is Talbott silt loam, eroded, on gentle slopes. It has a clay subsoil, with limestone at roughly three feet, and a moderate shrink-swell rating. Eroded means some topsoil has washed off over the years, which is common on old farm ground. On a lot like that, a contractor should walk the whole property and watch where the water goes, starting well uphill of the house.
What to have ready for the visit
- Photos of cracks with a coin or tape measure for scale, and the date you first noticed them
- Which doors or windows stick, and whether it changes with the season
- Any past repairs you know about, including from previous owners
- Where the septic tank and field lines are, if you know
Fosterville is about 15 miles from central Murfreesboro, inside most crews' normal range. It is in Rutherford County, so residential jobs from $3,000 to $24,999 require a Tennessee home improvement license.
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What to tell a contractor about your Fosterville home
Fosterville is about 15 miles from central Murfreesboro. Ask whether the contractor works this far out often and whether the inspection is still free at that distance. We do not have reliable Census housing figures for Fosterville, so start with what you can see. Vents along the base of the outside walls usually mean a crawl space. No vents and a concrete floor inside usually mean a slab.
USDA soil maps show Talbott silt loam, rock at about 37 inches at the center of Fosterville. Soil maps describe typical ground, not your lot, so ask whether the contractor wants a soil test or an engineer's report before quoting piers. Because this is Rutherford County, ask for the contractor's home improvement license number on any job from $3,000 to $24,999.
Signs to check in a Fosterville home
Fosterville at a glance
- Drive from Murfreesboro
- About 15 miles south
- County
- Rutherford
- ZIP code
- 37063
- Post office
- 1837 to 2011
- Mapped soil at community center
- Talbott silt loam, rock at about 37 inches
Drive distance: OpenStreetMap routing from central Murfreesboro. Soil: USDA NRCS Soil Data Access, map unit at the community's center point. Soil maps describe typical conditions, not your lot. History: Wikipedia, Fosterville, Tennessee.
§ FAQ
Fosterville foundation questions
Why does my enclosed porch keep pulling away from the house?
Enclosed porches are often on a thin slab with little or no footing, so they move with the soil while the house stays put. A contractor can tell you whether to support it or rebuild the base. The soil mapped at the Fosterville center is Talbott silt loam, with rock at about 37 inches.
Does my septic system affect my foundation?
It can if field lines are close to the house or water backs up near it. Wet clay swells, and water that keeps collecting near a footing can move it. Mention where the septic tank and field lines are when the contractor visits, so they can check the ground on that side of the house.
Repairs we can connect Fosterville homeowners with
National cost ranges from Angi, 2026. See the cost guide for detail.
- 01Foundation repairDiagnosis and repair for settling, cracking or shifting foundations.Most pay $2,225 to $8,133
- 02Pier and helical pier repairSteel push piers and helical piers that carry the house on firmer ground.$1,000 to $3,000 per pier
- 03Slab foundation repairFixes for sinking, cracked or heaving concrete slabs.Slab jacking $500 to $1,300
- 04House levelingLeveling sagging floors and out-of-level crawl space homes.Reshimming $1,200 to $4,000
- 05Crawl space structural repairRotted sills, sagging joists, failing piers and damp crawl spaces.New piers $800 to $4,000
- 06Basement wall repairBowing, leaning or cracked basement and block walls.Basement repair $2,300 to $7,600
- 07Foundation crack repairSealing and structural repair for foundation and wall cracks.Cracks $250 to $800
- 08Foundation inspection and estimatesOn-site evaluations, written estimates and engineer reports.Engineer report $300 to $1,000
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Fill this in and we will pass it to one independent, licensed contractor who covers your town. They will call to set up a free visit. You do not have to hire them.
Tennessee requires a home improvement license for residential jobs from $3,000 to $24,999 in Rutherford County, and a contractor license for jobs of $25,000 or more anywhere in the state. Ask any contractor for their license number and check it at verify.tn.gov.
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About this guide
Written by the Murfreesboro Foundation Repairs editorial team. The facts on this site come from the sources linked next to them: the U.S. Geological Survey, USDA soil surveys, Census Bureau estimates, Angi's 2026 cost guides and the Tennessee contractor licensing board. Have a licensed contractor or engineer inspect your home before you decide on a repair.
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