Foundation repair and basement waterproofing in Northern Kentucky
Stealth Foundation provides foundation repair and basement waterproofing services across Northern Kentucky. From Independence and Florence to Covington and Burlington, we are the local team Northern Kentucky homeowners call when their foundation or basement needs professional attention. Family-owned and serving Northern Kentucky since 2010, with a lifetime transferable warranty on every installation.
Stealth Foundation
Serving Northern Kentucky, across Kenton, Boone, and Campbell Counties
- Family-owned, not a national franchise
- Free owner inspection by Steve or David Cohen
- Lifetime transferable warranty
Foundation repair and basement waterproofing services in Northern Kentucky
Every service is backed by a lifetime transferable warranty. The pages below cover each in full.
Foundation repair
- Helical pier foundation repair: For sinking or settling foundations. Steel pier shafts are driven through the clay layer to stable, load-bearing soil below, permanently stopping foundation movement. The right solution when your foundation is sinking or has settled unevenly.
- I-beam wall stabilization: For bowed or leaning basement walls. The pre-engineered I-beam system designed by Steve Cohen anchors to the floor and ceiling framing, resisting the lateral soil pressure driving the wall inward. Designed to stop movement and allow for gradual correction over time.
- Carbon fiber wall straps: For mild to moderate wall bowing where displacement is less than two inches. High-tensile carbon fiber straps are bonded to the wall surface and anchored at floor and ceiling, with no excavation, typically completed in a single day.
Basement waterproofing
- Interior waterproofing: A perimeter drainage system installed from inside the basement captures water at the point it enters and routes it to a sump pit before it spreads across the floor. No exterior excavation required. Typically completed in one to two days.
- Exterior waterproofing: A membrane barrier and drainage system applied to the outside of the foundation wall stops water at the source before it contacts the concrete. The most comprehensive waterproofing solution for homes where exterior drainage is the right approach.
- Sump pump installation: New installations, replacements, and battery backup additions. Properly sized for your basement and for the water volume Northern Kentucky storms produce, including battery backup for when power outages and heavy rain coincide.
Learn more: Foundation repair services and basement waterproofing services.
Northern Kentucky communities we serve
Stealth Foundation serves homeowners throughout Northern Kentucky. Independence is our home base for the region. Below is every community we actively cover, organized by county.
- Kenton County communities: Independence, Erlanger, Fort Mitchell, Edgewood, Villa Hills, and Crescent Springs.
- Boone County communities: Florence, Burlington, Hebron, and Cold Spring.
- Campbell County communities: Newport, Fort Thomas, Alexandria, and Wilder.
- Counties served: Kenton County, Boone County, and Campbell County.
Not sure if we cover your address? Call (859) 356-1002 and we will confirm right away.
Why Northern Kentucky foundations fail, and what makes this region different
Foundation and waterproofing problems in Northern Kentucky are not random. The region's specific combination of terrain, soil, climate, and housing stock creates conditions that are more demanding than most of the country. Here is what drives the majority of the problems we see.
Why Northern Kentucky foundations fail, and what makes this region different
Foundation and waterproofing problems in Northern Kentucky are not random. The region's specific combination of terrain, soil, climate, and housing stock creates conditions that are more demanding than most of the country. Here is what drives the majority of the problems we see.
Hilly terrain and concentrated runoff
Northern Kentucky's topography is one of its defining characteristics and one of the biggest contributors to foundation and water problems in the region. Water runs downhill fast, and in NKY it often runs directly toward hillside foundations. Properties at the base of slopes, in natural drainage channels, or in low-lying areas throughout Kenton and Boone Counties face concentrated moisture loads that flat-terrain homes never experience.
Clay-heavy soil throughout the region
The soil underlying the majority of Northern Kentucky, from Independence and Alexandria to Covington and Fort Thomas, is predominantly clay. Clay absorbs water and expands significantly when wet, then contracts when dry. That push-pull cycle creates continuous lateral pressure against basement walls and vertical stress on foundation footings with every wet and dry season. This is the primary cause of foundation movement across Kenton, Boone, and Campbell Counties.
Freeze and thaw cycles every winter
Northern Kentucky winters repeatedly push frozen ground against foundation walls and then release it as temperatures rise. Each freeze and thaw event widens existing cracks slightly and exerts lateral force against the wall. Over 10, 20, or 50 winters, the cumulative effect of that mechanical force is substantial. Many Northern Kentucky foundations that looked fine a decade ago are now showing visible movement or cracking because of exactly this pattern.
Ohio River proximity and elevated water tables
Communities along the river corridor, including Newport, Covington, Wilder, and adjacent neighborhoods, experience elevated moisture environments and seasonally higher water tables. During heavy rain seasons, groundwater pressure against foundation walls in these areas is driven from below as well as from the surrounding soil. Homes near Ohio River tributaries throughout Campbell County face similar conditions, with water table elevation adding to surface moisture pressure.
Aging housing stock in older communities
Covington, Newport, Fort Thomas, and Fort Mitchell have significant inventories of homes with 50 to 100 year old foundations, concrete block walls built in the 1920s through 1970s on footings engineered for the standards of their era. These foundations were adequate when built. After five to ten decades of NKY soil movement, freeze and thaw cycling, and moisture pressure, many are now at or past the point where professional stabilization is needed.
Newer development on variable fill soil
Florence, Burlington, and Hebron have seen significant residential growth over the past two to three decades. Homes built on graded lots and compacted fill soil can experience early settlement as that fill continues to compress under the weight of the structure, sometimes within the first 10 to 15 years of construction. This type of settlement is distinct from the long-term clay movement seen in older communities, but the repair, helical pier stabilization, is often the same.
Signs you should call today
The following signs are not cosmetic issues, and they do not resolve on their own and will only get worse. Call us to schedule a free owner inspection, and Steve or David Cohen will tell you exactly what is happening and what it will take to fix it.
- A horizontal crack running across the middle of a basement wall, which is structural, not cosmetic.
- Stair-step cracking through block wall mortar joints.
- Floors sloping or a noticeable drift toward one side of a room.
- Doors or windows that stick now, but closed easily a season ago.
- Water on the basement floor after any rain, not just heavy rain.
- White chalky deposits spreading across multiple walls.
- Any crack that was smaller last time you noticed it.
Why Northern Kentucky homeowners choose Stealth Foundation
- Serving Northern Kentucky since 2010
- Family-owned company, not a national franchise or regional chain
- The people who inspect your home are the people who do the work
- Lifetime transferable warranty on every installation
- Licensed and insured in the state of Kentucky
- Free inspections with straight answers and no obligation
- Pre-engineered I-beam wall stabilization system designed by Steve Cohen
- Written estimate provided after every inspection, before any decision is made
- We serve Northern Kentucky from Independence, this is our market, not a secondary territory
Who you are working with
Steve Cohen has 38 years of foundation and waterproofing experience in Greater Cincinnati. David has 23. Between them, 61 years of working in this specific soil, on these specific foundations, in these specific weather patterns. When you call Stealth Foundation, Steve or David performs the inspection personally, not a commissioned salesperson.
"We would rather lose a job than sell you a repair your home does not need."
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Stealth Foundation serves homeowners throughout Northern Kentucky, including Independence, Florence, Covington, Burlington, Erlanger, Newport, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Cold Spring, Hebron, Edgewood, Alexandria, Villa Hills, Wilder, and Crescent Springs. We cover Kenton, Boone, and Campbell Counties. Call (859) 356-1002 to confirm service availability at your specific address.
The most common problems we see in Northern Kentucky are sinking or settling foundations caused by clay soil movement and soil compaction, bowed or leaning basement walls driven by hydrostatic pressure from saturated hillside soil, and foundation cracks widened by freeze and thaw cycling over many winters. Older homes in Covington, Newport, Fort Thomas, and Fort Mitchell frequently have block foundations that have been managing these forces for 50 to 100 years. Newer homes in Florence, Burlington, and Hebron built on graded fill soil can experience early settlement as fill compacts under the weight of the structure.
Northern Kentucky sits on predominantly clay-heavy soil throughout Kenton, Boone, and Campbell Counties. Clay absorbs water and expands significantly when wet, then contracts as it dries. That expansion and contraction cycle repeats with every rain event and dry period, creating continuous lateral and vertical stress on foundation walls and footings. Combined with NKY's hilly terrain and the freeze and thaw cycling of Kentucky winters, the soil conditions in Independence and surrounding communities are among the more demanding in the region for long-term foundation performance.
Yes. Stealth Foundation offers free inspections for homeowners throughout Northern Kentucky. We come to your home, examine the foundation or basement, and explain what we find in plain language. If a repair is needed, we walk you through what it involves, what it will cost, and what the warranty covers. If the situation does not require immediate action, we tell you that instead. Call (859) 356-1002 or use the contact form to schedule. No obligation.
Costs vary based on the type of problem, severity, and which repair method is appropriate for your specific situation. Helical pier installations for sinking foundations typically range from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the number of piers and site conditions. Bowed wall repairs range from $3,500 to $15,000 depending on severity and method. Basement waterproofing systems range from $3,500 for interior drainage to $8,000 and above for exterior systems requiring full perimeter excavation. Every estimate is based on a free inspection specific to your home. There is no meaningful way to price foundation work accurately without seeing the problem in person.
Yes. Stealth Foundation provides both foundation repair and basement waterproofing services throughout Northern Kentucky as a single, family-owned company. Foundation repair services include helical pier installation for sinking foundations, I-beam wall stabilization for bowed walls, and carbon fiber wall straps for early-stage movement. Waterproofing services include interior drainage systems, exterior membrane installation, and sump pump installation and replacement. Many homes need both, a settling foundation and a wet basement often share a common cause. We assess both during the same free inspection and give you a complete picture before any work is scheduled.
Schedule your free owner inspection in Northern Kentucky
Stealth Foundation serves homeowners across Northern Kentucky, from Independence and Florence to Covington and Burlington. If you are dealing with foundation movement, a wet basement, or you just want to know where you stand before a problem gets worse, a free inspection is the right first step. Straight answers, no obligation, with every repair backed by a lifetime transferable warranty.
We serve the Greater Cincinnati area as well, through our Cincinnati location. Click here to learn more.
Or use the form below to schedule online. We respond to all online inquires the same day.