Laramie County Foundation Repair Guide (2026)

Updated October 29, 2026. General information, not engineering or legal advice. Rules change, so confirm with the agency listed before work starts.

Quick reference

Topic	What to know	Source
Ground under Cheyenne	Mapped units include artificial fill, stream and terrace alluvium and alluvial fan deposits, over the Ogallala Formation	USGS Open-File Report 87-559
Deeper rock	Coarse Ogallala sediments over fine-grained Brule Formation mudrocks of the White River Group (studied at Belvoir Ranch near Cheyenne)	USGS SIR 2013-5242
Expansive clays	Mostly sodium and calcium montmorillonite; large volume changes with moisture	Wyoming State Geological Survey
Precipitation	About 15.4 in. a year and about 63 in. of snow (1991-2020 normals, Cheyenne airport)	NOAA normals via Wikipedia
Freeze season	Average last spring freeze May 13; average first fall freeze Sept. 30	NWS Cheyenne
Severe hail	Cheyenne area averages more than 6 days a year with 1-inch hail nearby; June peak	NWS Cheyenne
City permits and licenses	City of Cheyenne Building Division, fully online; company license issued with an Individual Qualified Supervisor license	City of Cheyenne
County footings	Open hole report stamped by a Wyoming design professional before footing inspection; asks if expansive soils were present	Laramie County Planning and Development
Engineers	License search through the state board	Wyoming Board of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors

What is the ground like under Cheyenne?

Variable. A 1987 U.S. Geological Survey map of the surficial geology of the Cheyenne urban area (Open-File Report 87-559) shows artificial fill at scattered sites, undifferentiated and terrace alluvium along the drainages, alluvial fan deposits, and the Miocene Ogallala Formation. Deeper down, a USGS study at the city's Belvoir Ranch west of town described coarse, heterogeneous river sediments of the Ogallala over very fine-grained volcaniclastic sediments and mudrocks of the Brule Formation. For a homeowner, the point is that one house can sit on sandy, gravelly ground while another a few blocks away sits on fill or clay. Foundation advice that ignores the specific lot isn't worth much.

Do Cheyenne soils swell?

Some do. The Wyoming State Geological Survey explains that expansive clays, mostly sodium and calcium montmorillonite, expand and contract as moisture changes and can cause cracking, collapse or failure of structures built without mitigation. They are most common in Cretaceous shales and volcanic ash deposits, and the survey's Wyoming Geologic Hazards Map shows where formations with known or suspected expansive soils occur. Laramie County's open hole report, required before a new footing is inspected in the unincorporated county, has a yes-or-no box for whether expansive soils were present and calls for a compaction and soils report when a footing doesn't sit on undisturbed native soil.

How does the climate affect basements?

Cheyenne is dry, with about 15.4 inches of precipitation in a normal year, but that moisture arrives in bursts. Snow, about 63 inches in a normal season, is moved by wind into drifts against houses and melts in a few warm days. Summer thunderstorms bring heavy rain and hail; the National Weather Service in Cheyenne says the area averages more than six days a year with severe hail nearby, peaking in June, and hail damage to gutters often goes unrepaired. The freeze season is long too, with an average last spring freeze around May 13 and first fall freeze around September 30. Put together, basement walls face soil that swings from very dry to saturated and sometimes frozen, which is what drives most cracking and bowing here.

Wall pressure, settlement or heave?

Wall pressure pushes basement walls inward, showing as horizontal cracks, stair-step cracks in block and bowing. Fixes are anchors, braces, straps or rebuilding, plus drainage. More.
Settlement is part of the foundation sinking, often over fill or soft soil, or at an addition with shallow footings. Piers are the usual fix. More.
Heave is the soil lifting a basement slab or part of the house as clay gets wet. Stopping the water and isolating the framing are the usual fixes. More.

A floor elevation survey and wall measurements tell them apart. Measurements taken in different seasons tell you whether movement is still happening.

Who handles permits and licenses?

Inside city limits, the City of Cheyenne Building Division handles building permits, inspections and contractor licensing, and it now handles all licenses and permits online. The city issues company contractor licenses only in pairs with an Individual Qualified Supervisor license. Concrete flatwork such as patios doesn't need a city permit unless it's in the public right-of-way. For foundation repair, ask the Building Division whether your job needs a permit. In unincorporated areas such as the Ranchettes and South Greeley, permits and inspections go through Laramie County Planning and Development. Pine Bluffs, Burns and Albin are incorporated towns with their own offices.

How should I compare bids?

Floor readings and wall measurements, and the contractor's explanation of the cause
A drawing showing where each anchor, brace or pier goes
What each pier is driven or turned to, and a pier log after the job
What drainage work is included or recommended
Who pulls the permit, and whether an engineer is involved
The warranty: length, coverage and whether it transfers to a buyer
What happens to finished walls, landscaping and concrete during the work

What can homeowners do themselves?

Extend downspouts several feet from the house and repair hail-damaged gutters
Keep soil sloping away from the foundation, and rebuild low spots after settling
Shovel snow drifts away from basement walls and window wells before a thaw
Keep window wells clear and covered
Mark, measure and date cracks so you know whether they're changing

Common questions

Are foundation problems common in Cheyenne?

Foundation cracking and bowing basement walls are common enough that most homeowners will see some cracking. Variable soils, clay layers, a long freeze season and bursts of water from snowmelt and storms are the usual causes.

Do I need a permit for foundation repair in Cheyenne?

Ask the City of Cheyenne Building Division about your specific repair. Outside city limits, ask Laramie County Planning and Development or your town office.

How do I check a foundation contractor in Cheyenne?

Ask for their City of Cheyenne company license and Individual Qualified Supervisor license, proof of liability coverage, a written repair plan and the warranty terms.

Laramie County foundation repair guide (2026)