Bossier City, briefly
The places a specialist will recognize when you describe where the house is:
- Bossier City sits on the east bank of the Red River, across from Shreveport on the west bank.
- Barksdale Air Force Base, headquarters of the Eighth Air Force, is surrounded by the city.
- The Arthur Ray Teague Parkway runs along the eastern side of the Red River.
- Most of the city is flat, and small waterways such as Red Chute Bayou and Flat River drain many of its neighborhoods.
On flat ground, start with where the water goes
That last point is the one that matters most for a foundation conversation. On ground without much natural fall, where rain ends up depends heavily on gutters, grading, and the ditches and bayous it eventually reaches. So when you describe a problem, describe the water too: where it stands after a storm, which side of the house stays wet, and whether the yard has ever held water against the slab or under the floor.
A specialist will want to know whether a downspout empties beside the problem area, whether a patio or driveway slopes back toward the house, and whether anything has changed nearby — a new fence line, a filled ditch, an addition. None of that is a diagnosis, but it shapes what the evaluation looks at. The drainage and crawl space page covers the usual corrections, from downspout extensions to French drains.
Published Shreveport ranges put a French drain at $24 to $37 per linear foot, which works out to about $1,440 to $2,220 for a 60-foot run.
Slab or crawl space?
The second question is how the house is built. A house on a concrete slab and a house raised over a crawl space move differently and are repaired differently, so the answer changes the whole conversation. If you are not sure, look along the bottom of the outside walls for vents or an access door. For houses on concrete, start with slab foundation repair; it explains how a settled slab is supported and lifted, and what to ask about the plumbing first.
When a home inspection flags the foundation
Sometimes the foundation question arrives in a home inspection report during a sale. If you are the buyer, the report’s note is a reason to get a specialist’s evaluation, not a verdict. If you are the seller, an evaluation and a written scope give buyers something concrete to weigh instead of a vague worry.
Either way, a few things help:
- Share the inspection report with the specialist before they come out.
- Ask for the findings in writing — what was measured and where.
- Ask whether earlier repairs are visible, and whether any paperwork for them exists.
- Keep the quote itemized so both sides can see what is structural and what is not.
The four lines to ask for
Whether the job turns out to be drainage alone or piers plus drainage, the written quote should keep these separate:
- 1Evaluation findingsWhat was measured and found — elevation readings, crack locations, construction type, likely cause.
- 2Drainage / moisture correctionGutters, grading, downspouts, or crawlspace moisture work that addresses why the soil is moving.
- 3Structural repairPiers, shims, or sill and beam replacement — with counts, locations, and depths stated.
- 4Finish / cosmeticDrywall, brick, trim, and door adjustments after the house moves — priced on its own line.
Cost, in published ranges
No published cost guide covers Bossier City by itself, so the Shreveport figures are the closest reference: $1,900 to $3,800 for minor crack repair and basic waterproofing, $2,300 to $23,900 for major repairs. Per-pier prices are national figures, at $990 to $1,350 for a steel push pier. The foundation repair cost guide has worked examples.
Permits. Bossier City is in Bossier Parish. Ask your specialist who pulls the permit.
Nearby service areas: Haughton and Benton. See every service area by parish.