Pier and beam foundation repair

How the system works

Concrete or masonry piers rest on the soil and hold up wood beams. Floor joists span between the beams, and a sill runs along the outer walls. When any part settles, rots or was undersized to begin with, the floor above shows it.

Common problems

• Settled or tilted piers in shrinking clay soil.
• Rotted sills, beams or joists from crawlspace moisture or plumbing leaks.
• Termite damage to wood framing.
• Too few supports, leaving beams spanning too far.

Signs include bouncy or sagging floors, doors out of square, and gaps at baseboards.

Typical repairs

• Re-shimming beams with steel shims to bring floors back toward level.
• Adding piers to shorten spans and support sagging areas.
• Replacing damaged wood, such as rotted sills, beams or joists.
• Fixing the moisture source: crawlspace ventilation, drainage and plumbing leaks, so the repair lasts.