Most houses built up until sometime in the early 60’s used a pier and beam structure. This means that the house sits on top of a network of beams. These can be nice to have because of their crawl spaces which might make some types of maintenance easier. If cracks begin to appear though, there is more to consider with pier and beam repair in than if the house was built on a slab.
Pier failure in pier and beam house foundations can cause extensive problems. One of the most common types of pier failure in a Pier and Beam house is when the pier is no longer under the beam. When a pier and beam home has a foundation problem, there is a process for repair detailed below.
Pier and Beam Repair Process
The process of pier and beam repair occurs in stages. Here is an overview of those different steps:
- First, the area is cleared of shrubs and plants
- Cover is laid down to protect the lawn
- Hydraulic jacks are then used to lift the interior to its desired level. This is a crucial step and requires a careful professional.
- After the house is lifted, the crew removes any other shimming and replaces it with permanent fillers.
- Beams are then added where needed.
- If necessary, blocks, steel piers, and interior pads are also added to further stabilize the structure
- After all of that, steel or concrete piers are added to replace the hydraulic jack
- Process completion and clean up
As you can see, the process of pier and beam repair is a multi-step process, each of which should be done by a professional. Noticing early warning signs should help you do early repairs, cheaply. Watch out for a sticking door, soft spots in the floor, unbalanced staircases, and cracked walls.