Arlington, TX · Pier & Beam Foundation Repair
Pier and Beam Foundation Repair and House Leveling in Arlington
West and central Arlington have older houses on piers with a crawl space. Springy floors, a sag in the middle of a room or squeaks that keep getting worse usually mean loose shims, a failing beam or damp wood under the house.
01 — What this covers
The work itself
- Crawl space inspection with photographs
- House leveling by re-shimming and adjusting piers
- New piers and beams to shorten sagging spans
- Replacement of rotted or termite-damaged framing
- Moisture control: vents, vapor barrier and drainage
- Support for additions and enclosed porches over a crawl space
- Final elevations and a written summary
02 — Detail
A different kind of house, a different kind of repair
Not every Arlington house is on a slab. The older parts of the city have houses raised on piers, with a wood floor over a crawl space. The system is flexible by design: the beams sit on piers, the joists sit on the beams and the floor sits on the joists, so everything can be adjusted from underneath. That's an advantage when something sags, and a reason these houses need an occasional look underneath.
The repair work is done in the crawl space, usually at lower cost than a slab repair of similar scope, and it can often bring floors much closer to level than a slab can.
03 — Detail
Why the floors move
The soil is the first reason. Piers rest on footings in clay, and the footings can rise or settle with the seasons, changing the height of the beam above them. The shims between pier and beam are the second: old wood wedges compress, shrink or slip, and the floor above them drops.
Moisture is the third. A damp crawl space rots sills and joists and invites termites, and weakened wood sags under the load it carried for decades. Blocked vents, bare soil, a leaking pipe or a downspout draining toward the house are the usual causes.
Finally, age. Houses from the mid-twentieth century were built with smaller beams and wider pier spacing than today's rules would allow, and the loads have grown with heavier appliances and renovations.
04 — Detail
Leveling without cracking the house
Leveling means raising the low areas of the floor system and fixing them in place on new shims or adjusted piers. It's done in stages, a little at a time, with checks on walls, doors and pipes after each stage, so the structure above has time to follow.
Where a floor sags between supports, shimming isn't enough. A new pier and a short beam under the span is the remedy. Piers that have leaned or sunk are reset or replaced on a proper footing.
The goal isn't always perfect level. An older house that has settled over decades has adapted, and forcing it flat can crack plaster and bind doors. A good company explains the target and the reasoning.
05 — Detail
Wood and moisture
Much of what looks like a foundation problem in a pier and beam house is a wood problem. Replacing a rotted sill or a section of joist is routine, but only if it's found, which is why the inspection includes probing the wood.
A repair lasts longer if the moisture is dealt with: clearing vents blocked by landscaping, laying a vapor barrier over bare soil, regrading so water flows away and fixing leaks under the house.
06 — Detail
Additions and enclosed porches
Many older houses have a room added later, or a porch closed in, sitting on its own piers or even on a slab. The joint with the original house is a common place for cracks. The usual remedy is to support the addition on its own piers and treat the joint, instead of lifting the whole house to match.
07 — Detail
Questions to ask
How many supports will be added or adjusted? What are the shims made of? How much wood will be replaced? Does the price include closing the crawl space access? What readings will the floor have afterwards, and why? A company that does this work regularly will have answers ready.
08 — Detail
Keeping the repair working
After the work, a few habits protect it. Keep vents clear, keep the soil around the house sloping away, fix plumbing leaks promptly and have the crawl space looked at every few years. These small steps extend the life of the repair and the wood considerably.
How we work
Step by step
- 01
Free crawl space inspection with photographs and floor readings.
- 02
Written plan: supports to adjust or add, wood to replace and moisture fixes.
- 03
Leveling in stages, checking walls, doors and plumbing as it goes.
- 04
Wood repairs, new piers or beams, ventilation and barrier work.
- 05
Final readings and a written summary.
What it costs
Re-shimming and resetting piers usually costs less than a slab repair. Costs rise with the number of new supports, any wood replacement and how hard the crawl space is to work in.
Questions
Pier & Beam Foundation Repair — asked and answered
Why do my floors bounce?
A span between supports may be too long, or wood may have weakened. A new pier and beam under the span often fixes it.
Is it worth keeping a pier and beam house?
Yes. Repairing and maintaining the system is normal and usually far cheaper than the alternatives.
Can I check the crawl space myself?
A quick look from the access is fine. For anything more, leave it to the inspector, since wiring, pipes and animals can be hazards.
How often should the shims be checked?
A look every few years is a good habit, and any time the floors change.
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