Pier and Beam Foundation Repair

A pier and beam foundation elevates the building envelope above the ground surface through the strategic implementation of concrete piers and timber beams, thereby creating a sub-structural crawl space.

Pier and beam problems often involve rotting wood, sinking floors, bad drainage, and the house settling due to soil shifts or too much water.

Repairs involve replacing deteriorated wood components, installing pad and block support systems, constructing poured-in-place concrete piers, employing shims to level existing piers, and implementing solutions to improve site drainage.

Concrete piers can be installed by cutting holes in your floor, digging down beside the interior grade beams, and then pressing piers to refusal.

An alternative is to dig tunnels under your home and install the pilings from the tunnels. If tunnels are used to install interior pilings, you can stay in your home while the work is being done and your floors will not have holes cut in them!

The installation process is simple.

1. In each location where a pier is going to be installed, a hole is drilled down to the target depth, generally between 12 and 20 feet below the surface of your slab. Each hole is typically 12 inches in diameter. The holes go down the depth specified by the report.
2. Next, a set of reinforcing steel bars are tied together and lowered into the hole.
3. The concrete is allowed to cure or harden for 7 days.
4. When all of the piers are hardened, hydraulic jacks are placed on the piers and are then used to lift your foundation.
5. Once your foundation is lifted, steel and concrete spacers are placed on the piers to support your foundation, and the hydraulic jacks are removed.
6. The final step is to cover the piers and clean up.