How much does it cost to redo a pier-and-beam foundation per square foot? We will discuss the cost of leveling a pier-and-beam house.
Home improvements and renovations cost a lot of money. The type of foundation repair determines the cost incurred. This article discusses pier and beam repair, focusing on costs.
The foundation is one of the most crucial things to consider while building a new home or fixing an old one. It offers the framework on which the entire building is supported.
Once it’s built to the standard level, you can count on your home to last for decades. Of course, that’s the desire of most aspiring homeowners.
After living in your house for many years, you might realize your floor is starting to buckle or sink. In some instances, this might result in erosion along the perimeter of your house.
These are all indicators of a weak foundation. In such an event, you must act immediately to avoid costly damage and repairs.
How much does it cost to fix a pier-and-beam foundation? The price depends on the foundation type. However, this article will examine pier-and-beam foundation repair costs.
If your foundation falls into this category, you’ll see how much you’re more likely to spend. We’ll also highlight some factors that affect the repair cost. Let’s keep moving.
Here is the average foundation pier repair cost.
Cost To Repair Pier And Beam Foundation: Leveling
One thing that’s most common with pier and beam foundation repair is the high cost involved.
Despite the steep costs involved, such renovation is worth the expense due to the many benefits derived.
So, if you have a pier-and-beam foundation, this article will be an exciting read. It contains helpful information that could be highly beneficial to your budgeting needs.
About Pier and Beam Foundations
Before discussing cost specifics, it’s important to introduce pier and beam foundations briefly. These foundations consist of columns designed to form the base of a structure.
You’ll mostly find these types of foundations in structures located around beaches.
Because pier and beam foundations bear the structure’s weight, they must be adequately dug into the ground. Of course, stable sand is needed for construction work.
The type of soil on which pier and beam foundations sit matters. It must be stable enough to support concrete footing.
What does it cost to level a pier and beam house?
What Causes the Pier and Beam Foundation to Have Issues?
All right, there are a few things to blame. Inadequate mitigation and control of water are two examples. Water collecting beneath the house or expanding the soil might result in poor soil conditions, a significant factor in foundation heaving or settling.
Destructive building methods are another aspect that can lead to issues with pier and beam foundations. According to experts, the historical understanding of soil and building techniques has significantly changed in the past century.
Lastly, if you reside in a region with frequent earthquakes, you might discover that your older home needs to be adequately modified for seismic activity.
Fixing Pier and Beam Foundations
As a buildup to discussing the repair cost, it’s necessary to state that pier-and-beam foundations present multiple problems.
This isn’t to say there aren’t advantages. Instead, the downsides of having elevated foundations are the cost factors associated with everyday issues.
Homes with pier-and-beam foundations typically have issues such as moisture problems, wood rot, sagging floors, and pest hideouts, which require repair.
With this is it said, what does it take (in terms of cost) to fix a pier and beam foundation?
This takes us to our next point.
Foundation Repair Cost Per Pier
First, it’s crucial to have a holistic view of foundation repair costs when fixing a pier-and-beam foundation. Looking at the broader costs for all types of foundations, the average cost for fixing common issues is around $4,511.
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Average Cost of Pier and Beam Foundation Repair
Typically, such a project will cost anywhere from $2,300 to $7,000.
You incur repair costs starting from $$600 at minimum. Now, you might ask whether the costs mentioned also cover or apply to pier and beam foundations.
In response, we’d say there are typical repair cost ranges for particular types of foundation issues.
Repair costs for pier and beam foundations largely depend on the used piers.
These types of foundations help suspend the building, thus creating a crawlspace beneath where basic foundation repairs, plumbing, and wiring can be made.
The crawlspace allows for basic fixes, which might cost around $950 to $1,600.
Among the most common types of piers is the helical variant. Such piers are steel shafts that may have square or round helix plates.
They’re also called screwpiles, anchors, or piles. Replacing or adding these to a sagging pier and beam foundation will cost around $1,400 to $2,100.
Sagging is most familiar with pier-and-beam foundations whose piers are spaced out. This type of repair requires adding more piers to fix and prevent further sagging.
Another common issue with pier and beam foundations is soil shift. When this happens, it affects the structure.
Pier and Beam Foundation Inspection Costs
Your foundation needs to be assessed before repair is determined. Such an assessment examines the foundation’s condition. Structural engineers perform comprehensive inspections best.
Upon suspecting that your pier and beam foundation are faulty, you must contact such professionals.
Getting a structural engineer’s report on your foundation will cost anywhere from $200 to $400. This is one of the best ways to go about the process because the structural engineer isn’t selling but his expertise.
He only identifies the problem and offers recommendations on what’s needed.
This is usually the first approach before calling a contractor to fix the problem. Sometimes, homeowners establish contact with a contractor without seeking the expert opinion of a structural engineer.
When this approach is taken, the inspection cost is still added to the total cost of repairs.
Is Pier and Beam Foundation Repair Covered by Insurance?
For most homeowners, a lot goes into finding the best approach to fixing foundation issues.
One of the most commonly asked questions is whether repairs are covered by insurance. Such isn’t applicable in most cases. In other words, pier and beam foundation repairs (or any other) are hardly covered by insurance.
So, you’ll have to spend out of pocket to have your foundation fixed. However, few exceptions apply when the problem’s cause is traced to a plumbing malfunction.
Your pier and beam foundation repair problems may differ from those of others. So, you may have to ask the pros to help determine whether your particular issue is covered.
Factors Determining Pier and Beam Foundation Repair Costs
When it comes to repairing, many considerations need to be made.
The primary influencing factors are vital. As usual, the contractor considered for the job is essential. The location also plays a role in determining cost.
So also does the degree of damage.
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Contractor Hired
Who gets hired for a pier and beam foundation repair will broadly impact repair costs. There are usually price variations from one contractor to the next.
You may have to ask for and compare multiple quotes from different contractors to get the best deal.
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Location
Where you live will have a cost-determining role because different locations have varying living costs.
Foundation repair jobs in large cities with typically higher living costs will attract higher repair fees than in smaller towns with low living costs.
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Degree or Type of Damage
The type or degree of damage is essential to repair costs. Pier and beam foundations may require a minor or significant fix. Either of these scenarios will attract appropriate fees.
Conclusion
Maintaining the integrity of any form of foundation requires a lot of capital.
But when it’s pier and beam, the price goes up. As the image above shows, repairing the integrity and stability of your structure’s base will cost thousands of dollars.
However, consider all of these factors before making any financial plans. Have a small amount of extra cash on hand.
That’s as far as we’d go on pier and beam foundation repair costs. Here, you have a fair idea of what to expect in terms of how much it costs to level a house on piers.
However, every job will be treated uniquely. So, expect prices to vary.