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Fixing Sagging Floor Joists: Step-by-Step Solutions

sagging floor joist repair

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sagging floor joist repair

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Sagging floor joists are common in many homes, especially older ones. When the floor starts to slant, creak, or crack, it doesn’t add to the charm of your home–it signals that it’s time for a foundation inspection with a professional to identify the problem.

Understanding how to identify, address, and prevent sagging floor joists is crucial for maintaining your home’s safety and integrity. Let’s explore the causes of sagging floor joists, the methods to repair them, and what a foundation repair specialist can do to help.

What Causes Floor Joists to Sag?

First, what is a floor joist? A floor joist is a horizontal beam that connects the foundation walls, beams, or other supports in a home. Over time, your home’s joists weaken due to natural occurrences such as extreme weather and wood-destroying pests like carpenter ants and termites Shifting soil underneath your foundation can also bring on sagging floors and the wood’s natural aging process.

Then there are the problems of living in the space–adding heavy furniture, appliances, or renovations without reinforcing the floor structure can overload the joists and cause sagging. Poor-quality construction, such as inadequate spacing, undersized joists, or substandard materials, can also be to blame. If you put any of these together, you’ve got a recipe for a dangerously uneven floor.

Learn how to identify, address, and prevent sagging floor joists. Discover the causes, repair methods, and when to call a foundation repair specialist for help.

How Can You Tell Your Floor Is Sagging?

Remember that since most floor joists are made of wood, they are subject to the same wear and tear as any other organic material. You can spot indicators yourself. Mushy or rotten wood signals your foundation is losing structural support. This issue is bad for your floor joists and can lead to pests and even more problems the longer it’s ignored.

Here are some other easy-to-spot symptoms of foundation issues:

  • Uneven or sloping floors
  • Creaking or squeaking noises when walking
  • Visible dips or sags in the floor
  • Cracks in walls or ceilings
  • Doors and windows that don’t open or close properly

Signs of Foundation Settlement

The smartest homeowners cut right to the chase and arrange for a home foundation inspection immediately at the first sign of sagging floor joists. Leveling floors is a job best left to the experts.

Methods to Repair Sagging Floor Joists

Foundation repair professionals use various methods to fix foundation cracks and sagging floors, depending on the severity of the sagging and the underlying cause of the damage.

The two common foundation types for homes in Texas are concrete slab and pier-and-beam foundations. A slab foundation is poured concrete with a framework of rebar or reinforcing steel. A pier-and-beam foundation uses a combination of vertical columns (known as piers) and horizontal beams to support a house.

If you have a basement or a crawl space, it’s very likely that your home has a pier and beam foundation. Since they offer easy access to the floor joists, pier and beam foundation repair can be completed without extensive excavation or disruption to your home and life.

  • Sistering Joists: New joists are added alongside existing ones, “sistering” them. This provides additional support by distributing the weight evenly. It’s a relatively simple job and can be cost-effective at $100 to $300 per joist.
  • Reinforcing with Steel Plates: Steel plates are bolted to the faulty joists to add strength and prevent further sagging. This is the in-between choice for house floor leveling, as it lasts longer than sistering joists. It does require precise installation and can be more expensive–generally priced between $200 to $600 per joist.
  • Installing Support Beams or Columns: New support beams or columns are placed under the sagging joists, lifting and supporting them. This is a great solution for severely sagging joists and can help when your issue is spread over a larger area. However, installing support beams is a substantially larger project and will entail a lot of labor and time to complete. This could cost a homeowner between $1000 and $3000 on average.

A trusted contractor’s professional assessment is critical before starting any work. Let an expert foundation repair team determine the specific needs and costs for your house floor leveling and joist restoration.

What Can You Do To Help Sagging Floor Joists?

Before you search for “foundation repair near me” or “house leveling near me,” you might find yourself searching for Do It Yourself options for repairing your floor joists. And while technically, you can do some of these fixes yourself, you’re always better off leaving it to the experts.

However, there are ways you can pitch in to help keep your budget on track:

  • Maintain good drainage around your foundation and home by making sure the yard slopes away from the foundation and promptly addressing leaks or seepage.
  • Along with drainage, ensure your ventilation in enclosed spaces such as basement and crawl spaces is sufficient to prevent moisture buildup.
  • Heavy furniture and unsupervised renovations can cause your floor joists to deteriorate, so be mindful of weight distribution when adding larger items to your home.
  • Don’t wait to fix minor issues and schedule a periodic foundation inspection (usually, once a year is fine.)

Ways to Protect Your Foundation

Finding the Right Foundation Repair Contractor

Finding the right foundation repair specialist to hire sounds overwhelming, but the easiest way to start is to ask around–your friends, coworkers, and neighbors likely have a recommendation or two for you that you can trust. Always make sure to read online reviews from a popular trust site, like Google Reviews and Yelp for insight from past customers.

From there, a few specific internet searches for “foundation inspection and repair near me,” “foundation specialists near me,” and “house leveling companies near me” should yield a few names to check out.

It’s essential to not just focus on the price of the job, either. While your budget is crucial, you don’t want to make a costly mistake that will only get more expensive as time goes on. Use the following tips when choosing the right home foundation repair experts.

  • Experience and Expertise: Look for companies with a proven track record in house leveling and foundation repair and who offer substantial warranties. Nearly all contractors will provide a free or discounted quote for you to compare to others in your region.
  • Reputation: Check review sites and local social media pages to see what their customers have to say. Don’t just read the best and worst reviews–make sure to read them all and see how the repair process went for them and how the contractor handled emerging problems.
  • Partnership: Your home and its foundation is one of the most important investments you’ll make in your lifetime. Make sure you feel comfortable and educated about your decisions by finding a foundation repair contractor who will take their time and treat you respectfully.

Unless your sagging floor is caused by a sudden accidental event, such as a burst pipe, fire, or natural disaster, like an earthquake or storm, your homeowner’s insurance will likely not cover the repair. Make sure to check your policy thoroughly to make informed decisions.

Quality Foundation Repair Can Help

When it comes to helping Austin homeowners, the expert team at Quality Foundation Repair is the #1 choice for a reason. With multiple 5-star ratings on Google and Yelp, we walk you through every step of the repair process to ensure you always feel informed.

Set up a free foundation repair estimate with one of our friendly and professional team members today to see how Quality Foundation Repair can save you time and money while bringing you peace of mind.

Written By
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Simon Wallace

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