Levelling a Home’s Foundation: What You Need to Know

For standard slab foundations, they should never be more than 1.5 inches out of level. Unfortunately, what “should be” and “what is” in terms of a house’s foundation are often very different. If you are having foundation issues that merits house leveling, you may be curious as to how the process works.

What is House Leveling?

As the soil around your foundation expands or contracts with the level of moisture, it may cause the heavy foundation that sits on top of it to sink or even rise. House leveling is very literal in its definition. It takes your foundation and helps it sit flush and level.

How is House Leveling Done?

While the definition of house leveling is simple, the process of doing so is not. Depending on your type of foundation and the severity of the foundation issue, it may be leveled in different ways. For slab foundations, a foundation contractor will likely recommend the installation of concrete or steel piers to help hold the foundation up when the soil is not stable enough. More minor foundation issues may merit a simple injection of a solution the creates a more steady surface called slabjacking or mudjacking.

For pier and beam foundations, they may also call for an installation of concrete or steel pilings under perimeter beams. In some issues, like for sagging floors, they may only need to install shims on current columns to help a settling house sit flush.

While a popular misconception is that your entire home will need to be lifted, often foundation repairs caught early can be done without something so dramatic. If you are having foundation problems and want to discuss house leveling solutions, contact us today to see what our professionals at Professional Foundation Repair can do to help you solve the problem before it gets too serious.