Sagging, sloping or bouncy floors in an older raised home? Get a free look under the house and a written price from a local crew. Most people get a call back the same day.
We connect property owners in Savannah and nearby areas, including Historic District, Victorian District, Thomas Square and Midtown, Ardsley Park, Isle of Hope and Thunderbolt, with one independent local foundation repair specialist.
What it costs
Typical published ranges for Savannah. The contractor's written estimate is the price, and the inspection is free.
Walk through Ardsley Park, the Victorian District or the streets near Thomas Square. You will see houses that sit a step or more above the ground. Many of them stand on a pier and beam foundation. Posts called piers hold up heavy wood beams. The beams hold the floor joists. Under it all is a crawl space.
This kind of foundation has held up Savannah houses for more than a hundred years. It is also easy to fix, because the crew can reach it all from below. When a floor starts to sag or slope, the fix is often simple. Find the weak support and replace it.
What we can help fix
Floors that slope toward one wall or the middle of the house.
Bouncy or soft floors, often in a hall, kitchen or bathroom.
Cracks in plaster or drywall over doors.
Doors that rub at the top or will not close.
Brick piers that lean, crack or crumble.
Rotted beams, joists or sills.
Old wood shims that have crushed or rotted.
A porch that pulled away from the house.
Why raised homes sag here
Age. The Victorian District was built mostly from 1870 to 1910. It was Savannah's first streetcar suburb. Ardsley Park was laid out starting in 1909. Every house in it is wood framed, says its U.S. historic record. The Thomas Square district lists foundations of wood, brick and concrete. Many of these homes now have a hundred years of wear on their supports.
Damp ground. The Chatham County plan says the county's soil drains poorly, and the water sits close to the top. In Ocilla soil, the water rises to 12 to 30 inches below the ground for months at a time, says USDA. Wet ground under a crawl space keeps the air damp and the wood wet.
Soft or filled ground. Part of Ardsley Park was built on a filled-in bog, says its historic record. The county plan also warns about homes on old fill near the marsh. Piers on soft or filled ground can sink more than piers on firm sand.
Old materials. Old brick and lime mortar are softer than new ones. Some of the oldest buildings on the Georgia coast also used tabby. Tabby is a mix of lime, sand, water, oyster shell and ash. It could be poured for foundations, says the New Georgia Encyclopedia. These old materials last a long time. But they need the right repair when they fail.
Changes over the years. Many older homes have had kitchens, baths and back porches added. Add-ons often sit on different footings from the first house. So cracks and slopes show up where the old and new parts meet.
How a crew fixes it
New supports
The crew sets new piers or steel posts on solid footings under beams that sag. Then they raise the beam in small steps. On older homes, going slowly protects plaster and trim.
Pier repair
Cracked or crumbling brick piers can be rebuilt. They can also be filled with new mortar that suits the old brick. Piers that cannot be saved can be replaced.
New shims
Rotted or crushed wood shims are swapped for steel shims or steel supports. Those will not rot.
Beam and joist repair
Rotted or cracked beams can be replaced in sections. Weak joists can get a new board bolted beside them, or be replaced. Sills, the boards that rest on the foundation walls, can be replaced where they rotted.
Damp and drainage
If damp is the root cause, the crew will look at drainage outside. They will also look at the damp under the house. See crawl space repair and drainage fixes.
Flood zone homes
Outside Savannah city limits, raised homes in flood zones must have flood vents under the floor. The county flood law also counts all permitted repairs over five years. If they reach half the home's value, the home must meet today's flood rules. A crew that knows the area will check your flood zone before a big job.
What a good inspection covers
Floor level readings in every room.
A look at every pier, beam, joist and sill under the house.
A probe of the wood for soft spots or rot.
A check for water, washed-out soil and damp air.
A look at porches and add-ons where they meet the house.
A written plan that shows what gets replaced or added, and where.
What moves the price
These are typical ranges from the Fixr cost guides, not a quote. The price depends on how many supports you need and how much wood is rotted. It also depends on how much room there is under the house to work. See the full cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a pier and beam foundation?
It is a raised foundation. Short posts called piers hold up wood beams. In older Savannah homes, the piers are often brick. The beams hold up the floor joists. There is a crawl space under the house.
Can an old pier and beam house be leveled?
Most of the time, yes. The crew adds or resets supports under the low beams. Then they raise them slowly. Very old houses may never be perfectly level. Forcing them can crack plaster. So a good crew aims for safe and solid, not perfect.
Why are my brick piers crumbling?
Old brick and lime mortar wear down after many years of damp ground and damp air. Water splashing on them speeds it up. So do floods and soil washing from around their base. Crumbling piers can be rebuilt, filled with new mortar, or replaced.
Are wood shims under my beams a problem?
Shims are thin wedges that fill the gap between a pier and a beam. Old wood shims can rot or crush in a damp crawl space. Then the beam drops. Many crews swap them for steel shims or steel supports you can adjust.
Will leveling my house crack the plaster?
It can. Older homes with plaster walls need slow, careful lifting. Ask the crew how much they plan to lift at once. Ask what patching is included.
Does a historic home need special approval for this work?
Work under the floor is harder to see from the street than outside work. But the city tells owners in historic districts to check with the Historic Preservation Office first. Your crew should know the steps.
Book your free inspection
A sagging floor most often gets worse slowly. Then it gets worse fast once a beam or pier gives way. Call (912) 771-1041 or send the short form. A local crew will call you back, most often the same day. You get a written price before any work starts.