How much does it cost to redo a pier and beam foundation per square foot? We will be discussing the cost to level a pier and beam house.
Home improvements and renovation cost a lot of money. The type of foundation repair determines the cost incurred. This article discusses pier and beam repair with the main focus being on costs.
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 interesting read as you’ll find helpful information that could be highly beneficial to your budgeting needs.
About Pier and Beam Foundations
Before getting into cost specifics, it’s important to provide a brief introduction to pier and beam foundation. This type of foundation consists 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 weight of the structure, they have to be adequately dug into the ground. Of course, stable sand is needed for construction work.
For pier and beam foundations, the type of soil it sits on matters. It must be stable enough to hold concrete footings supporting the foundation.
What does it cost to level a pier and beam house?
Fixing Pier and Beam Foundations
As a buildup towards discussing the cost of repair, it’s necessary to state that pier and beam foundations present multiple problems.
This isn’t to say there aren’t advantages. Rather, the downsides of having elevated foundations such as these are the costs factors associated with common issues.
Homes with pier and beam foundations typically have issues like moisture problems, wood rot, sagging floors, as well as a hideout for pests among other things. This is where repair becomes necessary.
With this 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
When it comes to fixing a pier and beam foundation, it’s important to first have a holistic view of foundation repair costs. 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.
At the minimum, you may incur repair costs starting from $600. Now the question you might ask is whether the costs mentioned also cover or apply to pier and beam foundations.
In response, we’d say there are typical repair costs ranges for particular types of foundation issues.
Repair costs for pier and beam foundations largely depend on the piers being used.
These types of foundations help suspend the building, thus creating a crawlspace beneath where basic repairs on the foundation, as well as 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. Having these replaced or added to a sagging pier and beam foundation will cost around $1,400 to $2,100.
Sagging is most common with pier and beam foundations whose piers are spaced out. This type of repair will require 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
Before repair is determined, there needs to be an assessment of your foundation. Such assessment takes a look at the condition of the foundation. Comprehensive inspections are best performed by structural engineers.
Upon suspecting that your pier and beam foundation are faulty, you’ll need to 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 cost of the inspection 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 out the best way or approach to adopt when 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, there are few exceptions, and such apply when the cause of the problem 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 gets insurance coverage.
Factors Determining Pier and Beam Foundation Repair Costs
When it comes to repairing, a lot of considerations need to be made.
Of vital importance are the basic influencing factors. As usual, the contractor considered for the job is important. 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 largely impact repair costs. There are usually price variations from one contractor to the next.
To get the best deal, you may have to ask for and compare multiple quotes from different contractors.
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Location
Where you live will have a cost-determining role in the sense that different locations have varying living costs.
Foundation repair jobs in large cities with typically higher living costs will attract higher repair fees than for smaller towns with low living costs.
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Degree or Type of Damage
The type or degree of damage is important to repair costs. Pier and beam foundations may require a minor or major fix. Either of these scenarios will attract appropriate fees.
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 cost to level a house on piers.
However, every job will be treated uniquely. So, expect prices to vary.
