You’ve been living with some pier and beam foundation issues for a bit. You’re wondering if it’s time to *bite the bullet* and go ahead and get repairs started now or not.
There are good reasons it makes sense to get your house leveled sooner rather than later, and it might not be what you think . . . Many companies out there attempt to scare you with statements like, “Do foundation repairs right away for safety reasons,” and “Don’t delay or XYZ bad thing will happen.”
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we take a *less-alarmist* approach to helping Brazos Valley homeowners with foundation solutions for both pier and beam homes and slab foundations too. After 35+ years in the business, we can share some practical and logical reasons for you to not wait on house leveling and none of them are meant to scare you into action.
This article covers 6 good reasons to level your pier and beam foundation now and why, so you can feel better about moving forward with needed repairs or deciding to wait. Let the goodness begin . . .
6 Reasons to Repair Your Pier and Beam Foundation Now
We have thought of 6 “no-nonsense” reasons that you really might want to take into account when deciding to get repairs on your pier and beam or block and base home. There’s not much else to say other than to list them out here:
- You Are About to Start Remodeling
- You Have Termites
- You Are Sick of Looking at or Dealing With The Problems
- You Feel Like You Are Going to Fall Through the Floor
- The Weather Is Favorable for Crawlspace Repairs
- Costs for Labor and Materials Are Always Rising
Now we will go into more detail on each one and discuss why it might be beneficial for you to get started.
1. You Are About to Start Remodeling
You are about to start a big renovation project where there will be new cabinets, plumbing fixtures, flooring, and paint. Your house also needs some foundation work or leveling. Always, always, always level your home first and as close in time to remodel as possible. We cannot say this enough.
If you just go for the pretty stuff in your home that everyone sees without fixing underlying foundation problems first, you are basically putting cosmetic improvements on a house in crooked condition. This is your classic, “putting lipstick on a pig” scenario.
If you decide to level your home later on after the reno, you risk damage to all the new finishes because they were put on when things were not properly aligned. To give your home makeover the best “foundation” to start with, it’s best to begin from the ground up with a level and stabilized home.
2. You Have Termites
If a live infestation of termites has been discovered at your pier and beam home, the situation may have been going on for a while. It usually takes time before a homeowner notices the rattling or bouncy floors and by then you surely have significantly damaged wood under your home.
After the termite issue has been dealt with by your favorite exterminator, it’s a good time to handle the foundation repairs by replacing degraded sill beams, floor joists, subfloor (or anything else that got chewed up) and verifying the overall stability of the home.
When a foundation repair company is working on your pier and beam home after a termite problem, they can also check for other opportunities for TLC and make sure nothing else is happening under there that needs attention. You might need some of your piers repaired or general shimming all around as well.
3. You Are Sick of Looking at or Dealing With The Problems
If the symptoms of foundation settlement in your pier and beam home are really bothering you, it’s a sure sign that it’s time to get them taken care of. Your foundation settlement has officially become a foundation problem.
Homeowners often feel anxious or annoyed when they can’t open their doors or get them to lock or latch right. You might feel embarrassed to have people over because of those big diagonal cracks in the walls. Did your floors rattle so much that a precious family heirloom on your bookcase got knocked over and broke?
When your home causes this much distress and anguish, it’s definitely time to handle your house leveling project. Your home is supposed to make you feel pride, happiness, and security as well as function properly with working parts.
4. You Feel Like You Are Literally Going to Fall Through the Floor
If you feel like the floor is going to give under your feet (or maybe it already has) well . . . this is a pretty clear sign that you need to do something. Don’t wait anymore if it’s gotten bad enough for floors to feel like they are going to break.
Many homeowners worry about the cost of repairing their pier and beam homes and put off getting work done. But honestly, please don’t wait until you fall through the floor. Sometimes, repairs can be simpler and less costly than you think.
Pier and beam foundation repairs can quickly make impactful improvements to your home’s condition without a lot of chaos. There are also several ways to handle foundation repair costs that you can look into if that is a concern for you.
5. The Weather Is Favorable for Crawlspace Repairs
If you know you need some house leveling work and we are about to come into a dry season, it’s a great time to get started. Otherwise, you might have to wait until it’s dry again and that could take some time with our *somewhat unpredictable* Texas climate.
There is an optimal time to work on pier and beam and block and base crawlspace types of foundations. It’s best to do this kind of project when the weather is dry. First, your repairs will be better if house leveling is performed during dry conditions. Second, doing foundation repairs when it’s dry prevents yard damage.
In our area of Central Texas and the Brazos Valley, June through October are typically good times for house leveling. At other times of the year, it’s hit or miss and you might have to wait for six months if you don’t get started when it’s expected to be dry.
6. Costs for Labor and Materials Are Always Rising
How often do you hear about the cost of anything going down? In general, we can usually count on the cost of materials like wood, dirt, and cement to go up over the years. The same rule applies to labor wages. This can be due to changes in supply and demand or regular inflationary increases over time.
When costs go up for foundation repair companies, costs go up for homeowners too. So sometimes now is the best time for repairs, because in a couple of years it could cost more, unfortunately. Not really a scare tactic, but just a fact of life that tends to be true at this time and for the foreseeable future.
Do I Have to Do House Leveling Right Away?
“But, do I HAVE to do it now??” I can hear you asking. Well if none of the 6 conditions above applies to you or concerns you, then there are also practical reasons to hold off on starting your house leveling project. Things like taking time to save up money or maybe you just moved in are good reasons to wait to begin pier and beam foundation repairs.
Since 1985, Anchor Foundation Repair has worked hard to educate and inform the Brazos Valley community about all considerations when it comes to making foundation repair decisions for their homes. We want you to feel comfortable moving forward, rather than being compelled by fear or a pushy salesman.
Now that you know 6 reasons to do your house leveling now, don’t ya wanna know about some reasons it’s okay to wait to get started? Sure you do . . . check out, “Pier and Beam Foundation Repair: 5 Times to Wait on House Leveling.”