So, you’ve just been told your home has interior foundation settlement. Ugh, that’s not exactly news anyone wants to hear. You’re probably picturing big holes in your floors and wondering, “Why is this happening, and why do I need interior piers of all things?”
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we’ve helped hundreds of Brazos Valley homeowners through this exact situation. We know the signs of interior settlement, how it progresses over time, and the most effective ways to fix it, or manage it if you’re not quite ready for repair.
This article will explain why interior piers are recommended for certain homes and explore five other options you can consider if you’re not quite on board. Whether you want to wait, try something less invasive, or just understand your choices, we’ve got you covered.
Why Do I Need Interior Foundation Piers?
Here’s the deal: when the middle of your home drops lower than the edges, that’s called interior settlement. Instead of your whole home gently sinking together like a polite sandwich, only the middle sinks down, causing uneven floors, interior wall cracks, or doors that don’t want to behave.
Another common situation is when both the perimeter and interior areas of the home have settled. In these cases, interior piers are necessary alongside perimeter piers to bring the entire home back to proper alignment. Doing one or the other wouldn’t solve the full problem. So, both are needed for the most comprehensive and stable repair.
The best and most permanent solution for these problems involving interior settlement is installing interior foundation piers.
Don’t be confused though. We don’t put these piers inside your living space. Rather, we put them under the middle of your house – that’s the interior we’re referring to. These piers are placed underneath the interior parts of your home to lift and support the settled middle areas from below. It’s how we correct that center dip and bring things back to level again.
What Are My Options Instead of Doing Interior Piering?
Interior foundation work can feel like a big deal, and for good reason. It’s more disruptive, usually involves flooring removal, and can be a bit scary if you’re not sure what to expect.
So you might be wondering, “Are there other ways to deal with this interior settlement issue that don’t involve piers under the middle of my home?”
We hear you. While interior piers are the most permanent fix, there are a few other routes you can take depending on your comfort level, timeline, and budget. Here are five options you can consider instead of (or before) committing to interior piers:
- Do Nothing
- Perimeter Piers Only
- Perimeter Piers Now, Interior Piers Later
- Polyjacking the Interior
- Another Foundation Repair Company that Tunnels and Uses Pressed Pilings
Let’s break each of these down, shall we?
1. Do Nothing
This is the simplest and lowest-cost option: leave things alone. Some homeowners choose to monitor their interior issues over time to see if they get worse. The home might stay stable as-is, especially if it’s already settled into its final position.
But there’s a tradeoff. If the interior continues to drop, you could see more cracks, tougher-to-close doors, and sloping floors that become harder to live with. Still, if the current symptoms aren’t bothering you much, and you’re not ready for repairs, it’s okay to wait and see.
For more in-depth evaluation of this route, check out What Happens If I Never Get My Foundation Repaired? 3 Possiblities.
2. Perimeter Piers Only
If you have both exterior and interior settlement, you could decide to only address the perimeter with foundation piers and skip the interior ones altogether.
We would call this a partial repair, and it can help stop the spread of damage around the outside of your home. But be warned: perimeter piers alone will not correct the issues inside, so cracks, dips, or door problems in the interior will still be there, or may even seem worse by comparison after lifting the outside.
This route can work if you’re more concerned about your exterior or are looking for a budget-friendly option that tackles part of the problem now.
3. Perimeter Piers Now, Interior Piers Later
This is kind of a “best of both worlds” middle-ground. If you’re feeling unsure about doing everything at once, or want to spread out the cost, it’s workable to repair the perimeter now and come back for the interior work later in some cases.
We’ve done this a few times for homeowners in the Brazos Valley. It allows you to protect the exterior structure while you wait to see if the interior issues worsen, or until you’re ready (financially or emotionally) to move forward with interior piers.
Waiting doesn’t make you a bad homeowner. It makes you a thoughtful and cautious one. You’re pacing yourself, and we respect that.
BTW, if swallowing the higher costs of repairs with interior work is a big concern, we do have financing to help you out.
4. Polyjacking The Interior
Polyjacking uses injected polyurethane foam to lift and stabilize areas of the slab that have settled. It’s less invasive and time-consuming than pier installation and doesn’t require tearing up floors, a big plus! The process can usually be done in a day and is pretty clean.
But here’s the downside: polyjacking is generally considered a temporary fix for interior foundation problems. The foam might compress over time or fail to address deeper soil issues. It can give your floors a boost for a while, but the results may not last forever.
If you’re looking for a short-term solution while you figure things out, polyjacking might work, but don’t expect it to be the final answer.
One thing we have done before is have a homeowner get perimeter piers through Anchor, and have the interior polyjacking through a company that provides that service. So there are kind of two options here: either do polyjacking alone or do a combo approach of poly on the inside and regular piers on the exterior.
5. Use a Repair Company That Tunnels and Uses Pressed Pilings
Some other foundation repair companies use a different approach: they tunnel underneath your home from the outside and install pressed concrete pilings instead of the drilled bell-bottom piers that we use.
Sounds appealing, right? No flooring removal, no mess inside – these are big pros. But here’s the thing, we don’t recommend this method for interior (or really any!) foundation repairs for several reasons:
- Pressed pilings aren’t as reliable in the long term as drilled piers.
- Tunneling can disturb the soil under your home and might compromise slab integrity.
- There’s less control and precision when lifting from below using tunneling.
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we’ve seen what can happen when these quick fixes don’t hold up (and we’ve got a pile of failed pilings to prove it). That’s why we avoid this method and recommend the more dependable, tried and true approach with belled piers, even if it means some inconvenience now for better results later. We also offer a lifetime transferable warranty because that’s how much we believe in our method.
But not everyone needs their foundation repairs to last forever. You might be selling soon, or perhaps this is a rental property. There are good reasons to go with a less expensive repair using pressed pilings if it works better for your situation.
Choosing to Move Forward With Interior Piers Or An Alternative
We know it’s a big decision, and honestly? We’re not here to twist your arm. Choosing whether to do interior piers is entirely up to you. Our goal is to give you the facts so you can make the best choice for your home and your life.
If you plan on living in your home long term, or if you’re about to do a big remodel (new floors, renovated kitchen, etc.), then interior piers are likely your best bet. You don’t want to invest in fancy new finishes only to have your house move around again underneath them. Installing piers now means peace of mind later, and no more worrying if things will keep shifting.
We’ve helped many Brazos Valley homeowners through this exact situation. Some go for the repair now, others wait, and a few try something temporary first. We’ll support you either way, but if you’re looking to fix the problem once and for all, interior piers are the way to do it.
Will My Home Be Okay If I Do Not Choose Interior Piers?
In most cases, yes, your home won’t fall down or become structurally unsafe just because you’re experiencing interior settlement. But here’s the thing: the problems you’re seeing now (cracks, stuck doors, sloped floors) can and probably will get worse if the issue isn’t addressed.
In other words, your home can withstand it for a while, but you might not be able to stand the condition of things.
That being said, it’s safe to wait a little longer and see what happens. Sometimes the home has reached a point of “settled” and may not move much more. You can monitor things and revisit the idea of repairs if or when the symptoms start to really get on your nerves, or when you’re ready.
We’ve seen all the scenarios play out and can help you understand what’s likely in your specific case. Whether you choose to wait, try polyjacking, or move forward with piers, we want you to feel confident and informed, not pressured.
More About Interior Piers vs. Perimeter + Interior Piers
Now you know why interior piers are needed. They’re the best way to correct interior foundation settlement when the middle of your home has sunk. You’ve also seen that there are five other options to consider: doing nothing, doing only the perimeter, doing perimeter now and interior later, polyjacking, or trying a different company that tunnels under the slab.
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we’ve repaired plenty of homes in the Brazos Valley with interior settlement and know what really works . . . and what doesn’t. Our goal is always to help you choose the best path for your home and situation.
Still deciding what to do next? We recommend checking out our article on Perimeter vs. Interior + Perimeter Foundation Repairs: Pros and Cons to dive deeper into that partial-repair middle-ground. When you’re ready, we’re here to talk, walk, and work it through with you.
