Pier Replacement - How to Fix Pier and Beam Foundation Problems

Piers are built into the ground beneath homes to provide support for the floor, bearers, joists and other parts of the home. They are an important part of a foundation system that many Sydney homeowners depend on.

Often, piers get worn down from years of use and are no longer as effective at supporting the home as they once were. This can happen for a number of reasons such as salt-affected piers, settling foundations or poor quality bricks used in the construction.

If you are experiencing a problem with your piers, it is best to seek help from an expert in pier replacement Sydney and beam foundation repair as soon as possible so that you can prevent larger issues from developing. Once you have repaired your piers, any wall cracks will be fixed and there is less chance of them occurring again in the future.

Shimming and Re-Shimming

Re-Shimming is a common repair remedy for pier and beam foundations that can prevent larger issues from happening in the future. This process involves refilling gaps between the sill and settled piers of your foundation through the use of small pieces of wood that are wedged and pounded in. This is a recommended maintenance task that should be carried out on a regular basis.

Floor Piers Sink

If your floors are sinking, there is a good chance that your piers have started to sink as well. This is due to the fact that the ground around your piers has destabilised, usually from leaking pipes or poor nearby storm water drainage and vibrations from surrounding main roads, railway lines or airports.

This is a big problem as the floorboards may start to fall off the joists which will cause your floors to become unlevel and potentially unstable. This can be a serious problem as it will not only affect the look of your floors but can also cause major damage to your foundations and walls.

Raising your floors

The cheapest and most common way to solve your sloping or sinking floors is to simply raise them with hydraulic jacks and wedges. However, this can be a short-term solution as it will only cause the piers to subside again in the long run.

Another method is to use Geopoly(tm) which is an injection solution that will stabilise and lift your floors without the need for jacking. The procedure is non-disruptive and only requires a small drill hole for access. This will only take a few days or weeks and should not have any negative impact on your life as you can continue living in your home during this time.

Repairing Cracks in Walls

Pier and beam houses are known to be susceptible to cracks in the plaster due to movement in the foundations. These cracks can be quite painful to live with but they are not only unsightly, they can also lead to a deterioration of the structural integrity of your home.

Pier and beam foundations can be a tricky fix for contractors to work on because there are so many components that need to be taken into account when working on the structure. These include the piers, sills, joists, bearers and the concrete pad that holds them in place. The amount of work that is required can be considerable and depending on how easy it is to get to the problem area, can be a very extensive and expensive project.

Precise Restumping & Underpinning successfully maintains a reputation for delivering quality, reliable and sound services to clients all over New South Wales, with a licensed builder that personally oversee all works.