How is a pier and beam house leveled, and what does it cost?

How a pier and beam house sits on the ground

A pier and beam house has a raised wood floor. Short piers carry wood beams, the beams carry floor joists, and the joists carry the floor^[2]. In the older "block and base" version common in Texas, the floor is held above the ground on wood or concrete supports set on a wider precast concrete base, with an air space below for ventilation and access^[1].

HomeGuide notes this type of foundation is common in areas with expansive clay soil or flood risk^[2]. Because the supports sit close to the surface on many older homes, they move when the soil under them gets wetter or drier.

Why the floors go out of level

The Foundation Performance Association (FPA), a Houston group of engineers and repair contractors, lists these causes for block and base problems^[1]:

What you notice	Likely cause	Usual fix
A sag between supports	Blocks placed too far apart under the beams[1]	Add supports to shorten the span
One area dropped after wet weather	Poor drainage or water ponding under the house lets blocks settle or tilt[1]	Fix drainage, then re-level
A beam that dips and cracks	Wrong or undersized material overloaded and broke[1]	Replace or add a beam
Floors that move with the seasons	Seasonal moisture change in the soil[1]	Moisture control, then re-shim
Uneven support across the house	Base, blocks or shims set at the wrong depth or size[1]	Reset or enlarge bases

HomeGuide adds rot, termites, too much load from an addition, and plain age as common reasons for repair^[2]. A floor can also slope because it was framed that way, so one level reading does not prove movement. FPA recommends that buyers get a baseline elevation survey so later changes can be measured^[5].

How leveling works

The basic method is the same on most jobs. Hydraulic jacks lift the low beams, and shims of steel, concrete or other materials are placed under the beams or on the piers in small steps until the floor is level and supported^[2]. The repair often includes more than shims^[2]:

• Re-shimming and leveling: the lightest repair, used when supports are sound but have settled.
• Pier reinforcement or new piers: when blocks have tilted, cracked or sunk, or are too far apart.
• Beam replacement or sistering: when a beam is rotted, eaten by termites or cracked. Sistering means bolting a new member alongside the old one.
• Moisture management: gutters, grading and drainage so the soil under the house stays steady.
• Piering or underpinning: deeper supports when shallow bases keep moving.

Shims and blocks on a shallow base sit in the soil that swells and shrinks with the seasons, and FPA lists seasonal moisture change as a cause of block and base movement^[1]. So a re-shimmed floor can move again after a very wet or very dry year. Ask the contractor what the warranty covers if that happens.

How much is too much slope?

FPA's foundation guideline says floor slopes of 1% or more may be noticeable, which is about 1/8 inch per foot^[5]. A marble rolling across a room is not a measurement. A structural engineer or inspector with a level or laser can map the floor and tell you whether the slope is from movement, sagging framing or original construction.

What it costs

Repair	HomeGuide (Dec 2025)	Fixr (Jan 2026)
Overall pier and beam repair	$1,500 to $15,000[2]	$2,000 to $15,000[3]
Shimming and leveling	$1,500 to $10,000[2]	not separated
Pier reinforcement	$1,500 to $3,000 per pier[2]	not separated
Beam replacement	$1,500 to $4,000 per beam[2]	not separated
Moisture management	$3,000 to $8,000[2]	not separated
Piering or underpinning	$10,000 to $20,000 or more[2]	not separated
Engineer inspection and report	$150 to $1,000[2]	not listed

These are national ranges. Prices run higher where labor costs more, where the crawl space is tight or needs digging out to reach the piers, and where termite treatment is added^[2].

Permits

Some cities treat leveling as permitted foundation work. Houston is a clear example^[4]:

• Minor level and shim work, or minor beam replacement, uses a Residential Repair Per Spec list.
• Block and base repairs within the City's engineered limits use City engineer details for 4x8 or 4x6 beams plus a site-specific plan.
• Repairs beyond those limits need plans from a Texas-licensed engineer.

Rules differ by city. Ask your building department before work starts.

Questions to ask a contractor

1. What caused the floor to drop, and what will you do about the water or soil cause?
2. Will you shim, add piers, replace beams or a mix? How many of each?
3. What shim material will you use, and how is it fastened?
4. Will an engineer review the plan, and is a permit needed?
5. What does the warranty cover if the floor needs re-shimming?
6. How will you protect plumbing and other lines during the lift, and will a licensed plumber check them after?

When to call a pro

• Floors that slope enough to notice, with doors that stick or new wall cracks.
• Soft or springy spots, rot or termite damage in beams or joists.
• Standing water under the house or supports that look tilted or cracked.
• Before any lifting: get a structural engineer's evaluation, since jacking a house is not a DIY job.