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Pier & Beam Foundation Repair

Fix sagging floors, rotted posts, and failing beams under your home with licensed pier & beam foundation repair experts (Lic. #1092628) serving Southern California.

Licensed (Lic. #1092628), bonded, and fully insured crews you can trust around your home.

We work in tight crawl spaces every day to stabilize and re-level raised foundations.

Engineered piers and beams backed by a workmanship warranty.

Expert Pier & Beam Foundation Repair

If your floors sag, bounce, or slope, the problem is usually under your feet — in the piers, posts, and beams holding up your home. Raised foundations are common in older Los Angeles neighborhoods, and after decades of crawl-space moisture, termite activity, and settling, those supports rot, sink, or pull away, and the floor system follows. Hollywood Contractor Corp is a licensed general contractor (CSLB #1092628) working in LA-area crawl spaces every week. We get underneath, find the supports that have actually failed, and rebuild the system with new piers, treated posts, and sistered beams — then re-level the floors and control the moisture that caused the damage in the first place. It is one of our core foundation repair services.

Sagging wood floor with a gap at the baseboard from foundation settlement

Signs Your Pier & Beam Foundation Is Failing

Pier and beam problems show up inside the house long before you ever see the crawl space. If several of these sound familiar, it’s time for an inspection.

  • Sagging, bouncy, or sloping floors
  • Gaps between the floor and baseboards
  • Doors and windows that stick or won’t latch
  • A musty, damp smell from the crawl space
  • Visibly sagging or cracked beams and joists
  • Squeaky or shifting floors over time

What Causes Pier & Beam Problems in LA

Raised foundations fail for a handful of common reasons — most of them tied to moisture and soil. We always find and fix the cause, not just the symptom.

  • Moisture and wood rot in the crawl space
  • Poor drainage and standing water under the home
  • Undersized, settled, or missing piers
  • Expansive clay soil shifting the supports
  • Termite or pest damage to posts and beams
  • Age and decades of normal settling
Rotted and cracked wood support post with moisture damage in a crawl space
Crawlspace foundation pier inspection in Los Angeles

How We Repair Pier & Beam Foundations

We rebuild your home’s support system from the ground up — replacing what’s failed, reinforcing what’s weak, and bringing everything back to level.

  • New concrete piers — replace settled or missing supports
  • Steel post jacks — adjustable support for precise leveling
  • Beam & girder sistering — reinforce sagging beams
  • Joist repair — fix or replace damaged floor joists
  • Re-leveling & shimming — bring floors back to level
  • Vapor barrier — control crawl-space moisture

Pier & Beam Repair Methods Explained

The right fix depends on what has failed and why. Here are the proven pier and beam repairs we use in local homes.

  • Pier replacement — remove and replace settled or crumbling concrete piers.
  • Post & pad replacement — swap rotted wood posts for treated lumber or steel on new footings.
  • Beam & girder sistering — bolt new lumber alongside a sagging beam for added strength.
  • Floor joist repair — reinforce or replace cracked, sagging, or rotted joists.
  • Re-leveling & shimming — raise and shim the structure back to a level plane.
  • Crawl-space vapor barrier — seal out ground moisture that rots wood supports.

Our Pier & Beam Repair Process

A clear, predictable process means no surprises — just a crawl space that’s properly inspected, repaired, and leveled.

1

Crawl-Space Inspection

We get under your home to inspect every pier, post, beam, and joist.

2

Repair Plan & Quote

You get a clear explanation of what failed and a written, fixed-price plan.

3

Stabilize & Level

We replace and reinforce the supports and bring your floors back to level.

4

Final Check & Warranty

We verify everything is solid, clean up, and back the work with a warranty.

Why Homeowners Choose Hollywood Contractor Corp

When your floors are moving, you want a contractor who actually gets under the house, explains the fix in plain language, and makes it solid for good. Here’s what sets our pier and beam repairs apart.

  • Licensed, bonded & insured (Lic. #1092628)
  • Free, no-pressure crawl-space inspections
  • Transparent, fixed-price quotes
  • Root-cause repairs, not temporary props
  • Treated lumber and steel support systems
  • Local crews who know LA soil and codes
  • Hundreds of completed LA-area projects
  • Workmanship warranty on every job

How Much Does Pier & Beam Foundation Repair Cost?

Most pier and beam repairs in the Los Angeles area land between $2,000 and $20,000. The spread is wide because the price follows how much of the support system has actually failed — not the square footage of the house. Here is what the common scopes typically run.

Scope of work Typical LA range What it covers
Re-leveling & shimming $2,000 – $5,000 Adjusting and shimming existing supports to bring floors back toward level. No new structure.
Partial pier replacement $5,000 – $12,000 Replacing roughly 3–10 failed piers or rotted posts on new footings, plus re-leveling.
Beam & joist repair $8,000 – $18,000 Sistering or replacing sagging girders and damaged floor joists across a larger area.
Full support-system rebuild $15,000 – $35,000+ Most piers, posts, and beams replaced — typical on long-neglected or termite-damaged homes.
Drainage & vapor barrier $1,500 – $6,000 Added alongside structural work to stop the moisture that caused the rot in the first place.

Four things move the number most: how many supports have failed, crawl-space access (a 30-inch crawl is far cheaper to work in than an 18-inch one), whether moisture or termites damaged the wood, and whether drainage has to be corrected to stop it recurring. We inspect the crawl space free of charge and quote a fixed price before any work starts — no allowances that drift upward mid-project.

Do You Have a Pier & Beam or a Slab Foundation?

The repair is completely different, so it is worth knowing before you call anyone. In Los Angeles the rule of thumb is age: most homes built before about 1960 are raised pier and beam, and most built after are slab-on-grade.

You likely have pier & beam if…

  • There is a crawl space or vents around the base of the house
  • The floor sits noticeably above ground level, with steps up to the door
  • Floors feel slightly bouncy or springy when you walk
  • You can hear a hollow sound underfoot
  • The home was built before roughly 1960

You likely have a slab if…

  • The floor sits close to ground level with no crawl space
  • Floors feel solid and completely rigid underfoot
  • Cracks run across the floor rather than the floor sloping
  • Plumbing comes up through the floor, not the walls
  • The home was built after roughly 1960

If that sounds like your home, see slab foundation repair instead.

Repair Methods Compared

There is no single correct fix. The right method depends on what failed, why it failed, and how much of the structure it affected.

Method Best for Expected life Relative cost
Shimming & re-leveling Minor settling where the supports are still sound 5–15 years $
New concrete piers Piers that have sunk, cracked, or were undersized 40+ years $$
Steel post jacks Points needing precise, adjustable support 40+ years $$
Beam sistering Girders that sag but are not rotted through 30+ years $$
Full beam replacement Rot, termite damage, or splitting through the member 40+ years $$$
Vapor barrier & drainage Any crawl space with damp soil or standing water 20+ years $

Be wary of any contractor who quotes the same method for every house. Shimming a foundation whose posts have rotted through simply moves the problem a year or two down the road.

What to Expect During the Repair

Most pier and beam repairs take two to five days. Nearly all of the work happens beneath your floor, so in the majority of cases you can carry on living in the house throughout.

Stage Typical timing What happens
Inspection & quote Day 0 We survey the crawl space, measure floor elevations, and issue a written fixed price.
Set-up & access Day 1, morning Protective coverings go down and materials are staged. Expect crew access under the house.
Structural work Days 1–3 Failed piers, posts, and beams are replaced. You may hear jacking and hammering below.
Re-leveling Days 2–4 The structure is lifted in slow, controlled stages to avoid cracking finishes above.
Moisture control Day 4 Vapor barrier and any drainage corrections are installed.
Final check Final day Elevations re-measured, crawl space cleared, and the workmanship warranty issued.

One honest caveat: lifting a settled house can open hairline cracks in plaster, drywall, or tile above. We lift slowly and in stages to minimise it, and we tell you before we start where it is most likely to show.

How to Choose a Pier & Beam Contractor

Foundation work is largely invisible once it is finished, which unfortunately attracts operators who cut corners. A few things separate a proper repair from an expensive patch.

Good signs

  • They physically go into the crawl space before quoting
  • An active CSLB licence you can verify online
  • A written, itemised, fixed-price scope
  • They explain the cause, not just the fix
  • They address drainage and moisture too
  • A workmanship warranty in writing

Warning signs

  • A quote given without ever going underneath
  • Pressure to sign today for a discount
  • Large cash deposits up front
  • The same method proposed for every home
  • No licence number on the contract
  • Vague allowances instead of fixed pricing

Hollywood Contractor Corp holds CSLB licence #1092628. You can verify it directly with the California State License Board — we would encourage you to check any contractor you are considering.


Pier & Beam Foundation Repair FAQs

How much does pier and beam foundation repair cost?

It depends on how many supports need work and the condition of the crawl space. Minor re-leveling and shimming or a few new piers often runs about $2,000 to $7,000, while extensive repairs involving new beams, joists, and many piers can range from roughly $8,000 to $20,000 or more. We provide a free crawl-space inspection and a clear, written, fixed-price quote before any work begins.

What are the signs of pier and beam foundation problems?

The most common signs are sagging, bouncy, or sloping floors, gaps opening between the floor and baseboards, doors and windows that stick, squeaks, and a musty smell from the crawl space. These point to settled piers or rotted, sagging beams and joists that need attention.

Should I repair or replace my pier and beam foundation?

Most pier and beam foundations can be repaired rather than replaced. We replace only the piers, posts, beams, or joists that have actually failed and reinforce the rest, which is far less costly than a full replacement. We’ll tell you honestly if a more extensive rebuild is the better long-term value.

How long does pier and beam repair last?

When the failed supports are replaced and crawl-space moisture is controlled, pier and beam repairs last for decades. We use treated lumber and steel supports on solid footings and add a vapor barrier to protect the wood, all backed by a workmanship warranty.

Will pier and beam repair fix my sagging and sloping floors?

Yes. Re-leveling the supports lifts the floor system back toward level, which resolves most sagging, bouncing, and sloping. Doors and windows often work better afterward too. Some cosmetic cracks may need patching once the structure is stable.

How long does pier and beam repair take?

Most pier and beam repairs are completed in two to five days, depending on how much of the support system needs work and crawl-space access. We’ll give you an exact timeline with your quote.

Can I stay in my home during the repair?

Yes, in most cases. The work happens in the crawl space beneath the home, so you can usually stay throughout the project with minimal disruption.

Why is moisture such a problem for pier and beam foundations?

Raised foundations sit over open ground, and ground moisture rots wood posts and beams and corrodes hardware. That’s why we pair structural repairs with drainage fixes and a crawl-space vapor barrier to keep the new supports dry and sound.

What Our Customers Say

Don’t just take our word for it — here’s what homeowners say about working with Hollywood Contractor Corp.

Sagging Floors or a Settling Crawl Space?

Schedule a free, no-pressure crawl-space inspection. We’ll find what’s failing, explain your options in plain language, and give you a clear plan to make your floors solid again.

Call (818) 264-1955

Pier & Beam Foundation Repair Across Los Angeles County

Local crews, local permit knowledge. These communities have a dedicated page covering the work we do there.

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