At iFixBasements, I trace uneven, sloping or sagging floors to one of three things: a section of the foundation settling, failed or undersized floor framing or support columns, or crawl space moisture rotting the wood that holds the floor up.
I personally inspect and design the fix; a licensed & insured certified dealer crew installs it. The estimate is free, and no-money-down financing is available.
If you’ve started rolling a marble across the kitchen just to see what it does, I get it. None of this means your house is falling down. It means something under the floor is moving or giving way, and it’s worth finding out which.
Signs it’s structural vs. cosmetic
Some of this is cosmetic. Some of it means the house is moving. I need to see it in person to know for sure, but this is how I think about it.
Usually cosmetic (but worth watching)
- A slight, even pitch in a very old house that has never changed
Usually structural — call me
- A floor that slopes toward one side of the house, has a noticeable dip, or feels bouncy
- Doors and windows that stick or won’t latch like they used to
- Gaps opening at the trim, where walls meet the ceiling, or around window frames
- Stair-step or horizontal cracks in a block foundation wall, or cracks that are growing wider
- Damp, musty air from the crawl space, along with a floor that feels soft above it
If you’re not sure which list you’re on, that’s a normal thing to be unsure about. That’s what the inspection is for.
Common causes
Settlement under the foundation. Soil compresses or washes out under part of the foundation, and that section drops. It often shows up as diagonal or stair-step cracking, and as sloping floors upstairs.
Failing or undersized floor framing and support columns. Older homes especially were sometimes built with columns that were adequate then but are overloaded now, or that have started to lean, rust or settle themselves, letting the main beam and the floor above it sag.
Crawl space moisture rotting what holds the floor up. A damp, vented crawl space feeds mold and rot. Over time the joists, beams and supports that carry the floor can weaken, and the floor goes soft or dips.
How I figure it out
I come out and look at it myself. I go through the house to see where the floor is actually high and low and how the doors and cracks line up. Then I get down into the basement or crawl space and check the foundation, the beam, the columns and the framing, and I look for moisture.
I’m a Certified Structural Inspector (Supportworks, Inc.) and a Certified Basement & Crawlspace Inspector (Basement Systems, Inc.), so when I tell you what’s happening under your house, it’s backed by training, not a guess. I’ll tell you plainly if it’s not a real problem.
Then we build the plan together. I price each piece so you can see exactly what goes into it, and you decide what gets done — including anything you’d rather do yourself or hand to another contractor you trust.
What the fix usually involves
It depends on what I find. I personally inspect and design the fix, then a licensed & insured certified dealer crew installs it. Depending on the cause, the design might include:
- Steel push piers or helical piers — driven down to load-bearing soil or bedrock to stabilize and, where possible, lift a settling foundation
- Adjustable steel support columns — replacing or supplementing undersized or failing columns so the main beam is properly supported
- Crawl space moisture control — when damp is what’s weakening the framing, drainage, a sealed vapor barrier and dehumidification so the problem doesn’t come back
Each is a different tool for a different problem. Choosing the right one is my part. How far a floor can come back to level depends on your house, and I’ll walk through what’s realistic at the inspection.
Questions I get asked
Are sloping floors always a foundation problem?
No. Sometimes it’s framing, a column, or old moisture damage, and sometimes it’s just an old house that has always had a pitch. That’s why I look before I say.
Can a sloping floor be leveled?
Sometimes, and sometimes the goal is to stop the movement and support the structure. It depends on the cause. I’ll tell you what’s realistic for your floor at the inspection.
How much does it cost to fix uneven floors?
It depends on the cause, how much of the house is affected, access, and which system the fix needs. I don’t quote a number until I’ve seen it in person. The estimate is free.
Is it safe to stay in the house?
Most of the time, yes. I’d rather look than have you wonder. If I see something that can’t wait, I’ll tell you that plainly. Otherwise I’ll tell you what I’d do and in what order.