The Problem: A Home More Than Four Inches Out of Level

When a home settles over time, the effects often become noticeable inside the house. Sloping floors, sticking doors, cracks in drywall and uneven floor elevations can all be signs that portions of the foundation have moved.

For this Lafayette home, Ward Construction completed a floor level survey that showed the house was approximately 4.6 inches out of level. Based on those findings and the existing site conditions, a comprehensive foundation stabilization plan was developed to restore structural support beneath much of the home.

The Solution: Deep Foundation Underpinning

Working from engineered plans, Ward Construction constructed approximately 18 reinforced concrete piers, each 18 inches in diameter and extending 15 feet into the ground.

These deep piers were installed along the left, rear and right sides of the home and garage. Reinforced concrete haunches connected the new piers to the existing foundation, allowing the structural loads of the house to be transferred to more stable soils below the surface.

Lifting the Home

After the new underpinning system was completed, Ward Construction lifted the existing foundation from the newly installed piers.

The goal of the lifting process was not to make the house perfectly level, but to improve its overall elevation while avoiding unnecessary stress on the structure. The proposal anticipated bringing the home from approximately 4.6 inches out of level to within approximately 2.4 inches of level, a significant improvement while recognizing the limitations that often exist in older homes.

Replacing Aging Crawl Space Supports

As part of the structural improvements, the existing wood underpinning posts beneath the home were removed and replaced with adjustable steel jacks.

Adjustable steel support jacks provide durable structural support while allowing technicians to make precise adjustments during the leveling process. Replacing aging wood posts with steel supports also improves the long-term performance of the crawl space support system.

Protecting the New Foundation with Improved Drainage

Structural repairs are often most effective when combined with proper water management.

For this project, Ward Construction also proposed constructing a 26-foot foundation drainage system along the front of the home. The drainage system was designed to discharge into an existing drainage ditch located along the left side of the property, helping move water away from the repaired foundation and reduce future moisture around the home.

Using Floor Level Surveys to Guide Foundation Repairs

Every foundation repair begins with understanding how the home has moved.

For this Lafayette project, a detailed floor level survey documented variations in elevation throughout the house, providing valuable information for designing the repair strategy. The survey showed floor elevations ranging from approximately 0 inches to nearly -4.6 inches, helping identify where the greatest settlement had occurred and where structural improvements would provide the most benefit.