Floors can sag for several reasons that can range from footer failure, joist under sized, additional loads put upon the floor, joist failure, etc.
The remedy depends upon the cause however most fixes simply require pouring additional footings and insuring that the soil underneath can withstand the required weight.....typically 2000 pounds per square foot or better.
Most of the homes that I inspect (Im a licensed contractor and inspector) are often the result of poor interior footings, girders exceeding their span ratings and undersized joist.
Most of those fixes are fairly simple.......however it can get expensive when it is purely a soil problem and a need for caissons are required.
It is really hard to give a professional opinion as to what is going on with a floor without actually inspecting same. My suggestion is that unless you know what you are looking at it is best have same inspected by a professional......
what type of floor/sue-floor is there?
It depends what is causing the floor to sag.
Termites? Rot? Poor foundation? Built on quicksand?
Or?
[addsig]
Floors can sag for several reasons that can range from footer failure, joist under sized, additional loads put upon the floor, joist failure, etc.
The remedy depends upon the cause however most fixes simply require pouring additional footings and insuring that the soil underneath can withstand the required weight.....typically 2000 pounds per square foot or better.
Most of the homes that I inspect (Im a licensed contractor and inspector) are often the result of poor interior footings, girders exceeding their span ratings and undersized joist.
Most of those fixes are fairly simple.......however it can get expensive when it is purely a soil problem and a need for caissons are required.
It is really hard to give a professional opinion as to what is going on with a floor without actually inspecting same. My suggestion is that unless you know what you are looking at it is best have same inspected by a professional......
regards.
NC_Yank
[ Edited by NC_Yank on Date 04/06/2009 ]
Frame houses are much easier to fix this problem on than others.
I have used simple bottle jacks and re-posted many of these to level over the years (probably 50-100).
the key is to get down to bedrock or hardpan where you can sit a concrete pier on it or pour one and then put an upright under it.
If the houses are less than 10 years old then it is probably soils or uncompacted soils prior to pouring the foundation.
If the house is 30-40 or more years then it is probably normal settling and I have had no problem with those (unless then are brick).
These repairs are cheap and can be done by yourself or hired out pretty inexpensively..
[addsig]