Foundation types
Slab vs pier and beam: which one do you have, and how is each repaired?
Valley homes are built on one of two foundations. Knowing which one you have helps you understand what a repair will involve and roughly what it should cost.
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How can I tell if my house is on a slab or pier and beam?
Check the base of your outside walls. A house that sits directly on a concrete edge at ground level with no crawl space is on a slab. Skirting, foundation vents or a small access door near the ground, with a gap under the floor, mean pier and beam. Pier and beam floors also sound hollow and may bounce slightly.
Look at the base of your outside walls. If the house sits right on a concrete edge at ground level and there is no crawl space, it is a slab. If there is skirting, vents or an access door near the ground and you can see a gap under the floor, it is pier and beam. Pier and beam floors also tend to sound hollow and may bounce a little.
What is the difference between slab and pier and beam foundations?
A slab is concrete poured directly on the ground, common in newer Valley homes, and is repaired with pilings and lifting. Pier and beam holds the floor on wood beams over piers with a crawl space, common in older homes, and is repaired by re-shimming, replacing piers and fixing wood. Pier and beam work is usually quicker.
| Slab on grade | Pier and beam | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A concrete slab poured directly on the ground | The floor sits on wood beams resting on piers, with a crawl space |
| Common in the Valley | Most homes built in recent decades | Many older homes, especially near downtowns |
| Usual signs of trouble | Wall and brick cracks, cracked tile, sticking doors | Sloping or bouncy floors, soft spots, doors swinging |
| Usual repair | Pressed pilings or concrete piers, then lifting | Re-shimming, pier replacement, wood repair |
| Typical time | 1 to 3 days | 1 to 2 days |
| Plumbing access | Under the concrete, harder to reach | Easy to reach in the crawl space |
Which foundation handles Valley clay soil better?
Neither is immune to the Valley's expansive clay. Slabs are solid and low maintenance but crack when soil heaves unevenly. Pier and beam homes flex and are easier to adjust but need periodic re-leveling. For both, steady moisture around the house, gutters that carry water away and quick plumbing leak repairs give the best protection.
Neither is immune to the Valley's expansive clay. Slabs are solid and low maintenance but crack when the soil heaves unevenly. Pier and beam homes flex more easily and are simpler to adjust, but they need periodic re-leveling as shims compress and piers settle.
The best protection for either type is the same: steady moisture around the house, gutters and downspouts that move water away, and fixing plumbing leaks fast.
Common questions
Can a pier and beam house be converted to a slab?
It is technically possible but rarely worth the cost. Leveling and maintaining the existing pier and beam foundation is almost always the better choice.
Which is cheaper to repair?
Pier and beam leveling is usually less expensive, since the crew can reach everything from the crawl space. Slab repair needs piers driven under the concrete.
Is a slab with cracks always failing?
No. Hairline shrinkage cracks are normal in concrete. Cracks that widen, run diagonally from door corners or come with sticking doors are the ones to have inspected.
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