Raised floors / Longview
Pier-and-Beam Foundation Repair in Longview
A floor that sags, bounces, or tilts over the open space below may need shimming, leveling, or new supports. Ask what was found underneath before agreeing to a plan.
Describe what you can see
Note it from inside; leave the space below to a professional.
Walk the house and note where floors dip, feel spongy, or creak more than they used to. Mark whether the change seems to follow a wet spell, since low Longview lots with a seasonal high water table can stay damp under a raised floor. That timeline helps a contractor plan the visit; it does not explain the cause.
Many older Longview homes, including some from before 1960, sit on piers and beams. Over decades, shims can compress, wood can soften where it stays wet, and piers can settle. Do not go under the house, pull insulation, or touch wiring or pipes. Share only what you can see safely from inside or at an access opening.
Pier-and-beam work ranges from adding shims to replacing a pier or a section of beam. Ask for an itemized list that says which supports are affected and why each one was chosen.
Read the scope
Know which supports the plan touches.
Shimming, leveling, and replacement are different jobs; each should be listed on its own.
Explain what was found below
Ask whether the findings point to settled piers, worn shims, soft wood, damp ground, or something else.
List each pier and beam involved
Have the estimate show which supports will be shimmed, leveled, or replaced, and where they are.
Ask about moisture under the floor
If the space stays wet, ask how that is noted and whether drainage is part of a separate discussion.
Separate any extra projects
Check whether subfloor, plumbing, or interior repairs fall outside this estimate.
Wet ground, raised floor
Track how the floor changes with the seasons.
A raised floor can feel different after weeks of rain than after a dry stretch. If you notice a shift, write the date and what changed so the contractor can weigh the sequence alongside what they find underneath.
Ask how the work fits the existing framing, access, and clearance below the house. A written scope should cover preparation, cleanup, any recheck, and what it leaves out. This page is general information; the contractor is responsible for assessing the property.
Pier-and-beam questions
Get a plan specific to your house.
Is shimming enough, or do supports need replacing?
That depends on what the contractor finds. Ask them to explain why each support gets a shim, an adjustment, or a replacement.
Should I go under the house to take photos?
No. Stay out of tight or unsafe spaces and describe only what you can see from a safe spot.
How should I describe a sagging floor?
Note the room, roughly where the dip is, when you first noticed it, and whether it seems worse after wet weather.
Longview, Gregg & Harrison counties
Describe the house as it is today.
Free · No obligation · Takes about a minute
A few taps cover the basics: what changed, how soon, where the house is, and how to reach you. One independent professional receives the request and may follow up.
We only make the introduction. Whether to book a visit or approve any work stays entirely your call.