Contact us anytime if you have any questions about foundation repair terms not listed below. Please check out our frequently asked questions about foundation repair.
Concrete Piers – There are different types of piers made of concrete including poured concrete piers and pressed piers.
Crawlspace – A space that is approximately 18’-24” high and located directly beneath a structure such as a pier and beam house. The crawlspace is an area that one can crawl under. It should be vented in order to keep it from becoming too damp.
Elevation – The height of different points of your foundation. The central point of an elevation is the level position. Anything higher or lower than that point would have a corresponding change in elevation.
Exterior Piers – Foundation piers installed around the perimeter of a slab foundation or pier and beam structure.
Foundation – The supporting layer of a structure. This part of your property comes in contact with the ground and everything resting on top of your foundation is supported by the soil beneath it.
Interior Pier – A foundation pier that is installed inside the structure, as opposed to being installed around its perimeter. The pier is positioned under a load bearing wall or under an interior beam support.
Pier And Beam – A type of construction that is generally used when building houses. Unlike homes built with concrete slabs, pier and beam structures are elevated and have a crawlspace beneath them. The crawlspace is usually 18-24” high and allows for easy access to the utilities beneath the house. Pier and beam houses almost always have wooden floors.
Settlement – When a structure’s foundation sinks down and “settles” further into the soil. This is also called “subsidence.” Poor soil compaction is one of the main reasons that a foundation will settle over a period of time.
Shims – Very thin (approx. ¼”) steel or wooden plates that are used to level a foundation. They are placed between a support and the foundation and are used to just slightly change the elevation of the foundation.
Slab Foundation – A foundation made of concrete that is approximately 3-4” thick (on a residential property) and reinforced with steel rebar or post tension cables. The slab’s perimeter beams are generally 12” X 24” and made of concrete, too. .
Underpinning – The process of strengthening the foundation of a house or structure. Foundation supports that are used to stabilize a structure and keep it in a level, vertical position. There are a vast number of underpinning systems, including pressed concrete piers and steel piers.
