Foundation Piers

[Archivist]

We're looking at purchasing a home that currently has 4 foundation piers at a corner of the house. We're not familiar with this problem since we're from another part of the country (we had basements). An inspection says the house needs more piers. Would you buy such a house? Thanks!

[Conan71]

We're looking at purchasing a home that currently has 4 foundation piers at a corner of the house. We're not familiar with this problem since we're from another part of the country (we had basements). An inspection says the house needs more piers. Would you buy such a house? Thanks!

Once the foundation has been stabilized with the piers it should be fine but it's no guarantee against future shifting.  That is not an uncommon problem with Tulsa's soil and climate.

[AquaMan]

Depends on where your house is whether its foundation or poured slab and its subsoil. Be skeptical. Piers are like termites. Every home in Tulsa has termites in one stage or another, some worse than others. Throw a piece of wood out on the ground in the fall and when you pick it up in the spring there will be termites.

Most homes suffer from the freeze/thaw, swelling/shrinkage of hot summers and wet seasons. Doesn't mean they can't tolerate it. Piers are expensive and often unnecessary.

[TheArtist]

Depends on where your house is whether its foundation or poured slab and its subsoil. Be skeptical. Piers are like termites. Every home in Tulsa has termites in one stage or another, some worse than others. Throw a piece of wood out on the ground in the fall and when you pick it up in the spring there will be termites.

Most homes suffer from the freeze/thaw, swelling/shrinkage of hot summers and wet seasons. Doesn't mean they can't tolerate it. Piers are expensive and often unnecessary.

I needed piers on my house and many of my neighbors have had to have them as well.  

I suppose my house could "tolerate" the shrinking and swelling, but there was just something about that crack on the side of the house in the brickwork that was large enough to put your entire hand in that, well, just didn't look very appealing.  Guess I am just vain.  

My house still needs a few more on the other side but the first $10,000 round of piers took care of the main problems.  After this experience, I would rather have a house that did have piers than did not lol. Once they are in it's a minimal expense to have things adjusted in the future if it's found necessary.  It's been about a full season now since I had mine installed and the cracks in the interior sheetrock that used to open and close depending on the season, haven't budged the tiniest bit.  So far so good.

[DolfanBob]

Make sure the house has proper guttering. It helps, I found out the hard way after moving in a house that didn't have it.

[AquaMan]

Artist, its not vanity if you have a crack that large. Most homes that have problems that bad have already done something unless it was rental property. You know what you're getting into. Slabs out east of Yale (former mining areas or shale subsoil) and slabs built on hillsides are candidates. Post stress tension homes are the best ones. Foundation homes tend to cause less problems or just cosmetic ones. In my 100yr old foundation home I have a couple areas where I get hairline cracks that sometimes appear. They can be cured with fiberglass tape and mud. Draining off water is important for lots of reasons.

My advice is to get several opinions and don't assume that all homes around here need them.

[heironymouspasparagus]

We're looking at purchasing a home that currently has 4 foundation piers at a corner of the house. We're not familiar with this problem since we're from another part of the country (we had basements). An inspection says the house needs more piers. Would you buy such a house? Thanks!

Any remaining gaps/cracks?  If so, how big?  If only 1/2" or so, may not be a big deal.  That's the whole problem - my house is built on the east Tulsa clay banks and had no cracks for 37 years.  Last summer, got on....several - the back of the house is separating from the rest of it by about 1/4".  Shows in sheet rock.

I have had quotes of $500 to 650 per pier, but given the experience of friends with one place (Olshan) that is the bait and switch price - there will be other "issues" found when they get into it.  I am strongly considering getting out the shovel and doing some digging, jacking and some concrete work myself.  Casually on the weekends.... a little bit at at time.

[DolfanBob]

5 to 650 a pier. You better jump all over that. Company I had come out wanted 21 Hundred a pier and said that my house would need a minimum of 6. And that was 1988 Dollars.
I went with guttering and put soaker hoses around the foundation during hot summer months. It worked like a charm.

[cynical]

On the advice of a very well-established and reputable structural engineer, I had my house piered last spring. The per-pier cost came to $600 per pier. That was for 27 of them. Ouch.

5 to 650 a pier. You better jump all over that. Company I had come out wanted 21 Hundred a pier and said that my house would need a minimum of 6. And that was 1988 Dollars.
I went with guttering and put soaker hoses around the foundation during hot summer months. It worked like a charm.

[patric]

I went with guttering and put soaker hoses around the foundation during hot summer months. It worked like a charm.

Im confused by this.  Watering the foundation I understand, but arent you doing the opposite with guttering?

[Conan71]

Im confused by this.  Watering the foundation I understand, but arent you doing the opposite with guttering?

You need a certain amount of moisture to prevent shifting in clay soils, too much water and you will get hydraulic movement issues.  That's why french drains are pretty popular in this area along with piers.

[guido911]

I played it safe and had my house built on an Indian burial site.

[Townsend]

I played it safe and had my house built on an Indian burial site.

[patric]

OK, Im sold on the french drains...