Expert: Bruce E. Johnson - 10/31/2008

Question
We have recently moved into an older home, 25-30 years. The floors on both the 1st and 2nd floor slope. From the 1st floor, it is more evident that there is a hump at the steel I-beam below. I have had a home inspector and a foundation company look at the house and they both feel that the settling is not recent nor is it severe enough to use steel peirs or jack the foundation up. They gave me estimates of how much it is off, ranging from 1/4" a full 1", I think it is definately in the middle somewhere. Which leaves us wondering what to do about the floors...One said to level the sub-floors, another mentioned something about possibly lowering the beam to allow the rest of the house to settle to the level of the rest of the house. Who would know how to do that? Any ideas on who to look to for yet another opinion?

Answer
Hi Sandy, you have a couple of options.  House movers, carpentry contractors or foundation contractors are probably where you should start first.  You never mentioned how the steel ibeam is held in place.  Is it sitting on masonry piers, steel posts or wood posts?  Are the posts visible or buried in walls or false columns?  Lowering the support posts for the beam may not lower the hump in the floor immediately. If the joists have been humped up for many years they may be bent into that shape and stay that way for a while unless their ends meet over the beam and pivot with the lowering of the beam.  Without seeing how the beam is supported I can't give you much more information than that.  I hope this information helps feel free to write again regarding this or other matters, sincerely bruce e johnson..bejohnsonconsulting.com