Pier and beam foundation repair in Plano

A pier-and-beam house is raised off the ground. Piers carry beams, the beams carry the floor joists, and there's a crawl space underneath. Because the floor framing is reachable from below, the repairs look different from slab work, and many of them are adjustments rather than new piers.

How to tell what you have

Vents or a small access door along the bottom of the exterior walls usually mean a crawl space. If the floor sits directly on concrete with no space below, it's a slab; see slab foundation repair instead.

Signs homeowners notice

• Floors that bounce, sag or slope toward the middle of a room
• Gaps under baseboards or between the floor and walls
• Doors that rub or swing on their own
• Damp or musty air coming up from the crawl space

Common repairs and published costs

These are national figures. Your price depends on how many piers or beams need work, how easy the crawl space is to get into, and whether the problem is the soil, the wood, or water under the house.

Questions worth asking

• Is the problem settling soil, failed piers, or rotted or undersized wood?
• If shims are added, what are they made of and how will they be secured?
• Is there standing water or high humidity in the crawl space, and what will be done about it?
• Will the work be permitted? Plano's permit sheet lists foundation repairs among the work that needs one. See Plano permits.

Shimming isn't always the end of it

Shims can bring a floor back to level, but if the soil keeps moving or water keeps collecting under the house, the floor can drift again. An independent engineer's report can tell you whether a cheaper adjustment is enough or whether the piers themselves need work.

Sources

• HomeGuide: Pier and beam foundation repair cost (December 19, 2025)
• City of Plano Building Inspections: When Is a Permit Required? (copy marked revised 09/28/16)

Last checked October 6, 2026. Prices, rules and phone numbers change, so confirm with the source before you act.