Failing post-and-pier, rotted girders, sagging floors, and crawlspace moisture fixed with new concrete footings, steel posts, beams, and a vapor barrier. Common in Bellingham's older housing stock, and very fixable.
If a floor sags, bounces, or slopes toward one corner, the problem is almost always under it in the crawlspace. A lot of Bellingham's older homes sit on cedar post-and-pier supports that have rotted, sunk, or pulled loose, on girders that have soaked up decades of crawlspace moisture, or on piers that were never footed properly to begin with. We get under there, find what's failing, and replace it with new concrete footings, steel posts, and solid beams that sit on stable ground.
The moisture is half the fight. A damp crawlspace rots wood, and the rotted wood is what let the floor sag in the first place, so a real repair fixes both. We pour new pier footings, set steel posts and beams to bring the floor back to level, and lay a vapor barrier over the ground to stop the cycle. How far the rot has spread and how tight the crawlspace is to work in are what put a job in the $2,500 to $12,000 range.
What it actually costs.
Crawlspace & Structural Repair $2,500 to $12,000
Extent of rotOne bad post is cheaper than a whole rotted girder
AccessA low, tight crawlspace is slower to work in
Re-levelingBringing a sagged floor back to level adds labor
MoistureVapor barrier and drainage to stop it coming back
Our four-step process.
Crawlspace inspection
We get under the house, find the failing posts, piers, and girders, and figure out what's causing the sag and the moisture.
Written plan
You get a line-item quote that names what we're replacing, whether the floor needs re-leveling, and how we'll handle the moisture.
New footings, posts, and beams
We pour new concrete pier footings, set steel posts and solid beams, and carefully bring the floor back toward level.
Vapor barrier and moisture fix
We lay a vapor barrier over the ground and address the drainage so the wood stays dry and the repair lasts.
Why hire us for crawlspace and structural repair.
New concrete footings and steel posts, not another wood patch
Sagging floors brought back toward level
Rotted girders and beams replaced, not just propped
Vapor barrier and moisture fix so it doesn't rot again
Built for Bellingham's older post-and-pier housing stock
Frequently asked questions.
How much does crawlspace and structural repair cost in Bellingham?
Crawlspace and structural repair in Bellingham runs $2,500 to $12,000. Replacing one failed post is at the low end; new footings, steel posts, beams, re-leveling a sagged floor, and a moisture fix across a whole crawlspace is at the high end. How far the rot has spread and how tight the crawlspace is to work in drive the number.
Why is my floor sagging or bouncy?
In Bellingham's older homes it's almost always the crawlspace: rotted cedar posts, sunken piers, or a girder that's soaked up years of moisture. The wood loses strength, and the floor above it drops or flexes. The fix is new concrete footings and steel posts to carry the load, plus drying the crawlspace out so it doesn't happen again.
Should I repair post-and-pier or replace it with a poured foundation?
It depends on how much has failed. If the posts and piers are mostly sound, we replace the bad ones with new concrete footings and steel posts and fix the moisture, which is the cost-effective path. If the whole system is shot, a poured foundation or stem wall can make more sense. We tell you straight which one your home actually needs.
Ready for a free crawlspace and structural repair quote?
Tell us about your project, we'll call you back fast during business hours.
Crawlspace & Structural Repair across Whatcom County.
We do crawlspace and structural repair across Whatcom County, with the most work in the older neighborhoods like the Lettered Streets, Columbia, and South Hill, and the damp flats in Ferndale. Pick your area for local notes: