The sagging floor in your older home is likely a result of the supports below the floor of your home aging, settling, and likely racking up damage. You'll want to act on this structural issue before it gets worse, or even dangerous.
As mentioned above, it's common to find slanted floors in a house more than 15 years old due to the home's foundation shifting over time. However, the uneven floor may be an indicator of a larger, unseen problem with the house.
In some cases, a slight slope may be normal and not cause for concern. However, if the slope is severe or getting worse over time, it could be a sign of a serious problem that requires immediate attention. One potential risk of sloping floors is damage to the structural integrity of the home.
Foundation reinforcement is one avenue for fixing sloping floors. This can be accomplished without replacing much or any of the original foundational structure of the home but involves installing steel piers or other supports. It could also entail installing new foundation footers to support the floor structure.
Sloping Floors Caused by Foundation Settlement Issues
Over time, foundations sink into incompetent, non-load-bearing soil, causing the interior floor to slope or slant. This weak soil is referred to as expansive soil because it e x p a n d s when there is excess moisture and shrinks when the moisture dries out.
Uneven floors in a house are usually a sign of a foundation problem, but not always.
Underpinning: Lifting the foundation using resistance piers or helical piers is another possible repair solution. In this process, the piers are driven deep into the ground under the foundation to stabilize the home and then lifted hydraulically to level the foundation and even out any sloped floors.
What are the costs to fix sagging floors and subfloors? The typical costs for repairing sagging floors start at $1000 and can go up to $10,000, with the average rate being around $300 per square foot. But this can vary depending on the extent of the damage and materials needed to get the job done.
Does home insurance cover foundation movement or sagging floors? Foundation damage caused by shifting or settling earth or sagging floors caused by rotting floor joists are typically not covered by homeowners insurance. If the damage is caused by flooding or an earthquake, you'll typically require separate coverage.
While sagging floors are unsightly, they can be dangerous as well. A sagging floor means that it has lost support, and it may eventually collapse into lower levels of the home. The overall structure of your home could be at risk, therefore making repairs a priority is imperative.
Instead, hiring a flooring repair contractor may be the better option, especially when it comes to leveling floors in old houses. Homeowners can expect to pay between $2 and $30 per square foot of professional floor leveling, depending on the required approach.
The degree to which your floor slopes or sags indicates whether or not you have reason for concern. Typically, floors that slope 1-1/2 inches or less in 20 feet is not a problem. Floors that sag 2 inches or more in 20 feet, though, are a cause for concern.
The best flooring for uneven floors due to its attractiveness and durability is epoxy, which can also be designed to mimic a wide variety of appearances. Not only will epoxy finish out the floor, but it'll also even it out.
For homes where this is the case, the subfloors likely need to be replaced. According to Angi and HomeAdvisor, the cost to replace a subfloor ranges from $428 to $2,978, with a national average of $572.
Sagging floors are a sign of serious damage to the joists beneath your home and the structure of your home overall. Left untended, this can lead to injury, property loss, and disaster. Worse, insurance companies often will not pay for such losses or repairs if you ignored the issue once the early signs became visible.
In layman's terms, this means typical 2-by-10 floor joists, spanning 16 feet, can be expected to sag about one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch. Not much; however, as the span increases, so does the amount of deflection. In any case, the floor system can be repaired.
The average cost to repair a sagging floor can range from as little as $1,000 to as much as $10,000, depending on what's causing the problem. The only way to know for sure how much you'll have to spend is to get an inspection and a quote from a professional.
Reinforcing floor joists will likely cost between $100 to $300 per joist. This is done through a process called sistering, where a new joist is bolted in place next to an existing damaged one. Though it may sound expensive, it is significantly cheaper than replacing an entire floor.
Pick Your Self-Leveling Cement
Self-levelling cement is a good alternative for levelling without having to fix the entire structure of the floor. Using a self-leveling floor compound will help ensure that the concrete is completely flat before you lay the tiles. But make no mistake: it's not a one-solution-fits-all.
A full replacement costs $5,000 to $20,000. If you're only repairing individual joists, expect to pay $100 to $300 per joist.
Average Cost to Level the Floor in a House
On average, you are looking at about $3 – $5 per square foot.
Sloping on the Second Floor
This is usually caused by damage to the beams or joists holding up the second floor. This can also occur if the builder only used nails to fasten the joists to the studs. Other causes can include improper placement of supports, undersized beams, or termite or water damage to the wood.
The easiest way is to use a self-leveling compound, also called liquid floor underlayment or floor resurfacer, within sections of level-cut rails. The material flows out like thick syrup, then hardens into a smooth, perfectly level surface, sometimes in less than an hour.
If the subfloor is leveled, the laminate planks will not lay properly, causing uneven and unsightly floors. If the subfloor is not level, you can use a self-leveling compound to level it out.