Sagging floor in ranch?? (Plainview: how much, hotel, houses)

[mambwe]

I'm looking at a ranch in Plainview and the floor dips from the dining room into the living room. I know this is somewhat common for these houses, but it bothers me. Does anyone have this? Have you fixed it? Can it be fixed? How expensive would this be?

This is a house we really want to buy, but I want to make sure it is sound. The house was built in 1950's.

[sickofnyc99]

I have the same problem but in a different area. If you or someone you know is handy it's not a hard fix to support them. If its falling through the floor you're worried about you can support your beams by sistering them. Sandwiching the existing beams with one more on either side in the affected areas. Or you can build a supporting wall in the basement running perpendicular to the beams. I did both. Haven't had a problem. It hasn't taken the sag out of the floor but I know I'm not going anywhere

[totallyfrazzled]

I'm assuming the house has either a basement underneath, or a crawlspace (it's not on a slab)?

If you make an offer on the house it should be contingent on a satisfactory inspection report. A good inspector will thoroughly investigate the situation and include a rough estimate for repair costs. Depending on what the inspection reveals as the cause/cure, you may well be able to negotiate with the seller for a reduction in price to cover the remedying of the floor situation if there is any possibility of it worsening if uncorrected.

It can be as simple as adding some extra support (as sickofny99 says), which is easy to do if you have a basement or a 4' high crawlspace under there. If it's a pier-and-beam crawlspace it becomes a little trickier especially if there is no easy access; but it can still be done. I had to have it done under one room of a circa-1960 house I once owned; called in a foundation expert/engineer. My options were springs (about $8000) or reinforcing the piers with extra concrete ($2000).

[sickofnyc99]

Good post fraz, I assumed they had a basement.

[Chroy]

About how much does it cost to have a foundation expert/engineer assess sagging floors? I have beams in a 1st floor bathroom that are water damaged, It looks as if the joists are crushed between the sill and base plate. (we have a basement)

[totallyfrazzled]

Originally Posted by Chroy

About how much does it cost to have a foundation expert/engineer assess sagging floors? I have beams in a 1st floor bathroom that are water damaged, It looks as if the joists are crushed between the sill and base plate. (we have a basement)

IIRC his fee was around $450; that was six years ago though.

[Chroy]

Oh I see, its probably much more now

[totallyfrazzled]

Maybe not that much more; my home inspector was charging $600 at that time, and is still charging the same fee now (I referred a friend to him recently and that was what my friend paid). So the foundation guy's fee may only have gone up to $500 or $525, if at all.

[Elke Mariotti]

Originally Posted by totallyfrazzled

Maybe not that much more; my home inspector was charging $600 at that time, and is still charging the same fee now (I referred a friend to him recently and that was what my friend paid). So the foundation guy's fee may only have gone up to $500 or $525, if at all.

All building supplies have risen substantially since then, though, so while the labor costs may not increase that much, material costs might have a bigger impact.
Just something to think about...

[michael11747]

it would be better if you could get in the crawl and take some pics, but generally, you will need a jack to raise the floor in a few different spots at the same time (get some buddies, or do it yourself with a lot of crawling around). you have to raise it the same amount at the same time. check the level, support with a footing.

i have seen people leave the jacks in place, and one famous example, the lake hotel in yellowstone national park actually has 20 of these jacks supporting the joists. they go in and alter them slightly after each minnie earthquake which happens every day.

take some pics, post em, and we can advise you more in depth.