Slab foundation repair in Monroe, Louisiana
Newer houses across Ouachita Parish are mostly built on concrete slabs. Here's how a slab that has dropped gets supported, and when it shouldn't be.
A slab-on-grade foundation is a concrete slab with thickened beams around the edges and under some interior walls, poured on the ground. In clay soil, the ground under the outside edge is the part that dries out in summer and soaks up water from the roof in winter, while the soil under the middle of the house stays more even. Over years, a corner or one side can sink compared with the rest.
What does a dropped slab look like from inside?
- Stair-step cracks in the brick near one corner of the house
- Cracked floor tile, or a crack in the concrete you can see when carpet is pulled
- Doors near one end of the house that rub at the top corner
- A widening gap between the brick and a window frame or the garage door trim
- A ball that rolls to the same side of a room every time
How is a settled slab repaired?
- Elevation map. The contractor takes readings across the floor and sketches the high and low areas.
- Cause check. Drainage, trees and possible plumbing leaks are looked at before anything is installed.
- Pier plan. Piers are laid out under the beam along the settled section, with interior piers only where the readings call for them.
- Install and lift. Piers go down to firmer bearing, then the slab is raised as far as it safely will and locked off.
- Backfill and cleanup. Holes are filled and compacted, and cracks are dealt with once the house has stopped moving.
What if the middle is high instead of the edges low?
That's heave, and it's common when water gets under a slab from a leaking pipe or poor drainage and the clay swells. Piering the edges won't fix it and can make the house more uneven. If the readings show a hump in the middle or near a bathroom or kitchen, ask whether a plumbing test makes sense before you pay for piers.
How level will it get?
Usually better, rarely perfect. A slab that has been out of level for years may not come all the way back without breaking tile or drywall. Ask what target the contractor is aiming for and what they expect to happen inside during the lift.
The contractor sets the price after taking readings and figuring out why the house is moving. We don't quote prices, and nobody can price a leveling or piering job honestly over the phone before they've been under or around the house.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Do they have to tear up my floors?
Usually not. Most slab piering is done from outside along the perimeter. Interior piers, when needed, mean cutting through the floor at those spots.
Should I get a plumbing test before slab repair?
If the readings show a high spot in the middle of the house or near plumbing, a pressure test can rule out a leak first. Ask the contractor whether they recommend one.
Related services
- House leveling (raised and pier-and-beam homes)
- Foundation piers (concrete, steel, helical)
- Foundation drainage and moisture control
- Foundation inspections and crack repair
More background: Monroe, Louisiana foundation guide.
Floors sloping, doors dragging, or brick cracking after a wet spring?
Call and a local foundation contractor will come take readings and tell you what's moving.