New Addition to Home Fixed! Savannah, GA

Wednesday, December 6th, 2017 by Michael Connolly

Challenge

Chester E. of Savannah, GA called Lowcountry Foundation Repair with a problem. The new addition to his 87-year-old home had started to settle. Chester’s addition was built on a crawl space and the joists under his subfloor began to sag from the load above.

The home was tilting, he said. Doors were no longer even and a crack appeared under the front door. Chester also commented that tiles in his bathroom were “popping up”.

Solution

Jason, one of our foundation repair inspectors, went to Chester’s home. He interviewed Chester and examined the areas of concern inside the home: then, Jason went into the crawl space. After taking pictures and documenting the sagging joists, Jason determined that there weren’t enough support pillars in the crawl space. Jason recommended installing additional structural supports under the new addition to give proper support.

To accomplish his goal, Jason recommended installing a SmartJack System comprised of 13 SmartJacks and eight PowerBrace beams.

SmartJacks are galvanized steel beams that support joists and beams in crawl spaces. They provide immediate support and stabilize foundations. They are also custom to each location recommended by our inspectors. Each SmartJack is capable of supporting 60,000 lbs of pressure.

PowerBrace beams are zinc-plated steel beams, similar to I-beams. Jason recommended that the PowerBraces be installed horizontally under the joist to support multiple joists simultaneously. The SmartJacks were placed at specific points under the PowerBrace beams to stabilize and lift the entire sinking area.

The job was completed in two days and it was a success. Chester’s new addition was stabilized and his house no longer tilted.