Foundation repair in Hilo HI - a post and pier house braced for the next quake
Posts off their blocks, leaning piers or a house that feels loose underneath? We plan a fix for the whole foundation that fits your house.
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- Foundation repair
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- (808) 229-1042
How can you tell your post and pier foundation needs work?
Posts sitting off center
If a post rests near the edge of its block or has slipped partway off, the house has usually moved at some point, often in a quake. A post that's off its block carries less of the load, so the floor above starts to sag and there's less holding the house the next time the ground shakes.
Blocks leaning or sinking
A block that tips, rocks or sits lower than the ones beside it usually means the ground or fill under it has shifted. The longer it goes, the more the post on top leans with it and the more the rest of the foundation has to make up for it.
Loose or split cross braces
Braces that hang loose, have pulled nails or have split usually mean the house has been pushed side to side or the wood has rotted. Without them the posts have very little keeping them upright, so a small shake can do more damage than it should.
What does foundation repair mean for a Hilo post and pier house?
Foundation repair on a post and pier house in Hilo means strengthening the posts, blocks and bracing that hold the house up, so it holds up better when the ground shakes. That can mean reinforcing the post and pier system you already have or adding shear walls, which are solid walls of wood or concrete masonry built between the piers to stiffen the house against side-to-side movement.
We're based in Hilo, and a lot of the houses we look at here and in Hawaiian Paradise Park sit on wood posts over concrete blocks. Houses on this island have moved in quakes before, with one in Kalapana racked side to side in the 1989 quake and another knocked off its foundation in the 1999 Pahala quake, damaged past repair. Your price and schedule turn mostly on which option you pick, how many piers and walls the plan calls for, how steep the lot is and how easy it is to get under the house, and the estimate puts that scope in writing for your own house.
Details to note before an estimate
- House size and number of stories
- How steep the lot is
- Posts or blocks that have shifted
- Loose, split or missing cross braces
How we handle foundation repair on a post and pier house
On a post and pier house, what matters is a plan for the whole foundation, not one piece of it. I start under the house, checking each post, block and brace, then look at the size of the house, how many stories it has and the slope of the lot, because those set how much strengthening it needs. I lay the options out side by side, from reinforcing what's there to adding shear walls, so you can choose how far to go and see what each one asks of the house and your budget. Then our crew digs out, pours and builds what you picked, tied back to the house so the posts, piers and walls work together, and we clean up underneath when we're done.
Being under and around the house often turns up other masonry that needs a look. A chimney is heavy and takes a beating when a house moves, so if yours is cracked or pulling away, we can take care of the chimney repair on the same job. Where the mortar in block or brick walls has worn out, tuckpointing replaces the worn joints, and I find where the water is getting in first, because new mortar won't last long if the water that ruined the old mortar keeps coming.
Other masonry work that often comes up
Chimney repair
A cracked top, loose bricks or a chimney pulling away from the house are worth looking at while we're already out checking your foundation.
Tuckpointing
When mortar between bricks or blocks turns soft, sandy or crumbly, we cut out the worn joints and pack in fresh mortar to keep water out.
What happens after you call about foundation repair in Hilo?
Call or send the form
Call (808) 229-1042 or send the form with a few details about the house. We set a time for me to come out and see it in person.
Look under the house
I check every post, block and brace, measure the lot and work out why things moved before I put a price on anything. You get a written estimate with the scope and the options, and if a permit or an engineer is part of the job, I tell you up front.
Build the plan as written
Our own crew builds the option you chose, the way the estimate lays it out, with me running the job on site. If the job needs a permit, we handle the paperwork with the county and keep you posted on where it stands before we start.
Walk the work together
I walk the finished foundation with you before we call it done, so you see exactly what was built under your house. It's backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
What homeowners ask about foundation repair
What is the best way to retrofit a post and pier house in Hilo?
The best retrofit is the one that fits your house, whether that's reinforcing the posts and piers you have or adding wood or concrete masonry shear walls. Concrete masonry walls give the most strength but cost the most and are the hardest to put in, and if you lean toward wood walls, it matters that the Formosan subterranean termite is found in Hilo. How much a house needs depends on where it sits, its size, how many stories it has and the slope of the lot, which is why I look at all four before suggesting anything.
Is anchoring the posts to the blocks enough to protect my house in an earthquake?
Usually not, because research on post and pier houses found that a partial retrofit that only anchors the posts to the foundation blocks appeared to hurt how the whole foundation held up in a quake. You get more from a plan for the whole foundation than from post anchors alone, so that's how we lay out your options.
How much does foundation pier installation cost in Hawaii?
Foundation pier installation in Hawaii usually costs about $7,400 to $22,000 for a job of 6 piers. That's the usual statewide price for that work, not our price, and your own number depends on what your house needs and which option you pick. The in-person estimate gives you the scope and the price for your house in writing.
Can I act as my own contractor for foundation work in Hawaii?
Yes, if you register for an owner-builder exemption with the county's building permit department, which lets you act as your own general contractor without a contractor license. You can read Hawaii's owner-builder rules before you decide. If you'd rather hand the job off, we're licensed and insured, and our own crew does the work.
What causes the blocks under a post and pier house to slide or tip over?
The blocks under a post and pier house typically sit on top of the ground, barely set into the soil, so a quake can push them sideways or tip them over. That's more likely on sloping or uneven ground and where blocks sit on fill that may not be packed firm, so houses on a slope have more at stake.
How many shear walls does a post and pier house need?
One university guide recommends six shear walls in all and says they don't need to run around the entire house. The right number for yours depends on its size, stories and the slope of the lot, so I measure before I put a number of walls in the estimate.
Get a written foundation repair plan for your house
We respond within 1 business day to set a time. I come out, measure, look at what's causing the trouble and give you the scope and options in writing. The estimate is free, in person, and there's no pressure to book.
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Book a look under your house
Call (808) 229-1042 or send the form with your foundation type, house size, number of stories and lot slope handy, so we can get straight to what your house needs.