How involved is levelling an uneven floor?

Question

Hi, I am considering buying an older rowhome. By appearances (I will, of course, have a structural inspection), the home was extended. Throughout the home, the floor is severely uneven at the point where there was an addition, as if it settled at a different point than the original structure. You can feel it under your feet, and there are some points where the floor has a "twisted" appearance. If I wished to make the house appear and feel level throughout, how difficult would this be? How much concern should I have about the structural integrity overall? Many thanks.

Answer 1

well you may need to jack up the floor and ad suport . can be a big pain in the ***..

Answer 2

If there was little work involved in fixing a leveling problem, It would have been done by a previous owner. I have leveled many houses like you are considering in Richmond VA, Wash D.C. New York, and Boston and the more out of level, the more involved it becomes. Anything over three inches difference will probably not all come out without cracking and damaging wall and ceiling plaster and then it really gets more involved. If you have a feel and concept of the difference; as in being able to view the world in three dimensions, then you could read up and probably tackle something like this. By three dimensional, I mean can you stand in one doorway and say the other side of this room is 3 inches off or 5 inches off or whatever. Then take a level and mark a line around the room and the lowest point is 3 or 5 or whatever you said difference. If you have that ability to see, then you can read and learn and do it. Without that three dimensional ability, I would recommend a hundred thousand extra to pay professionals to do the leveling. It also takes a lot of equipment.

Answer 3

I would be concerned a little with the structural integrity, but if you have a professional check it out and it ends up it's the ground that caused the uneveness, go under the house with a hydraulic jack and either support jacks, that you can buy at lowe's or home depot, or a bunch of 2x6 treated lumber. Have someone above with a level telling you where and how much to jack up the floor with the hydraulic jack. When it is level, prop it up either with the support jacks or the 2x6 blocks. 2x6 blocks will be much cheaper if there are a lot of places to jack up, but the support jacks are soooo much easier and faster. Good luck!

Answer 4

Buyer beware. If you are experienced at renovation, this may not deter you. Otherwise, please consult as many experts as you can afford.

My parents' home is 100 years old. Floors have begun to sag in high traffic areas. They can most likely be fixed with a new subfloor and new wood floor. (We were pleased with the results of this in an upstairs bath.) However, we have a breakfast room that is obviously an addition, and that floor slopes downward slightly. My father tried the "jacks" route when they first bought the house. For weeks, he struggled through crawl spaces. Finally, he gave up and they have lived quite contentedly with their slightly slope-y breakfast room for 30+ years.

It is the word "twisted" in your question that causes me most alarm. If you know any architects, call her. Or, at least, a very reputable contractor. I once worked for an architect firm. Property owners always walked out of the conference room with a stunned expression and said, "That estimate is about twice what we expected."

When considering purchase price, factor in greater (and endless) repairs with older homes. But if you grew up in one in an old house, as I did, nothing else ever feels like home.

Good luck!

Answer 5

With the kind of settling you're describing, you're going to have to raise the house, pour properly spaced cement posts far enough down to touch rock or un-excavated soil and lower the house onto them. If the house is on a basement and you've got that kind of lack of level, walk away. Do not buy the house.

Answer 6

sounds like a bad pour job.(mixed the the wheelbarrow type of thing). To level it you have to decide whether it "has to be a concrete floor" or whether you could live with a wood sub floor.(slightly raised from plywood and 2x4 joist fillers) It is a measure thing and use of a level and string..
If it must be concrete, the string and level and measure tape is used to measure out the differences and fill in the low spots.

Answer 7

Well since the floor is concrete, leveling compound would be the fastest and best way to level the floor. If the direction are followed on the leveling compound its a simple fast process. Mix it, pour it, and watch it level itself. Then you wont have to spend the time shimming and leveling each board as you go.

Answer 8

If you have the money then pay to have it done.........that way if anything gets messed up you won't have to worry about who pays to fix it....
Just make sure that the person is certified, covered by insurance and that you have a contract stating all of the things necessary including the clean up.

Sit down and write a list of EVERYTHING you want and need. Then get the contract.

P.S. make sure his employees are covered by workmans comp. Check him out at the BBBon line

Answer 9

check with the town or city building official to see if the addition was done with the proper permits before you buy. if it was, the inspector would've checked the work as it was done and signed off on it's being done correct. then go from there with regards to whether you buy or not. good luck.

Answer 10

I am pretty twisted and you could do me on the floor. Perhaps that will straighten you out.