I get the wallet pain, but man, phone books as structural support? That’s wild. I poked around my crawlspace and found a “support” made out of stacked paint cans—at least plywood is flat. Still, soft spots are a hard no for me. Once you see daylight through your mudsill, it’s time to bite the bullet and call in the pros... or at least someone with more than a screwdriver and wishful thinking.
Once you see daylight through your mudsill, it’s time to bite the bullet and call in the pros...
I couldn’t agree more. Years back, I found a stack of bricks and a car jack “supporting” a corner of my 1920s place—previous owner’s handiwork. It held up for decades, but I wouldn’t trust it in anything over a strong breeze, let alone a quake. If you can poke your screwdriver through a joist or see sunlight where you shouldn’t, it’s not just about wallet pain—it’s about safety. Sometimes DIY just doesn’t cut it.
I’ve seen some wild “solutions” under old houses—car jacks, random bricks, even a stack of old phone books once (not kidding). You’re spot on: if you can see daylight or poke through a joist, it’s not just a cosmetic issue. Here’s what I usually tell folks:
- If your mudsill’s got gaps or daylight, that’s a red flag. It should be tight to the foundation.
- Soft, punky wood? That’s rot, and it spreads. Don’t ignore it.
- Makeshift supports (like your car jack setup) might hold for a while, but they’re not engineered for lateral movement. Quakes don’t care how long it’s “worked.”
- DIY is great for some stuff, but structural work is where you want it done right the first time.
I get wanting to save money, but foundation and seismic stuff isn’t where you want to gamble. It’s not just about the house—it’s about who’s inside it. Sometimes calling in the pros is the smartest move, even if it stings a bit at first.
Makeshift supports (like your car jack setup) might hold for a while, but they’re not engineered for lateral movement. Quakes don’t care how long it’s “worked.”
This hits home—literally. When we bought our place, I crawled under the house and found a stack of cinder blocks and what looked like an old steel fence post “supporting” a main beam. The previous owner said it’d been that way for years and “never budged.” I get the temptation to just leave it if it’s not moving, but after poking around online and talking to a couple contractors, I realized that’s just asking for trouble.
I’m all about saving money where I can, but foundation stuff is one area where I ended up biting the bullet. We had a pro come out and do a seismic retrofit—bolted the mudsill down, replaced some sketchy posts with proper pressure-treated ones, and added shear panels in a few spots. Wasn’t cheap, but honestly, the peace of mind is worth something too.
Funny thing is, I thought about doing some of it myself (I’m pretty handy), but once you start reading up on code requirements and lateral bracing, it gets complicated fast. Plus, if you ever want to sell, having legit paperwork from a licensed contractor makes things way easier with buyers and insurance.
One thing I did do myself was seal up some gaps around the mudsill. Not structural exactly, but it helped with drafts and critters getting in. Still left the big stuff to the pros.
Anyway, I totally get wanting to DIY as much as possible—just gotta pick your battles. Foundation and seismic? That’s one area where “good enough” can turn into “should’ve done it right” real quick if the ground starts shaking.
I get the temptation to just leave it if it’s not moving, but after poking around online and talking to a couple contractors, I realized that’s just asking for trouble.
Couldn’t agree more—there’s a huge difference between “hasn’t failed yet” and actually being safe. I’ve seen some wild DIY supports under houses that look like they’d fold if you sneezed too hard. The paperwork thing is real too; buyers love seeing legit seismic upgrades. One thing I’d add: check your cripple walls if you have ‘em—those short walls between the foundation and first floor. If they’re not braced, that’s a weak spot most folks miss.