Do Uneven Floors Mean Foundation Trouble?

If your floors feel uneven, you might think replacing them is the best fix—but before you start picking out new flooring, it’s important to check what’s really causing the issue. In many cases, uneven floors signify foundation settlement or shifting. The good news? There are proven, long-term solutions that can restore your home’s stability and give you long-term peace of mind.
If you want to know how to fix uneven floor areas in your home, you’ve come to the right place. This page explores the common causes of uneven floors, the best foundation repair options, and how to prevent future issues for a safe, sturdy, and comfortable home.
What Causes Uneven Floors?
Differential settlement, which occurs when a house settles unevenly into the underlying soil, is a leading cause of foundation movement, resulting in uneven or sloping floors. In crawl spaces, uneven floors are often caused by damaged floor joists and wooden supports.
Other potential causes of uneven floors include:

- Expansive Clay Soil: Clay soil expands when saturated with rainwater and contracts when it dries out. This soil movement stresses foundations, leading to cracks, settlement, and uneven floors.
- Poor Soil Compaction: Proper soil compaction during a home’s initial construction is crucial. Without it, the structure’s weight can cause soil settlement, causing foundation issues and uneven floors over time.
- Heavy Rainfall: Heavy rainfall and flooding lead to ground saturation and water accumulation near the foundation, which causes damage.
- Invasive Tree Roots: Mature tree roots growing near the foundation can cause many problems, including cracks and foundation movement.
- Earthquakes: Naturally occurring events that cause seismic activity, like earthquakes, cause ground shifts, leading to foundation settlement and uneven floors in house spaces.
- Inadequate Drainage: Poor or faulty drainage systems allow water to accumulate near the foundation, leading to moisture-related problems and settlement.
- Improper Yard Grading: Proper yard grading ensures water flows away from the foundation.
Foundation repair experts perform thorough inspections to determine whether differential settlement or other factors are causing issues and recommend the best solutions to restore stability.
What Are the Signs of Potential Foundation Damage?
Uneven floors aren’t the only sign of potential foundation damage. Others may include:

If you notice these signs, contact a foundation repair expert. Professionals provide thorough inspections and offer tailored repair solutions that restore your foundation.
Benefits of Repairing Uneven Floors
Addressing uneven floors with proper repairs offers the following benefits:
- Improves Safety: Uneven floors create tripping hazards for your family and guests. Repairing them helps ensure a safer home environment.
- Increases Energy Efficiency: Sagging, uneven floors can cause gaps between the walls and floors. This forces HVAC systems to work harder, leading to higher energy bills.
- Maintains Property Value: Uneven floors may be an issue if you want to sell your home in the future. Investing in repairs can maintain your home’s appeal and make your property more attractive to buyers.
How To Fix Uneven Floors
Foundation piers restore stability and strength to weak and sinking foundations. Groundworks installs three pier types.
Slab Piers
Slab piers, specifically designed for concrete slab foundations, help lift shifting or settling foundations and level uneven floors. We can install these piers deep into stable soil, which provides support for your entire home.

Push Piers
Push piers are installed deep into the ground to reach stable soil layers under a foundation. By anchoring the foundation, push piers may help level uneven floors.

Helical Piers
Helical piers screw into the ground, securely anchoring foundations and preventing further movement. As a result, helical piers stabilize uneven floors in houses.

Ready to Restore Your Home’s Safety and Value?

Whether dealing with uneven floors in an old house or a crawl space, these issues often point to underlying foundation problems. The good news? There are proven solutions to address uneven floors and restore your home’s stability.
Want to know how to fix uneven floors in your home? Groundworks’ foundation repair methods address uneven floors at the source. We offer free inspections to identify the underlying cause and create tailored repair plans that keep your home strong and stable. Contact us today to learn more.
Foundation FAQs
Foundation piers can be used on virtually any slope, while foam jacking has limitations on steeper grades. A professional assessment is needed to determine the best solution.
Understanding if your home has a foundation problem is the first step to repair. Here are some of the most common problem signs to look out for:
- Cracks in the walls, floors, or ceilings: These may appear diagonal, horizontal, or vertical.
- Doors or windows that stick or don’t close properly: This may indicate that the foundation has shifted.
- Uneven or sloping floors: This can be a sign that the foundation has settled.
- Gaps around doors or windows: This can be a sign that the foundation has shifted.
- Cracks in the foundation itself: If you can see cracks in the foundation, it’s a clear sign of a problem.
Some homeowner’s insurance policies provide coverage for hurricane and storm damage, including foundation repairs, but others may not. While Groundworks can provide documentation needed for your insurance provider, we encourage you to check your policy’s specifics with your insurance agent.