House Leveling Methods Compared: Shims, Piers & Slab Jacking

House Leveling Methods Compared: Shims, Piers & Slab Jacking

Shims, steel piers, helical piers, and slab jacking all level houses — but each fits a different situation. Here is how to match the right method to your home.

When you compare house leveling methods, the short version is this: shims and sister beams handle minor pier-and-beam adjustments; steel push piers and helical piers handle serious settlement by reaching stable soil; slab jacking (mudjacking or foam) lifts sunken concrete slabs from below. No single best method — only the right one for your foundation.

Homeowners get confused because contractors tend to sell the method they install. This guide is method-neutral: what each approach does, what it costs in ranges, where each shines and where it falls short — with the Louisiana soil context that decides so many of these calls.

First: What Kind of Foundation Do You Have?

Every leveling conversation starts here, because the foundation type narrows the method list immediately. In the Shreveport-Bossier area you will find three main types:

• Slab-on-grade: the house sits on a single poured slab — common in newer subdivisions from Benton to Stonewall. When a slab settles, the fix lifts the slab itself: piers or slab jacking, depending on severity.
• Pier and beam: the house rests on piers with beams spanning between them and a crawl space underneath — common in older homes across Highland, Cedar Grove, and Broadmoor. Leveling means adjusting or supplementing the pier system from inside the crawl space.
• Basement or partial below-grade: rare in Northwest Louisiana — high water table, heavy rain, clay soil. Where they exist, leveling usually means piering the foundation walls.

If you are not sure which type you have, look at the base of your house: a concrete slab edge at ground level means slab-on-grade; a raised house with vents along the skirting means pier and beam. Still unsure? That is what a free inspection determines in the first ten minutes. Our house leveling service page covers the local version of this decision.

Method 1: Shimming (Pier and Beam Homes)

Shimming is the simplest leveling method, and it only applies to pier-and-beam houses. When a pier settles slightly, a contractor slides steel shims — flat galvanized plates — between the pier top and the beam, closing the gap and bringing that floor section back to level. A coaster under a wobbly table leg, engineered and permanent.

Shims work for minor, localized settlement: a pier that has dropped an inch or two in otherwise stable soil. The job is quick — often a day — minimally invasive, and the most affordable leveling option by a wide margin, typically in the low thousands depending on pier count.

The limits are real. Shims do not fix why the pier settled; they compensate for it. If the soil under the pier is still moving with our drought-then-deluge cycles, the shim buys time, not a permanent fix. And shims cannot handle major drops: stacking shims three or four inches high creates an unstable tower. At that point you need supplemental piers, not taller shims.

Rule of thumb: shims for small, stable, localized dips in pier-and-beam homes. Anything bigger or still moving needs piers.

Method 2: Steel Push Piers (Slab and Pier-and-Beam)

Steel push piers are the heavy artillery of house leveling, and the most common recommendation for serious settlement in Northwest Louisiana. Sections of high-strength steel pipe are hydraulically driven into the ground beside the foundation until they hit load-bearing soil below our restless clay. A bracket connects the pier to the foundation, and hydraulic jacks lift the settled section back toward level.

The key advantage is depth. Our expansive clay layer can run many feet deep, and everything above it moves with the seasons. Push piers bypass that active zone and anchor in soil that does not move — which is why they are the go-to for homes in Blanchard, Keithville, and anywhere the clay runs deep.

Push piers handle the biggest jobs — corners dropped several inches, whole sides of slabs settled. A typical residential job uses piers spaced 6–8 feet apart, most homes needing somewhere in the teens to twenties. Costs run higher than shimming or slab jacking, generally five figures depending on pier count and depth. At Pelican Foundation Repair, qualifying pier installations carry our 20-year structural warranty.

The main drawback: push piers rely on the structure’s weight to drive them — very light structures sometimes cannot generate enough resistance. That is one reason helical piers exist.

Method 3: Helical Piers (Light Structures and Tricky Access)

Helical piers look like giant screws — steel shafts with helix plates — driven into the ground with hydraulic torque motors until they reach stable soil. Same goal as push piers (bypass the moving clay, anchor deep), different driving mechanism.

The torque drive is the point. Because helicals are screwed in rather than pushed, they do not need the building’s weight for resistance — making them the right call for lighter structures: porches, additions, garages, stoops, and separated chimney stacks. They also fit where access is tight: inside crawl spaces, under decks, anywhere a push-pier rig cannot maneuver.

Helicals give the installer a measurable reading too: the torque required correlates with soil capacity, so the crew knows in real time when they have reached competent bearing. For engineers, that verifiable number is a genuine plus.

Cost-wise, helical piers run somewhat more per pier than push piers, so for a full-size house with heavy settlement, push piers usually win on economics.

Method 4: Slab Jacking — Mudjacking and Polyurethane Foam

Slab jacking lifts a sunken concrete slab by injecting material underneath through small drilled holes. The material fills voids and hydraulically raises the slab back toward level. Two versions:

• Mudjacking: the traditional method, pumping a cement-soil-water slurry under the slab. The budget option — but heavy material, larger drill holes (about 2 inches), longer cure time, and added weight on already-soft soil, a real concern on our clay.
• Polyurethane foam jacking: the modern method, injecting expanding foam that lifts as it cures. Far lighter than mud, penny-sized holes, cures in minutes, and water-resistant — it will not wash out the way slurry can in our heavy rains.

Slab jacking shines for specific jobs: sunken driveways, patios, pool decks, garage floors, and interior slabs with moderate settlement — generally up to a few inches. Fast (often done in hours), far less disruptive than piers, and a fraction of a pier job’s cost — typically low-to-mid thousands depending on the area lifted.

The honest limits: slab jacking treats the symptom without reaching stable soil. On deep, active clay, a jacked slab can re-settle as the soil keeps moving — foam buys years, not the decades a pier system does. And it cannot fix a slab cracked into pieces or structural wall damage. For a settled house slab with real movement, piers are the answer; for a sunken patio or driveway, foam is usually the smart money.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Here is the whole menu on one table — the comparison most homeowners need when the estimates start coming in:

Notice the pattern: the methods form a ladder. Shims for the small stuff, foam for flatwork, piers for the real structural jobs. If a contractor recommends the top of the ladder for a bottom-of-the-ladder problem — or vice versa — get a second opinion. Our guide on house leveling vs. foundation repair clears up the terminology confusion behind these conversations.

How Louisiana Soil Changes the Math

You cannot compare these methods honestly without talking about what is under Shreveport — our shrink-swell clay is the hidden variable in every leveling decision:

• Depth of the active zone matters most. The clay layer that swells and shrinks can extend many feet down. Methods working within that zone (shims, slab jacking) manage the problem; methods anchoring below it (piers) solve it. Where the active zone runs deep — common around Blanchard and Keithville — piers pull further ahead.
• Drought-then-deluge cycles punish shallow fixes. A dry August shrinks the clay; a wet October swells it back. Shallow-supported repairs ride that roller coaster — which is why a foam-lifted patio might need attention again in five years while a piered foundation holds for decades.
• Weight counts against mudjacking here. Pumping hundreds of pounds of cement slurry onto soft, saturated clay asks the soil to carry more than it struggles with. Foam’s light weight is a genuine engineering advantage on our soils.
• Drainage correction often belongs in the same project. Whatever method levels the house, controlling water around the foundation — gutters, grading, downspout extensions — protects the investment. Leveling without drainage work on Louisiana clay fixes the result while ignoring the cause.

If you want Shreveport-specific numbers on what these jobs run locally, our house leveling cost guide for Shreveport breaks down pricing by method and pier count.

Choosing the Right Method for Your Home

Answer these in order:

• Is it the house or the flatwork? Sunken driveway, patio, or walkway → slab jacking (foam). The house itself settling → keep going.
• Pier-and-beam or slab? Pier-and-beam with minor dips → shims may do it. Slab, or pier-and-beam with major movement → piers.
• How far has it dropped? An inch or two, stable → the lighter fix. Several inches, still moving, cracks growing → steel push piers to stable soil.
• Light structure or tight access? Porch, addition, chimney, or a spot the big rig cannot reach → helical piers.
• What does the soil say? Deep active clay → favor methods that bypass it. Shallow stable soil → more options work.

And the step that makes all of this concrete: a free inspection with elevation measurements. Pelican Foundation Repair measures floor elevations, identifies the foundation type and soil conditions, and recommends the method that fits — not the method we feel like selling that week. Qualifying pier work carries our 20-year structural warranty. Call 318-585-2003, Monday–Saturday, 8:00 AM–6:00 PM, from Shreveport and Bossier City to Haughton, Benton, and Minden. The American Society of Civil Engineers publishes foundation engineering resources with the technical background behind these methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best method for leveling a house?

There is no single best method — it depends on foundation type, settlement depth, and soil. Steel push piers are the standard for serious settlement on deep clay; shims handle minor pier-and-beam dips; foam slab jacking is ideal for sunken driveways and patios; helical piers suit light structures and tight access.

How much does house leveling cost in Louisiana?

Shimming and foam jacking typically run low-to-mid thousands; full pier installations run five figures depending on pier count and depth. The only honest price comes from an inspection with elevation measurements — be wary of phone quotes.

Can you level a house without piers?

Sometimes. Minor pier-and-beam settlement can be corrected with shims; sunken flatwork responds well to foam jacking. But if the structure itself has settled significantly on expansive clay, piers to stable soil are usually the lasting fix — shallow methods tend to re-settle.

How long does house leveling take?

Shimming or foam jacking is often done in a day. A full pier installation typically takes two to five days depending on pier count, depth, and access. Your contractor should give a written timeline with the estimate.

Will leveling damage my house?

Done properly, no — the goal is to return the structure toward level, and experienced crews lift gradually to avoid stressing finishes. Cosmetic cracks can occur during any lift and are usually minor. This is why the crew’s experience and the engineer’s lift plan matter more than the method name.

What is the difference between mudjacking and polyurethane foam?

Both inject material under a sunken slab to lift it. Mudjacking uses heavy cement slurry with larger drill holes and slower curing; foam uses lightweight expanding polyurethane with penny-sized holes and cures in minutes. On soft Louisiana clay, foam’s light weight is a real advantage.

Do I need an engineer before leveling my house?

Not always, but it is wise for significant settlement — several inches of drop, structural wall damage, or when a lender or buyer is involved. Many foundation companies work with engineers or follow engineered pier placement plans. Ask your contractor whether your job warrants one.

How long does house leveling last?

Piers anchored below the active clay zone are the longest-lasting fix — decades, backed by warranties like our 20-year structural warranty on qualifying repairs. Shallow methods on active clay may need attention again in years rather than decades, especially without drainage improvements.

Pelican Foundation Repair
6118 Fairfield Ave, Shreveport, LA 71106, USA
318-585-2003
https://foundationrepairshreveport.com/