The two types in one look
Everything else on this page follows from that split: what to look for, who goes where during the evaluation, and how the quote should read.
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How to tell which you have
- From outside: vents or a small access door near the bottom of the walls point to a crawl space. Siding or brick that runs right down to a concrete edge at the ground points to a slab.
- Additions: a room added later can sit on a different foundation from the rest of the house. Check each section separately.
Side by side
| Slab-on-grade | Pier-and-beam | |
|---|---|---|
| What carries the house | A concrete slab on the ground | Wood framing on piers, over a crawl space |
| Where the work happens | Beneath the slab, at the sections that moved | Mostly from inside the crawl space |
| Typical structural fix | Piers installed beneath, then a lift | Piers reset or added, wood replaced, shims |
| Moisture concern | Water against and under the slab | Damp soil and air in the crawl space |
| Published range for major work | $2,300 to $23,900 (Shreveport cost guides) | $1,500 to $15,000 (national cost guides) |
Why both move
The LSU AgCenter describes Louisiana’s heavy clay soils as swelling when they are wet and cracking open when they dry — the kind of movement that makes building foundations difficult. A slab and a set of piers are both resting on that ground, so both can be pushed around by it. The difference is in what you see: a slab tends to show it as cracks and sticking doors; a raised floor can also sag, bounce, or dip between supports.
How each is repaired
On a slab, the published method is to install piers beneath the settled section down to load-bearing soil, test them, and then raise the slab with jacks. On a raised house, published repair guidance describes replacing rotted beams and joists, realigning framing that has shifted, and adding piers where support is weak — then shimming the floor back toward level. The slab repair and pier and beam repair pages go into each.
Moisture: under the slab vs. under the floor
LSU AgCenter guidance for a water-managed foundation is to slope the ground so rainwater moves away from the house and to drain groundwater before it reaches the foundation. For a slab, that is most of the moisture story. A raised house adds a second one: the crawl space itself, where the same LSU AgCenter guidance recommends covering the ground with plastic sheeting to keep moisture from rising into the floor.
What changes on the quote
The four lines are the same for both types; what goes in them is different.
- 1Evaluation findingsWhat was measured and found — elevation readings, crack locations, construction type, likely cause.
- 2Drainage / moisture correctionGutters, grading, downspouts, or crawlspace moisture work that addresses why the soil is moving.
- 3Structural repairPiers, shims, or sill and beam replacement — with counts, locations, and depths stated.
- 4Finish / cosmeticDrywall, brick, trim, and door adjustments after the house moves — priced on its own line.
On a slab, the structural line should name pier type, count, and locations. On a raised house, it should separate pier work from wood replacement. On either, drainage stays on its own line.
Buying a house? Ask which one it is
If you are shopping, the foundation type tells you what to look at during a showing — cracks and door frames on a slab house; the crawl space, if you can see into it, on a raised one. The signs of foundation problems checklist covers both.
Pier and beam vs. slab questions
Is pier and beam or slab better in Louisiana?
Neither is better in every case, and the house you have is the one you need to understand. What matters for repair is that the two move differently and are fixed differently — so know which one you have before comparing quotes.
How can I tell which foundation my house has?
Look along the bottom of the outside walls. Vents or an access door, and a space under the floor, mean pier and beam. A house sitting at ground level on concrete is a slab. An addition can be built differently from the original house, so check every section.
Which costs more to repair?
It depends on the problem, not the type. Published national ranges put pier-and-beam repair at $1,500 to $15,000; published Shreveport ranges put major slab repairs with piers at $2,300 to $23,900. A small fix on either type can cost far less than a large one on the other.