Fixing a Sinking Concrete Porch

Get tips on how to fix a sinking concrete porch. Learn why your concrete porch may be sinking and how to permanently set it in place to avoid more shifting.

LESLIE: Kim in New Hampshire, welcome to The Money Pit. What’s going on at your money pit today?

KIM: Hi, I have a closed-in porch but it’s attached to a mobile home but it’s not really attached.

TOM: OK.

KIM: It’s like one roof but …

LESLIE: So the roof connects the two pieces but the main body of the porch is not connected.

KIM: Yeah.

LESLIE: OK.

KIM: But we have to keep lifting it up every couple of years because it’s on cement blocks right now with the …

TOM: And they keep – what? – sinking in the soil?

KIM: Yeah.

TOM: Yeah. Well, that’s because it doesn’t have a foundation. So that’s not uncommon.

KIM: Is there like a more permanent way to …?

TOM: Yeah, if you had the ability to dig down into the soil there – and you would want to get at least, if you could possibly, three feet below the soil –

KIM: OK.

TOM: – and you poured some concrete footings and then you had a column that went down right to that, that would support it without moving. Because it’s on top of the soil, with rain and everything, it’s going to continue to move.

KIM: OK. Yeah, that’s great advice. Thank you so much.

TOM: You’re welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.