Pier and beam foundation repair typically costs $3,000 to $9,500, with about $6,500 the most common total, according to Modernize (updated Sept. 23, 2026). Re-shimming alone runs $1,000–$3,500, underpinning $1,000–$3,000 per pier, and replacing a failed pier $2,500–$6,000. Angi’s earlier 2026 data ran higher ($6,000–$14,000), and full rebuilds of old raised homes with rot can exceed both.
Foundation Repair Baton Rouge works on a lot of pre-1950 raised homes in Mid City, the Garden District and older towns like Plaquemine and Zachary, where a century of humidity has done its work on piers and wood. Here’s how the price breaks down.
Pier and beam repair costs by item
| Item | Modernize (Sept. 2026) | Earlier 2026 range used here (Angi / HomeGuide) |
|---|---|---|
| Whole-job total | $3,000–$9,500 (about $6,500 typical) | $6,000–$14,000 (about $10,000 average) |
| Re-shim (whole house) | $1,000–$3,500 | $1,200–$4,000 |
| Pier added (underpinning) | $1,000–$3,000 each | $800–$4,000 each |
| Failed pier replaced | $2,500–$6,000 each | $2,000–$6,000 each |
| Beam replaced | $400–$1,200 per beam | $1,500–$4,000 per beam |
| Sill plate replaced | Not listed | $100–$300 per linear ft |
| Crawl space waterproofing / encapsulation | $3,000–$20,000+ | $3,000–$15,000 |
| Engineer’s letter (if required) | Not listed | $500–$2,000 |
Sources: Modernize, “Pier and beam repair cost” (updated Sept. 23, 2026); right column from Angi 2026 pier-and-beam data and HomeGuide 2026, as originally cited in this guide (those sites block automated re-checks, so the figures were not re-verified on Oct. 29, 2026).
Why the two columns differ: the pages assume different scopes. Modernize’s lower total reflects typical repairs of a few piers or a re-shim; the higher range assumes more rot and structural carpentry. Older Baton Rouge raised homes tend to land at the upper end, so use the wider span, $3,000 to $14,000, to size a budget and let a pier-by-pier scope fix the number.
What drives the total
- How many piers have failed. Brick piers on shallow footings are common in older Baton Rouge homes, and they tend to fail in groups.
- Rot and termites. Sill and beam damage adds carpentry, shoring and time. It’s often hidden until the crawl.
- Crawl space height and access. Low, wet or cluttered crawl spaces cost more to work in.
- Permits. Structural repair generally needs a City-Parish permit.
- Moisture fixes. Drainage or a vapor barrier keeps the new wood from rotting like the old. See crawl space encapsulation vs vapor barrier for what each costs and when sealing makes sense.
Which scope are you actually buying?
| If the crawl space shows… | Likely scope | Price signal (table above) |
|---|---|---|
| Floors out of level, piers and wood sound | Re-shim only | $1,000–$3,500 |
| A few cracked, leaning or sunken piers | Underpin or replace those piers | $1,000–$6,000 each |
| Soft or rotted sills and beams | Carpentry plus shoring, then level | Adds to the per-beam and sill lines |
| Standing water or damp soil | Drainage and moisture fixes first | See crawl space row |
Louisiana law adds a threshold: the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors says Home Improvement Registration covers residential work of $7,500 to $50,000 but not structural work, so a structural pier-and-beam job needs a properly licensed contractor. See do foundation repair contractors need a license in Louisiana.
Where people overspend
The most common waste is leveling a house that needed structural repair — the new shims sit on rotted wood and the floors drop again within a few seasons. The second is replacing wood without fixing the water that rotted it. A good quote addresses both: the parts that failed and why they failed.
Reading a pier and beam quote
Ask for a pier map that marks which piers are fine, which get re-shimmed and which get replaced; the linear feet of sill and number of beams being replaced; the lumber specification (ground-contact treated); shim material (steel); and before-and-after floor readings. A quote that says “level house and repair as needed” is not a quote. If it’s only a matter of shims, see house leveling cost; for how raised and slab homes compare, see pier and beam vs slab foundation.
Bottom line
Pier and beam repair usually costs $3,000–$9,500 by Modernize’s 2026 figures, and up to $14,000 on Angi’s, driven by how many piers, beams and sills have failed. Get a pier-by-pier scope in writing. For a free crawl-space inspection, call Foundation Repair Baton Rouge.