Screw Piles Winnipeg: Has Part of Your House Sunk?

Screw piles Winnipeg homeowners ask about usually come up after one part of the house has started to sink. You might see it as a floor that slopes, a door that sticks, or a basement floor that is lower in one corner.

Call [PHONE] and tell us which part of the house has moved.

What does a sinking house look like?

People in Winnipeg describe it in plain words. One family wrote to the Winnipeg Free Press about a basement floor that had sunk on one side, by as much as two inches in the corner, and doors that would no longer close.

Here are other signs people post about:

• The floor slopes when you walk across it.
• A door upstairs sticks or won't latch.
• A telepost in the basement has sunk.
• A porch or a step has dropped.

Are piles the only fix?

No, and a good contractor will tell you why they picked piles for your house. Some jobs call for leveling the house or adjusting the teleposts instead, and our page on house leveling explains that work. If only a step, walk or porch has dropped, read about concrete lifting.

What should you ask about helical piles?

Screw piles are also called helical piles. Ask these questions before you sign.

• Why do you want to use piles here, and how did you decide?
• How many will go in, and where?
• Will the work be done inside, outside or both?
• Who looks after the permit?
• What do you put in writing once the job is done?

Write the answers down. Ask each contractor the same questions so you can line up the answers side by side.

Should you call an engineer first?

A common piece of advice on Winnipeg forums is to hire a structural engineer before you hire anyone to do the work, and our inspection page explains when that makes sense.

Questions people ask

Are screw piles just for decks?

They show up a lot for decks and fences, but this page is about houses that have started to sink. For other problems, see our page on foundation repair in Winnipeg.

Why is there no price here?

The number of piles changes from house to house, and our cost guide lists what else changes a quote.

Call about your house

Walk the house first and note every door that sticks and every floor that slopes, so nothing gets missed. Then call [PHONE].