Written By Bridget Stieb, Director of Marketing at LUX Foundation Solutions •
Reviewed by LUX’s foundation repair specialists serving Northern Virginia & Florida
The Problem: A Cracked Foundation and Sinking Laundry Concrete Floor
Michele Whitley had been watching two things get worse at her Neptune Beach, FL home before she reached out to LUX Foundation Solutions. The laundry room floor had been sinking, and a foundation wall crack had appeared on the other side of the house. What started as two separate concerns turned out to be connected to the same underlying issue.
Sandy soil conditions common throughout coastal Duval County and Northeast Florida are one of the leading causes of foundation damage in homes like this one. When the soil beneath a footing shifts, the structure above it moves and settles unevenly.
Our Assessment: Foundation Settlement Beneath Two Areas of the Home
When our crew got on site and inspected both areas Michele had flagged, the condition of the foundation confirmed what the symptoms were pointing to.
- The laundry room area showed clear signs of foundation settlement; the footing had lost adequate bearing in the sandy soil beneath it, and the floor above had begun to sink as a result.
- The crack on the opposite side of the house was consistent with differential settlement, meaning the foundation was moving at different rates in different locations rather than settling evenly.
Both areas required pier support at the footing level to transfer the structural load down to stable soil below the zone of settlement. Our team walked Michele through exactly what we found and why installing helical piers at the footing in both areas was the right fix before the settlement progressed any further.
The Solution: 7 Helical Pier Installation Across Two Foundation Areas
When foundation settlement occurs in more than one location, the fix must address both. Patching a crack or leveling a floor without transferring the load to stable soil is not a repair; it is a delay.
At Michele’s Neptune Beach, FL, home, our crew performed helical pier installations at the footings in two separate areas of the home, following engineering specifications and manufacturer requirements throughout.
Step 1: Site Preparation and Concrete Cutting
Before any piers could be installed, the crew prepared each installation site. On the laundry room side, deck boards were removed to access the footing area. On the opposite side, the concrete slab was cut and excavated to expose the foundation footing at each pier location. All excavated material was removed and staged away from the work area before installation began.
Step 2: Driving the Helical Piers Into the Ground
At each location, the helical pier shaft was positioned at the foundation footing and driven straight into the ground using hydraulic equipment. The pier works like a large screw: the helical plates at the tip rotate into the soil and pull the shaft deeper with each turn.
Our crew added extension sections one at a time until the pressure readings confirmed each pier had reached solid, stable ground. On this repair, all 7 piers hit that target at 14 feet down, across both locations.
Step 3: Transferring the Load and Attempting Lift
With all 7 piers in place, 4 under the laundry room and 3 on the opposite side near the deck, the weight of the foundation was transferred off the failing soil and onto the piers. Our crew then carefully attempted to lift the structure back toward its original position while watching both areas for any movement.
Step 4: Concrete Patching and Site Restoration
Once the piers were set and the load transfer was complete, every opening the crew had made was patched and closed. The concrete slab cuts on the exterior were filled with fresh concrete, and the laundry room floor opening was patched as well. Both work areas were left clean before the crew wrapped up the job.
The Results: A Stabilized Foundation and Stopped Settlement
foundation that was no longer moving. Seven helical piers installed across two areas of the home had done exactly what they were designed to do.
The results include:
✅ The laundry room floor that had been sinking was stabilized, with 4 helical piers now carrying the load at the footing beneath it.
✅ The foundation crack on the opposite side of the house was addressed with 3 additional piers transferring the load in that area as well.
✅ Further settlement was stopped across both locations, giving the foundation a stable base in the future.
✅ All concrete openings cut during installation were patched, and both work areas were left clean and closed.
Homes in coastal Duval County sit on some of the sandiest, loosest soil in Northeast Florida. When that soil can no longer support the foundation above it, the structure moves. Helical pier installation is one of the most reliable ways to stop that movement because the piers bypass the failing soil entirely and carry the load down to something solid, which is why they are often the right answer for unstable foundations in coastal Florida.
Seeing Cracks or Feeling a Shift in Your Floor? Get a Free Assessment
Foundation movement in Neptune Beach and across Duval County does not stop on its own. If you start seeing a crack in a wall or a floor that feels slightly off, it can lead to a much bigger repair if it goes unaddressed. Coastal Florida soil shifts, and when it does, the foundation above it moves with it. The earlier you get eyes on it, the more options you have.
Call LUX Foundation Solutions at 904-231-9926 for a free foundation assessment. We serve Neptune Beach, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Ocala, Palm Coast, and nearby areas in Northern Florida.
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About the Author
Bridget Stieb
Bridget is the Director of Marketing at Lux Foundation Solutions, bringing firsthand knowledge of the foundation repair, basement waterproofing, crawl space repair, concrete repair, and seawall needs of homeowners across Northern Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, North Central Virginia, West Virginia, and Florida. She works closely with structural repair specialists to translate real-world inspection and repair data into homeowner guidance on foundation, basement, crawl space, and concrete issues. With a deep understanding of local homeowner concerns in both regions, she is committed to delivering clear, trustworthy content that helps families protect their homes. When she is not working on a marketing strategy, Bridget enjoys spending time with her family, friends and being outdoors.
