Structural

Pier & Beam

Structural · definition

A foundation of spaced piers carrying beams under the floor, leaving a crawl space. Easier utility access and floor leveling but more prone to movement than slab.

Source: U.S. DOE Building America Solution Center — Flood-Resistant Pier, Pile, Post, and Column Foundations

  • Beam

    A primary horizontal member that carries loads from joists or framing across a span to posts or walls. Opening up a floor plan usually me…

  • Crawl Space

    A shallow accessible void below the floor (instead of a basement or slab) housing structure, plumbing, and ducts. Its condition affects a…

  • Foundation

    The structure (slab, crawl space, or basement) that transfers the building's load to the ground. Foundation condition underlies the feasi…

  • Slab

    A poured concrete floor or foundation surface. Moving plumbing in a slab-on-grade home means saw-cutting and patching concrete — a signif…

  • Pier Foundation

    Isolated columns transferring structural loads to deeper, stable soil or rock. Used for decks, additions, and on poor surface soils.

  • Parging

    A thin cement coat troweled over a foundation or block wall for a finished, more weather-resistant surface.

  • Point Load

    A concentrated load delivered at one spot (e.g., a post or beam end) that must be carried continuously down to a footing — a key check wh…

  • Moment Frame

    A rigid steel or engineered frame that resists lateral load without bracing — used to keep a wide opening (e.g., a removed wall or garage…

Where this term fits in a remodel

The pillar guides set terms like this one in context — what the work involves, what drives its cost, and where it sits in the sequence of a project. Pricing a specific house takes a defined scope and an on-site assessment.

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