Structural
Sagging floor and rotted joists over a damp crawl space
Ashland City, TNCheatham CountyResidential2026-02-14
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The problem
A floor that dipped in the middle of the kitchen, traced to rotted joists and an undersized beam over a crawl space that never dried out.
What the homeowner noticed
The kitchen floor felt soft and bouncy in the middle, and a glass would slide on the table. A temporary post had been added in the crawl space years earlier.
What Marty found
Two floor joists with significant rot at their bearing ends, an undersized built-up beam that had sagged over time, and a crawl space with chronic moisture and no vapor barrier.
What we recommended
Replace the failed joists, install a properly sized steel beam on engineered posts, and address the moisture source with a sealed vapor barrier and drainage.
The result
The rotted joists were replaced and sistered, a new steel beam was set on engineered posts with proper footings, and the crawl space was cleaned, drained and sealed with a vapor barrier. The temporary post was removed.
Why this happens
Wood rot needs three things: wood, water and warmth. A vented crawl space in Middle Tennessee supplies all three for most of the year, which is why rotted joists are so common here and so rarely discovered early.
The structural repair alone would have failed within a few years. Fixing the moisture is what makes the repair last.
See something that doesn't look right?
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Crack in the brick? Uneven floor? Water in the crawl space? Sinking concrete? Send a few photos and tell Marty what you're seeing. No pressure — just a straight answer from someone local.
