Question 1

Are Uni-Jacks a permanent fix for a sagging floor?

Accepted Answer

No, and we would rather say so up front. Uni-Jacks are supplemental floor support: adjustable steel columns that share the load a weakened joist, girder, or undersized beam is struggling to carry. They are not intended as a fixed or permanent structural solution, and they do not replace underpinning, sistered or replaced framing, or a repair designed by a structural engineer. What they do well, when the cause of the sag is addressed and the jacks are adjusted each year, is stabilize a floor that flexes, sags, or bounces — at a fraction of what full structural reconstruction costs. If an inspection shows the damage is beyond what supplemental support should be asked to hold, we will tell you that instead of selling you jacks.

Question 2

Why do Uni-Jacks need to be adjusted every year?

Accepted Answer

Because the ground under a Hampton Roads home does not hold still. Seasonal moisture, a high water table, and the wet-dry cycle in coastal soil all move a crawl space footing slightly over the course of a year, and wood framing itself expands, contracts, and continues to settle under load. A yearly adjustment brings each jack back to the load it was set for. Skip it and the system does not fail dramatically — it just drifts, and you slowly lose the correction you paid for. Annual adjustment is how you maximize the performance of the system, and it can be handled as part of a service plan visit.

Question 3

What are the signs my floors need supplemental support?

Accepted Answer

The common ones are a floor that dips toward the middle of a room, a springy or bouncy spot underfoot, furniture that no longer sits level, interior doors that stick or swing open on their own, and hairline cracks appearing where a wall meets a ceiling. Under the house, the matching evidence is a girder that has cupped or split, joists that have pulled away from a beam, a crushed shim stack, or a pier that has sunk into damp soil. Any one of those is worth an inspection, because the cause matters as much as the symptom.

Question 4

What does a Uni-Jack installation involve?

Accepted Answer

It starts with a crawl space inspection, where we measure the sag, look at how the framing is carrying its load, and identify what caused it. Where supplemental support is appropriate, we set adjustable steel columns on proper footings beneath the affected girder or joists and bring them up gradually to take the load. Gradually matters: floors are raised slowly and in stages, because forcing a settled floor up quickly cracks drywall, tile, and trim. Most homes are done in a day, and the work happens entirely under the floor, so you can stay in the house while we are there.

Question 5

Will Uni-Jacks make my floor perfectly level again?

Accepted Answer

Usually not perfectly, and any company promising a dead-level floor on a settled home is overselling. Realistically, supplemental support is expected to take the flex out of the floor, slow or stop further movement, and recover part of the sag over time as the framing relaxes into the corrected position — how much of that you get depends on the condition of the framing, the soil and footings, whether the moisture problem was solved, and whether the jacks are adjusted each year. Some homeowners get most of it back, some get a noticeable improvement rather than a full correction. We will give you an honest expectation at the inspection rather than after the invoice.

Question 6

Do you fix what caused the damage, or just support the floor?

Accepted Answer

Both, in the right order, because supporting rotted or insect-damaged wood without addressing the cause just relocates the problem. If the framing has been weakened by wood-destroying insects or decay, that gets treated and the compromised wood repaired first — see our termite damage repair and wood fungus treatment work. If moisture is what softened the wood, the crawl space needs to be dried out with drainage, a sump pump, or encapsulation, or the same conditions will simply work on the repair.

Question 7

How much does supplemental floor support cost?

Accepted Answer

It is quoted per home, because the price depends on how many supports the floor needs, how much of the framing has to be repaired first, and how accessible the crawl space is. A low-clearance crawl full of standing water is a different job from a dry one you can move through. The inspection and the quote are free and come with no obligation, and for qualified homeowners SmartPay financing is available with $0 down and 0% APR options on larger projects.

Question 8

Is the work safe for children and pets?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Uni-Jack installation is purely mechanical — steel supports, footings, and framing repair — with no pest control products involved in the support work itself. It all takes place in the crawl space, and the only thing we ask is that children and pets stay clear of the access point and the work area while the crew is moving materials in and out.

What to compare	Universal Pest Control	Most pest control companies
UniGuard ProgramExclusive	Universal Pest Control Termite protection and full pest control combined in one membership for one low monthly payment — from $59/month, with the termite warranty and quarterly pest service included together.	Most pest control companies Termite protection and pest control are usually sold as two separate agreements, with two renewals and two bills to keep track of.
SmartPay financingExclusive	Universal Pest Control $0-down payment options on termite treatments, baiting systems, and repairs, so the work can start before payday. Simple, predictable monthly payments.	Most pest control companies Financing, where it is offered, is commonly arranged separately through a third-party lender.
Pest Guard Attic Insulation™Exclusive	Universal Pest Control Hampton Roads' only licensed Pest Guard Insulation™ installer, through our sister company Universal Insulation Doctor — insulation manufactured with an EPA-registered pest preventative, so the replacement itself resists the insects that ruined the original.	Most pest control companies Attic insulation is typically referred out, and standard fiberglass has no pest deterrent built into the material.
Total Home Health Network	Universal Pest Control Pest and termite control, attic insulation, and duct cleaning coordinated under one roof through the Universal family of companies — one point of contact for the whole job, done in the right order.	Most pest control companies Pest control only. Insulation and duct work are usually booked with separate vendors on separate timelines.
A+ BBB rating	Universal Pest Control BBB accredited since 2007 with an A+ rating, earned through consistent, honest work in the same community.	Most pest control companies Accreditation and ratings vary by company — worth checking before you book anyone.
26+ years in business	Universal Pest Control Protecting Hampton Roads homes since 2000 — more than 26 years in the same market, with over 100,000+ homes serviced.	Most pest control companies Tenure in the area varies widely; newer branches and recently opened franchises are common.
Family owned & operated	Universal Pest Control Owned and run by a family that has lived in Hampton Roads their whole lives. The people who answer the phone and the crews at your door are your neighbors.	Most pest control companies Ownership varies — many local branches are franchises of national brands, with crews dispatched from outside the area.
Guarantees in writing	Universal Pest Control Pest-Free Guarantee and Termite-Free Guarantee: if pests come back between scheduled visits, so do we, at no extra charge. Free inspections, plus same-day and next-day service.	Most pest control companies Retreatment terms, callback windows, and what counts as covered differ from contract to contract.

Uni-Jack Supplemental Floor Support in Virginia Beach & Hampton Roads

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Uni-Jack Installation

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