Question for the engineer types out there: I am under contract on an older home in the Houston area. The house has a pier and beam foundation that was essentially redone ($10,000 of work, several dozen new piers put in) in 2006. My home inspector snapped a photo of one leaning pier (looks like a 20 degree lean from 90 to me) under the house and recommends I fix it. Seller's PE comes in and says there's no issue and I have it in writing.

There's no sign of cracking or anything inside. On the outside, there is one probably old crack on the brick veneer but that's all. Floors seem very level to me walking though and original wood floors (house built in 1945) are in very good shape.

How concerned should I be? Is a leaning pier common enough to not worry about? Thanks in advance for any reply.

If a licensed engineer signed off on it and you can find no signs of problems from it, I would probably be okay with it.

Don't forget that houses don't pass or fail to inspectors. We just point out problems or potential problems. A leaning pier would be unusual enough to mention.

I would get a Hydro static test done and that will help. Often on those older homes if the slab moves, it will create a leak on the plumbing, and the hydrostatic test will reveal that. I am a contractor and dealt with a few of these. Some are worth buying and some you ned to walk away from.