I work as a Bellingham home inspector, serving all of Whatcom county and frequently Skagit county and Island county. On the job, I see a number of old homes. When a home is older, and the foundation is post and block (pier), it is very common that some settling will have taken place over the years. In fact, that is so common in my experience that one of my disclaimers on an older home with that type of foundation notes that this could be ongoing. When possible, if there are smooth floors without carpets, I will put a large glass marble on the floor and see which way it rolls. Sometimes when I give it a nudge, it goes nowhere but often it will roll down a slope in one or more directions. That was the case the other day. Here the marble headed -- consistently -- to the east. Sometimes, when an inspector goes into the crawl space, it is hard to tell what the exact structural problem causing a slope might be. It can be as subtle as unprofessional repairs that left the floors uneven. In this case, it was quite apparent that the primary issue was settling. Below is a shot of a pier and a post at the higher west end. The piers under the house are simply set on dirt with no poured footings of any type. These piers, and based on the look of the landscape attempts were made to solve this problem before, are resting on disturbed soil. Bottom line: They are sinking and this sinking has led to structural issues below. This problem, along with many others in the crawl space, will require the services of an experienced and qualified contractor. Steven L. Smith Bellingham WA Home Inspections 
Settling In Whatcom County -- Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House)
16 comments • Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector • August 30 2009 01:23PMComments
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That's a terrible looking pier. Were they all like that?
Interesting... Brian has this metal ball he uses (not sure what it's made of though). Ok, I'm not sure how that all sounds - but I am referring to the level of the floor here! ~Rita
I'll bet people are shocked when they see the true cause of such settlement!
Nutsy's momma told me Nutsy and his father constructed this house back in the days.
That wood a pier to be in poor condition says I---then again I may just be loosing my marbles
Me thinks that that beam must have some good "end glue" in order to hold it into place...
Helping you live your American dream...
Kate - you coming out with another one about who Nutsy's father is? True confessions?
Jay, it is a thought. The ActiveRain community needs the truth. Deserves the truth. In fact, based on the volumes of emailed requests I receive for dirt on Nutsy, demands the truth.
Who is that Caped Crusader, the Voice of Truth? Is it, can it be... Wonder-Kate?
And back to the topic at hand, that is a scary-looking pier to be holding up an end of a house :)
Shoshana,
As modest as I am, I do admit to being recognized as Kate The Great. History buffs will understand my likeness to the great crusader. It's all in a days work.
Your Truly as I fly off into the horizon, Ms. Wonder-Kate
It's a bird... it's a plane.... No! It's Wonder-Kate
Demands?? Wow, who'da thunk...
That's a beaut. I'm with Michael, what's holding that beam up? Thick air, an anti gravity device. What?
Jim, haven't you heard of "invisible fir"----related to hemlock I think.
The post is tipping obviously. The beam is held up by the other end so to speak.
I'd say that there are a lot of older houses that have issues like this! I went into a haunted one that every floor was sloping in different directions.
Steve I love the education you do in your blogs, i'm learning as I go :)