Pier and Beam Repair New Braunfels TX

New treated wood sill beam resting on round concrete piers along the base of a raised house — Real project photo from work reviewed by Arturo Muñoz.

01What crews replace

Repair can mean resetting or adding concrete pier pads, swapping crushed shims for steel ones, sistering or replacing a sagging beam, or rebuilding a sill that has rotted where it touches damp masonry. The photos on this page show that kind of work: new pads poured, new beams set, and the house brought back down onto solid support.

02Why raised homes sag

Moisture is the usual cause. A crawl space with poor airflow or water pooling after rain will soften wood and undermine pads. In clay areas on the prairie side the pads themselves can rise and fall with the seasons. Pairing a structural fix with crawl space repair protects the new wood.

Workers setting rebar in an excavated footing for a new foundation pier

03Before you sign

Cross-section diagram of a French drain with gravel and perforated pipe

Ask whether the crew will open the skirting and photograph what they find, and whether replaced wood is treated. For whole-house sloping, house leveling may be part of the same job.

Cost drivers on Hill Country and prairie lots

Rock vs clay

Piers stop at shallow limestone on some west-side lots and run deeper in eastern clay.

Support count

Every pier adds materials and labor; ask for a layout drawing.

Home size and type

Two-story and pier and beam homes need different equipment.

Flood and drainage work

Low lots near the rivers may need grading or drains alongside repair.

Engineer report

Often requested for sales or insurance; adds a fee but an independent view.

Rock to the west, clay to the east

Simplified illustration, not a soil survey.

West of I-35Hill Country edge: shallow limestone and rocky soil. Piers may stop at rock sooner.
Along the escarpmentMixed ground where rock and clay meet; settlement can differ across one house.
East toward the prairieDeeper expansive clay. Moisture swings drive more movement and deeper piers.

Evaluate, plan, lift, monitor

Evaluate

Elevations, crack patterns, drainage and soil type are checked to find why the house moved.

Plan

The contractor writes up pier layout, depth, drainage fixes and warranty terms.

Lift

Piers or new supports go in and the home is raised toward level as far as framing allows.

Monitor

Final readings are recorded so future movement can be compared against them.

Frequently asked questions

Is pier and beam cheaper to fix than slab?+

Often, because crews can reach the framing from below. Extensive beam replacement can still be costly.

Can a raised home be releveled more than once?+

Yes. Adjusting shims is normal maintenance on a raised house, and some owners have it checked every few years.

Pier and Beam Repair in New Braunfels, TX

Request a Foundation Estimate