In San Antonio, people talk about getting the house leveled the way others talk about getting the roof redone. It's just part of owning an older home here. San Antonio house leveling is the work we get asked about most in this city, and we do it slowly.
House leveling in san antonio usually starts with a trip under the floor, since most of these homes sit on piers. We'll show you every number, before and after.
The short answer
San Antonio house leveling usually means re-shimming older pier and beam homes moved by clay and caliche. Crews lift slowly with jacks, set steel shims and replace soft wood. Most jobs take 1–2 days. A check every few years is normal here, and good drainage stretches out the time between adjustments.
Why foundations move in San Antonio
San Antonio floors go out of level because of expansive clay and a tough layer called caliche. Clay near the surface swings with the weather. Caliche below it doesn't let water drain well, so moisture can linger right at the level where your piers sit.
Many older homes here sit on piers that were set before modern standards. Over decades, they've tilted or sunk, and the wood shims on top have crushed. That's why it's common to find a slope running across a whole house.
Long hot summers make it worse by drying out the top layer of soil. House leveling san antonio tx homes need can often wait until you've seen how far it's moved, so we start by measuring.
What we fix in San Antonio
- house leveling: Controlled lifts and steel shims, with before-and-after readings.
- pier and beam foundation repair: Replacing piers that have sunk or tilted.
- crawl space repair: New wood where sills and beams have gone soft.
- slab foundation repair: Piers under newer slab homes on clay.
- foundation crack repair: Sealing cracks after the house is back up.
- free foundation inspection: An elevation map and a trip under the house.
Neighborhoods and nearby towns we serve
We work across the city and surrounding towns. House leveling san antonio texas owners call us about often involves older central homes, though it's far from limited to those.
- Schertz
- Converse
- Helotes
- Boerne
- Alamo Heights
- Universal City
This page covers one service. For everything else we do here, see foundation repair in San Antonio.
What foundation repair usually runs in San Antonio
Foundation repairs usually run $2,200–$8,100 nationally, and major jobs can reach $10,000–$30,000. Those are national ranges, not San Antonio prices, and your exact price depends on what we find at the inspection. Here's more on foundation repair cost.
Crawl height and wood condition matter most here. Caliche can slow digging when new piers are needed, and that can add to the job.
How your free inspection works
- We read the floors in each room and map the slope.
- We check every pier, shim and beam under the house.
- You get a written plan with your options and how far we expect to bring it up.
House leveling in San Antonio: common questions
Does caliche make house leveling harder?
Sometimes. Caliche is hard, so digging new pier holes takes more effort, and that can add cost. It can also be a solid base to build on. Water doesn't drain through it well, so we'll look at drainage as part of the plan.
What do people mean by re-leveling in San Antonio?
They usually mean going back to adjust a raised home that was leveled before. Crews jack up the low spots, reset the shims and check the readings. It's usually a smaller job than the first time. If it's needed very often, there's likely a drainage or pier problem.
Do I need a permit for house leveling in San Antonio?
It depends on the job and the address. Small crack repairs often don't need one, while structural work usually does. Check with the San Antonio building department; we handle permits where they're required. We'll tell you up front if your house leveling needs one and include it in your written estimate.
How soon can you look at my San Antonio home for house leveling?
Usually within a few days. Book online and we'll confirm a time. We'll ask for your ZIP code first to confirm that your San Antonio address is in our area. Most visits take 45–90 minutes, and you'll want to be home so we can walk you through what we find.