Foundation repair · Schertz, Texas
Foundation Repair in Schertz, TX
A permit for every repair, warranty work included, and an engineer before and after.
Schertz is the only city we checked around New Braunfels that spells out that even warranty work on a foundation needs a permit. Its foundation repair requirements say "A building permit is required for foundation repair", and add that "this includes warranty work." The city also wants an engineered pier plan before the work and a sealed engineer's letter after it.
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- Free inspectionIt costs nothing
- No obligationStopping after the inspection is fine
- Town-by-town soil dataFrom the USDA soil survey
- Referral service, disclosedWe pass requests to local pros
- Call (830) 500-5898Or send the short form
If you're looking into foundation repair in Schertz because of cracks or sticking doors, those rules work in your favor. They mean an engineer looks at the plan before anyone digs, and signs off once it's done. The ground under Schertz is more varied than most people expect, so that second set of eyes is worth having.
Clay or Rock: The Ground Under Schertz
We sampled the USDA soil survey at 25 points across Schertz. Here's what turned up:
- Branyon clay, 20%. The only very high shrink-swell soil in our Schertz sample. It reads 13.0, with that layer running from about a foot down to past 6 feet and no rock in the top 80 inches.
- Lewisville silty clay, 20%, reading 7.5, in the high band.
- Barbarosa silty clay, 12%, also reading 7.5.
- Sunev loam, 8%, reading just 1.5, low on the USDA's scale.
- Doss silty clay, 8%, reading 4.5. The survey says it formed from limestone, with bedrock about 15 inches down.
- Austin silty clay, 8%, reading 5.1. It formed from chalk, with bedrock about 29 inches down.
So 20% of our Schertz points landed on very high clay, half the share in New Braunfels, and 24% landed on low or moderate soils. Much of the rest is the middle ground: Lewisville and Barbarosa, which move less than Branyon but still move.
What that means for your house depends on the lot. On Branyon, even moisture around the slab is what matters most, and piers have to reach below the layer that dries and wets. On Doss or Austin, with rock close underneath, a moving house is a reason to look for water first: a plumbing leak, a downspout emptying at the wall, or a low corner. Our guide to New Braunfels soil shows how to look up your own lot.
What Schertz Homes Are Built On
The US Census counts 16,175 homes in Schertz, with a median build year of 2001. About 71.0% went up in 1990 or later: 16.9% in the 1990s, 27.2% in the 2000s, 23.4% in the 2010s and 3.5% since 2020. Another 24.2% date from 1960 to 1989, and 4.9% were built before 1960.
The Census records build years, not foundations. Still, most Schertz houses are young enough that many are likely on post-tension slabs, with steel cables pulled tight inside the concrete. That's a trend, not a fact about your house. It matters because nobody should drill into a post-tension slab without knowing where the cables run. Our post-tension slab guide explains how to tell.
- 2001Median year Schertz homes were built
- 4.9%Built before 1960
- 71.0%Built in 1990 or later
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2023.
Permits and Rules in Schertz
Schertz publishes its foundation repair requirements in detail:
- A permit for every foundation repair. The city says this includes warranty work, so a repair done under a contractor's warranty still needs one.
- An engineered plan up front. The application needs an engineered plan or drawing showing where the piers go, the areas being repaired and how the repair will be done.
- A floodplain permit if the property is in the floodplain.
- Two foundation inspections: a new pier inspection and a foundation final, plus plumbing and electrical inspections where the job needs them.
- A sealed engineer's letter after. Once repairs or warranty work are done, a Texas licensed engineer has to sign and seal a letter or report saying the foundation was repaired to the design.
- The fee: the city's residential fee schedule lists foundation repair at $225.
For you, that's a lot of protection built in. The engineer's plan says what should happen, the inspections check that it did, and the sealed letter puts it in writing. Questions go to the Inspections Division at 210-619-1750. Our guide to foundation repair permits compares these rules with the rest of the area.
Watering Rules in Schertz
Schertz's water story is different from its neighbors'. The city's conservation page says Schertz has drawn its water from the Carrizo Aquifer since March 2003, and that "the Carrizo Aquifer is not under Stage 1, 2, 3, or 4 restrictions." Live Oak and Universal City, whose stages follow the Edwards Aquifer, were both in Stage 3 when we read their pages on October 7, 2026.
The year-round rules are simple. Automated sprinklers can't run between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., while handheld devices and drip irrigation can be used any time.
The city's drought ordinance, No. 09-F-21, also has a rule just for foundations. Watering by soaker hose, handheld hose or drip line "immediately next to a concrete foundation", to prevent damage from the foundation moving, isn't treated as yard watering. Even in Stage 3, the ordinance allows that foundation watering before 8 a.m. and after 8 p.m.
Questions go to the city's Utility Billing office at (210) 619-1100. Our foundation watering guide covers how much is enough.
Foundation Repair Services in Schertz
- Slab foundation repair under permit, with the engineer's plan and sealed letter
- Foundation inspection to measure the floors before anyone draws a pier plan
- Foundation crack repair to tell a cosmetic crack from a moving one
- House leveling when floors have gone out of level
- Pier and beam repair for older raised houses
Schertz Foundation Repair Questions
Does warranty work really need a permit in Schertz?
Yes. The city's foundation repair requirements say a building permit is required for foundation repair, and that this includes warranty work. The sealed engineer's letter applies after warranty work too.
How much is a foundation repair permit in Schertz?
The city's residential fee schedule lists foundation repair at $225. That's the permit only. The engineer's plan, the sealed letter and the repair itself are separate costs.
How fast can I get an inspection?
The city says inspection requests received by 6:00 a.m. are inspected the same business day.
Can I water my foundation during a drought in Schertz?
Yes. Schertz's ordinance treats watering right next to a concrete foundation, by soaker hose, handheld hose or drip line, as separate from yard watering. Even in Stage 3, it's allowed before 8 a.m. and after 8 p.m.
Nearby Towns We Serve
We serve Schertz and the towns around it, including Cibolo, Selma, Universal City, Live Oak, Converse, Garden Ridge and New Braunfels.
Cibolo, right next door, sits on very different ground. In our sample, 44% of Cibolo's points landed on very high clay, more than twice Schertz's 20%. See all service areas.
Get a Free Foundation Inspection in Schertz
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