Pier and Beam Foundation Repair in Killeen, TX

Sagging or bouncy floors over a crawlspace? Most pier-and-beam repairs run about $3,000 to $9,500 nationally, per Modernize.

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Pier and beam foundation repair fixes a house that sits on piers over a crawlspace, by resetting shims, replacing piers or swapping out failed beams. Modernize puts most of these repairs at $3,000 to $9,500 nationally.

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How a pier and beam foundation works

A pier-and-beam house doesn't rest on the ground. Piers (concrete, brick, metal or wood) rest on concrete footings in the soil. Beams run across the tops of the piers, floor joists run across the beams, and the floor sits on the joists. Thin wedges called shims fill the gap between each pier and the beam above it. This Old House notes that the crawlspace underneath gives easier access to plumbing and wiring, which also makes repairs easier to reach.

Each of those parts can fail on its own:

Shims rot, compress or slip, so the beam sags between piers.
Piers sink, tilt or crack when the clay under their footings shrinks or swells.
Beams and joists rot or crack, often where the crawlspace stays damp.

Signs your pier and beam foundation needs work

Floors that bounce, sag or slope, especially in the middle of a room
Doors that bind or won't latch, and gaps above door frames
Cracks in drywall at the corners of doors and windows
A musty smell or standing water in the crawlspace
Piers that lean, or shims that are visibly crushed or missing

Texas home inspection rules require an inspector to report deteriorated foundation materials and problems with beams, joists, piers, posts, sills and subfloor, plus crawlspace ventilation or drainage that isn't working. If an inspection report lists any of these, it's a good starting point for the company that evaluates the house.

Pier and beam repair methods and costs

Modernize, a national home-project cost site, gives these ranges (updated September 2026). They are national averages, not Killeen quotes.

Repair	What it involves	National range
Reshimming	Lifting sections slightly and replacing or adjusting shims	About $1,000 to $3,500 total
Beam replacement	Replacing a rotted, cracked or sagging beam with treated lumber or steel	About $400 to $1,200 per beam
Floor joist replacement	Replacing joists that failed from moisture, pests or poor construction	About $350 to $1,000 per joist
Underpinning	Adding deeper supports under piers that are shifting or sinking	About $1,000 to $3,000 per pier
Replacing piers	Removing and rebuilding cracked, rotted or sunken piers	About $2,500 to $6,000 per pier
Full house leveling	Lifting the whole house and resetting it on new or reinforced piers and beams	About $5,000 to $12,000 total

Bob Vila, citing Angi data, gives a wider range for pier-and-beam repair: about $700 to $25,000. The spread comes from how much of the house has moved and how hard the crawlspace is to work in. Modernize notes that a cramped or low crawlspace adds labor.

Why Bell County crawlspaces need watching

The same clay that moves slabs moves pier footings. East of the Balcones Escarpment, around Temple, Houston Black clay is the most common soil, and USDA describes it as having a high shrink-swell potential. West of the escarpment, around Killeen, soils are lighter and limy, with shallow rock in places. A pier sitting on clay can rise in a wet season and drop in a dry one while its neighbor on firmer ground stays put, and the beam between them takes the strain.

Moisture is the other half of the problem. A crawlspace with poor ventilation or drainage stays damp, and damp wood rots. Keep crawlspace vents clear, make sure downspouts carry water away from the house, and fix plumbing leaks under the floor promptly.

Killeen permits for pier and beam work

Killeen's permit requirement covers foundation repair in general, not only slabs. A City of Killeen notice to contractors says foundation repair has needed a permit since March 1, 2022, with a floor plan and pier diagram, and either a professional engineer's final acceptance letter or sealed plans plus city inspections. Ask the company to pull the permit and give you a copy of the final paperwork.

What to ask before you hire

Did you go into the crawlspace? Can I see photos of what you found?
Is the problem the shims, the piers, the beams or the soil? How do you know?
How many piers will you add or replace, and of what type?
Will you replace wood with treated lumber or steel?
Are you registered with the city, and will you pull the permit?
What warranty do you offer, and does it cover reshimming later?

For a second opinion that isn't tied to the sale, you can hire an independent Texas-licensed professional engineer (P.E.).

If your house is on a concrete slab, see slab foundation repair. To bring a whole house back toward level, see house leveling. For a line-by-line price breakdown, see the foundation repair cost guide, and for quick answers, the foundation repair FAQ. Temple homeowners can read our Temple foundation repair page.

Common questions

Do pier and beam homes have foundation issues?

Yes, though the problems differ from a slab's. Modernize notes that pier-and-beam foundations are especially vulnerable to moisture, wood rot and shifting soil, which can lead to sagging floors. The upside is access: the crawlspace lets a crew reach piers, beams and plumbing without breaking through a floor.

Is it easy to fix a pier and beam foundation?

Small fixes can be. Modernize puts reshimming, a typical minor repair, at about $1,000 to $3,500 for the job. Replacing failed piers or rotted beams is bigger work, and a low or wet crawlspace adds labor. The company should crawl the space and show you what it found before it quotes.

How long does reshimming last?

Modernize says reshimming lasts about five to ten years. Shims sit on top of piers, so if the piers themselves keep sinking, new shims only buy time. Ask the company whether your piers are moving or only the shims have compressed.

Pier and beam repair in Temple: is it different?

The repair methods are the same as in Killeen. What differs is the ground: Temple sits on the Blackland Prairie side of Bell County, where Houston Black clay is the most common soil. Our Temple page covers the city's soil, history and permit contacts.

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Last updated 2026-10-23