- 1986Median year homes were built, Marion (ACS)
- CrockettMost extensive soil series, Guadalupe County (NRCS)
- 35.7 inYearly rain, New Braunfels
- 9 mi south of New BraunfelsStraight-line distance
Ground and housing
What is under Marion homes
Across Guadalupe County, the largest mapped soil series are Crockett, Branyon, Houston Black. Soil type shapes how a crew plans the work in Marion. The typical Marion house dates to about 1986, per Census figures, so plan for parts and framing of that era. Before structural or permitted work, check the requirements with the local government: https://cityofmariontx.org
Services here
What we handle in Marion
Marion, Guadalupe County
What shapes foundations here
A railroad town
Marion is named for Marion Dove, whose grandfather owned the plantation the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway crossed in 1877. The town was incorporated by 1941 and covers 0.77 square miles.
Older homes on piers
Much of the housing in town is older, and many of those houses stand on pier-and-beam foundations with crawl spaces.
Prairie clay
Like the rest of the prairie side of Guadalupe County, Marion sits on clay that swells after rain and shrinks in drought.
Flat ground drains slowly
Flat lots hold water near the house after storms, which keeps clay soft at the footing.
On FM 78. FM 78 runs through town, about 12 miles west of Seguin and 26 miles east of San Antonio, so most local contractors come from those directions.
Local issues
Common foundation issues in Marion homes
Floors sloping in an older farmhouse
Older pier-and-beam houses often have sinking or leaning piers and damp crawl spaces. New piers, shims and wood repair usually bring floors back.
Cracks in a slab home after drought
Prairie clay shrinks in dry spells. An elevation survey shows whether one area has settled.
Water standing on a flat lot
Flat ground drains slowly. Regrade so soil slopes away and extend downspouts.
Before you sign
Questions to ask a crew working here
- Old homes Ask about experience.
- Survey Readings.
- Moisture Crawl plan.
- Permit Ask whether the City of Marion requires a permit for pier work or drainage changes, and who pulls it.
Local checklist
Signs to act now
- Soft spots in old floors
- Rotted subfloor or joists over a damp crawl space.
- Gaps at baseboards
- Floors dropping away from walls show settlement.
- Doors that no longer latch
- Frames have moved.
- Musty crawl space
- Persistent moisture under the house rots wood.
- Porch pulling away
- Porch footings settle separately.
- Cracks in a newer slab home
- Mark and date them, and check whether they grow through a dry summer.
- Water under the house after rain
- Fix grading so water moves away from the crawl space.
Photos
