Home building in East Texas. Slab on Grade foundation or Pier Foundation?

Hey Brendan..sounds like your up around the Angelina /lufkin area...Well its hard to explain the Trade offs here but if your even close to flood plane pier is the answer..If your in a 100year plane its a break even and 500 year you might want to use a slab. Pointers on the slab. In the areas up to and including the Lufkin area they are in a type of ground that expands about 20% from the dry time.Its the black gumbo looking with white and shell aggregates. To get your slab in and keep it from cracking your need to really watch the capture of the slab and the ratio of deflection .If your not careful a long skinny slab will crack badly when the ground moisture heaves and the water will hydraulic the whole thing down the hill...so even in a dry spot drainage is paramount..12-18" of crushed material for base...and french drains...Now if your above the black soil line your into the red iron ore which is even worse...so here is what you got ..drilled pier bases with your house off the ground,standard slab,super waffle shaped capture slab, and drilled pier under a concrete slab.. Of all of them the regular slab is the cheapest at about 5-7 bucks a foot and is the fastest..If the water comes up in your dining room though through the floor don't be surprised..super slab will stay where you put it and is somewhat a floater(plastic). the other two are pier types which serve two great uses they auto get you out of the water (relative) and of the two the best is concrete with wood connected to the floor joists. Using hurricane clips like 18ga over every joist connection and along the top l=plate and the floor plate is even better . ONE last thing if it moves a little it might still be there if it's to rigid it will be gone. Lufkin gets about 60mph to 70mph from a direct hit. Lastly ask the locals what survived and look around what everyone else is doing...Good luck one Texan to another from the E..Gig em Aggie's (basketball looks good)