Foundation piers: steel, helical and concrete
Pier type is one of the biggest reasons two foundation bids for the same house look nothing alike. Here's how the common systems differ.
A pier carries the weight of a settled part of the foundation down past the clay that shrinks and swells, to soil or rock that stays put better. Companies tend to favor one system, and each will explain why theirs is best. Knowing the basics makes it easier to compare what you're being offered.
How do the pier types compare?
| Steel push piers | Helical piers | Pressed concrete piers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How installed | Steel pipe sections driven hydraulically, using the house's weight as resistance | Steel shaft with helix plates screwed into the ground | Precast concrete cylinders pressed down one on top of another |
| When they stop | At refusal on firm soil or rock | At a target installation torque | At resistance; often shallower |
| Often used for | Heavier homes with firm bearing at depth | Lighter loads such as porches and additions | Many residential slabs in clay country |
| Record to ask for | Depth and pressure at each pier | Installation torque at each pier | Depth, and how segments are connected |
Steel push piers
Also called resistance piers. A bracket is fastened to the footing and pipe sections are pushed down with a hydraulic ram that uses the house as its counterweight. Because each pier is driven until it won't go further, the installer gets a pressure reading at each location. Ask for that record.
Helical piers
These look like oversized screws. A hydraulic drive head turns them into the ground, and the torque it takes is used to estimate how much load they'll carry. They don't rely on the weight of the house to install, so they're common under lighter structures.
Pressed concrete piers
Short precast cylinders are pressed into the soil one after another, then capped and shimmed under the beam. They're widely used under residential slabs. Ask how deep they usually reach on soils like yours and whether the segments are tied together with a cable or rod.
What should I ask about any pier plan?
- Why this system for my house?
- How many piers, where, and how far apart?
- How deep have your piers gone on nearby homes?
- Will I get a pier log with depth and pressure or torque for each pier?
- Who contacts Texas811 before digging? State law requires at least two business days' notice.
Pricing comes from the contractor, after they've taken floor readings and worked out why the house is moving. We don't quote prices, and any number offered over the phone before someone has measured the floors is only a guess.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Which pier type is best?
There's no single answer. It depends on the weight of the house, the soil profile and how deep firm bearing is. Ask each contractor to explain their choice for your house.
What is a pier log?
A record of each pier's location, depth and installation pressure or torque. It helps with warranty claims and answers questions from future buyers.
Related services
- Slab foundation repair
- Pier-and-beam foundation repair
- Foundation drainage and watering
- Foundation evaluations and crack repair
More background: Wichita Falls foundation repair guide.
A door that won't latch, a crack in the brick, or a floor that tilts?
Call and a foundation repair contractor who works in Wichita County will come take floor readings and explain what the house is doing.