In most instances, installing steel piers under your home is the best long-term solution to stabilize the foundation—It’s also the most costly. For this repair, galvanized steel posts are driven deep into the ground below the foundation. The piers can go as deep as necessary to reach bedrock or soil that’s compact enough to provide enough support.
Steel piers can carry massive amounts of weight, work in almost any upper soil condition and are considered a permanent repair.
Helical piers are another permanent foundation repair method made of galvanized steel. Essentially, they are steel posts that twist into the ground with a helically shaped leading point that resembles a screw or auger and pull the pier deeper below the surface when turned by large machinery.
Helical piers are excellent for supporting the massive weight of a home and foundation without needing to reach bedrock. The devices are drilled into the ground until they reach heavy soil compact enough to support the load before being permanently attached to the house.
Concrete piles are simply blocks or cylinders of pre-cured concrete. They can be several inches long and wide or many feet thick and long. The piles are driven or placed below the foundation into compacted soil and may consist of one piece or several stacked on top of each other.
Concrete piles are a lower-cost alternative to steel piers. However, the soil beneath your home will determine if they’re an adequate remedy for your foundation.
Poured concrete piers are another lower-cost foundation repair solution if the conditions are right under your home. The method consists of digging a large hole beneath the foundation, filling it with wet concrete and allowing it to cure before attaching it to the home.
Poured concrete piers are useful in many soil conditions and may resemble simple cylinders or be created with a bell shape at the bottom to provide increased support.
