What a pier is for
A foundation pier is a column — usually steel pipe — installed beneath the foundation down to soil that will hold the house still. The soil near the surface is the part that swells, shrinks, and gives way; the pier bypasses it and transfers the weight to something firmer.
Published descriptions of the method follow the same order: install the pier into load-bearing soil, connect it to the foundation with a steel bracket, test it under more load than it needs to carry, and only then use jacks to raise the foundation and lock it in place.
Steel push piers
Push piers are sections of coated steel pipe joined end to end and pressed into the ground with a hydraulic ram, using the weight of the house itself as the force to push against. Each pier is then load-tested against that same weight.
Published national ranges put them at $990 to $1,350 per pier, the lower of the two options per pier.
Helical piers
A helical pier is steel pipe with one or more spiral plates near the tip. It is screwed into the ground with a hydraulic torque motor rather than pushed. Manufacturer engineering guidance explains that the turning resistance rises as the plates reach firmer soil, and that the torque recorded at installation is one of the ways a helical pier’s capacity is judged.
Published national ranges put helical piers at $3,500 to $4,400 per pier. Because they do not rely on the weight of the house to drive them in, manufacturers describe them as suited to lighter structures — ask the specialist why they chose one type over the other for your house.
The two side by side
| Steel push pier | Helical pier | |
|---|---|---|
| How it goes in | Pressed in with a hydraulic ram | Screwed in with a torque motor |
| What it relies on | The weight of the house as resistance | Its spiral plates and installation torque |
| Published national range, per pier | $990–$1,350 | $3,500–$4,400 |
| 8 piers, computed | $7,920 to $10,800 | $28,000 to $35,200 |
How the pier count gets set
The count is not a menu choice; it comes out of the evaluation. The specialist maps where the foundation has dropped, decides which sections need support, and spaces piers so that each carries a share of the load. A small corner settlement and a whole-house problem are very different numbers.
The 8-pier example in the table above is only there to show how a per-pier price adds up — about $7,920 to $10,800 for push piers at the published national range. It is not a typical job or a recommendation.
What a pier plan should say in writing
The structural line on a foundation quote is where the pier plan lives. It should be specific enough that a second specialist could price the same plan:
- The type of pier, and why that type for this house.
- How many, and where each goes — marked on a sketch of the floor plan.
- Inside, outside, or both, and what has to be moved or opened to reach them.
- How each pier will be tested, and what depth or reading counts as done.
- Whether a lift is included, and the target for the floor afterward.
- 1Evaluation findingsWhat was measured and found — elevation readings, crack locations, construction type, likely cause.
- 2Drainage / moisture correctionGutters, grading, downspouts, or crawlspace moisture work that addresses why the soil is moving.
- 3Structural repairPiers, shims, or sill and beam replacement — with counts, locations, and depths stated.
- 4Finish / cosmeticDrywall, brick, trim, and door adjustments after the house moves — priced on its own line.
Before you approve the plan
On a large pier plan, an independent read can be worth having — see structural engineer or foundation company. Ask what happens if a pier has to go deeper than expected and whether that changes the price. Ask whether the drainage around the house is part of the plan — piers hold the foundation up, but the soil around them still reacts to water. And ask what the finish work will look like once the house moves, because doors, drywall, and brick may need attention afterward.
For slab houses, read slab foundation repair; for raised houses that need new piers, see pier and beam repair.
Per-pier ranges at a glance
| Job | Published range | Scope | What moves it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major repair (underpinning, piers) | $2,300–$23,900per job | Shreveport | How many piers, how deep, and how far the house has to come back. |
| Steel push pier | $990–$1,350per pier | National | Depth to bearing and access around the house. |
| Helical pier | $3,500–$4,400per pier | National | Depth, soil, and the load at that point. |
Rows marked “Shreveport” come from published Shreveport cost guides. Rows marked “National” come from published national cost guides, not Shreveport figures. These are published ranges, not quotes and not our prices — we do not price or perform work. A real number comes only from a specialist evaluating the house.
Permits. Ask your specialist who pulls the permit.
Piering questions
How much does a foundation pier cost?
Published national ranges put steel push piers at $990 to $1,350 per pier and helical piers at $3,500 to $4,400 per pier. At 8 piers, that works out to about $7,920 to $10,800 for push piers or $28,000 to $35,200 for helical piers, before drainage and finish work.
How many piers does my house need?
Nobody can say before the evaluation. The count depends on how much of the house has moved, where the low areas are, and how far apart the supports have to be to carry the load. A quote should state the number and show where each pier goes.
Which is better, push piers or helical piers?
Neither is better everywhere. Push piers are driven using the weight of the house as the force to push against; helical piers are screwed in and do not need that weight, which is why manufacturers describe them as suited to lighter structures. Ask the specialist why they chose one for your house.
Does piering make the house level?
Piering gives the foundation a stable support; the lift happens after the piers are in. How close to level the house can safely go depends on the house, so ask what the target is and how it will be checked.