What Alternatives Are There to Caissons for Foundation Repair?

Finding the best fix for your foundation repair isn’t easy. Caissons are very common and aren’t what most people would call cheap. Are there other alternatives to caissons that are effective and affordable?

Good news: there are!

Remember, more expensive doesn’t mean more effective. There are methods such as push pier and helical underpinning that can be just as effective for your foundation repair.

Also, remember there are times you get what you pay for. There are concrete underpinning methods that not only do nothing for your foundation but can often make foundation settlement worse. You don’t need that negativity in your life.

We understand the effectiveness of caissons and other foundation repair methods that are both affordable and just as efficient.

What Is a Caisson?

A caisson is a cylinder installed at low grade, or deep under the surface (usually) down to bedrock. A caisson is constructed by first making a cage out of rebar that is put down the cylindrical hole and then encased in concrete.

Sometimes shallow caissons are held up by a concrete pad and sacrificial jack.

These usually do not reach bedrock and are still in the “active zone,” or the area where expansive soils are most affected by moisture, or lack thereof, causing these soils to either expand or contract.

What’s Good About Caissons

In some instances, such as on a slope, they may not allow push piers, helical piers, or helical tiebacks for your foundation repair. What’s assigned is based on jurisdiction (your location) and the engineer.

By the way, get ready to read this phrase (or variations of it) many times during this article: it’s up to the engineer.

In some cases such as if it were a cantilever structure, which is a structure that extends horizontally over an open space, engineers will likely recommend caissons over push/helical pier systems since they can extend well above grade.

Push pier systems are designed to go below grade. It wouldn’t make much sense for them to hold up a structure in an open area when push and helical piers are underground. It would be cool if push piers had mystical properties to help structures float.

Helical piers can be used above grade for stuff like bridges and boardwalks, though some people might find caissons more aesthetically appealing.

Caissons Are Generally More Expensive

The prices vary, but will typically be more expensive than a push and helical pier underpinning for foundation repair. And depending on the location, some companies might have to crane the caisson in the cavity if there is no access around the side of your home. A company using expensive equipment isn’t exactly cheap for you, either.

Not to mention there is extra time to create the deeper cavity, as well as the labor needed and equipment needed to excavate. Compare this to other foundation repair methods where the holes don’t need to go as deep for installation.

Generally with whatever price you would pay for your foundation repair with Dalinghaus, expect to pay at least twice as much to install a caisson.

Also, a cost-effective foundation repair plan doesn’t equal less effective overall.

Alternative Foundation Repair Plans as Effective as Caissons

When it comes to effectiveness, it all depends. It comes down to the engineer and what they say.

Push Pier and Helical Pier Underpinning

Push pier and helical pier underpinnings are as effective at holding up a home as a caisson.

A push pier is a steel pier that is driven into the ground with hydraulic pressure, one section at a time, until it reaches load bearing strata and carries the design load the plan calls for.

Watch our video on push piers on YouTube to understand more about them.

Helical piers use helices and are essentially screwed into the ground until reaching competent soil, allowing stabilization due to the torque.

Watch our video on helical piers on YouTube to understand more about them.

Both types are cost-effective and take less time to install.

The engineers we deal with are good at what they do (you would hope so). They know the difference in cost between galvanized steel piers and caissons, accessibility, and overall time.

Keep in mind not all engineers are familiar with push and helical pier systems. Foundation repair companies who specialize in push piers and helical piers will go to engineers also familiar with these systems. They can still recommend caissons on certain projects. If a project requires a caisson, it requires a caisson!

When Do Engineers Use Micropiles?

A micropile is a slender pile built by drilling a small hole down to competent strata, placing high strength steel in it, and grouting the steel into a bonded column. Engineers usually specify micropiles when access or ground conditions rule out other systems, such as work under low overhead or soil full of rubble or cobbles. Like the choice of a caisson, that call is up to the engineer. Our own deep foundation work uses push piers and helical piers, and our page on how micro piles work explains when engineers choose them.

Alternative Foundation Repair Plans That Are Less Effective Than Caissons

Remember, caissons can be effective. What determines if one works well is if it goes into load-bearing strata so a building won’t move. So deep caissons are super effective for a home. Not entirely necessary, but effective nonetheless.

If a foundation repair method doesn’t go deep enough, this doesn’t solve the foundation settlement issue. Here are some other alternatives that are less effective for your home.

Sister Footing

Another footing is attached to your concrete footing that already exists.

Sounds like it could be effective, right? But what if it’s still in the active zone? Well, concrete isn’t exactly light. Go try to lift your sidewalk real quick and then come back to reading this.

With the weight of the concrete, the foundation settlement can accelerate. It would be like doing a deadlift using a 120-pound boulder to then go straight to a 240-pound boulder.

Concrete or Gravel Pads With Sacrificial Jacks

These were mentioned a little bit earlier. Some companies go under the footing of your home and install concrete or gravel pads with a “sacrificial jack” sitting on top. The jack supports the weight of your home when attached to the footing, at least in theory. The jacks are still in the active zone. So they’re being pushed down along with the rest of your home.

Notice the similar pattern here? These alternative methods don’t go deep enough. Some even accelerate the damage to your home when they act as an unnecessary weight.

Think of these methods like skiing: your home is trying to pizza when dealing with foundation settlement, but these other methods make the skis french fry, going down at a faster rate. You’re not gonna have a good time.

A good article to read is Push and Helical Pier Underpinning Vs Concrete Underpinning for a better understanding of different foundation repair methods.

You Now Know Alternatives to Caissons. What Matters Is You Have a Foundation Repair Method That Works for You.

You know more about caissons, effective foundation repair methods, and less effective methods. I bet that came as a surprise to you.

If you need to hear from different companies about their repair methods, be sure you receive multiple repair bids. That way you can compare and contrast different companies, their methods, their proposals, and see the engineers they defer to.

If you would like, you can start with Dalinghaus Foundation Repair to schedule a free 60-90 minute evaluation of your foundation.

Be sure you’re reading Push Piers vs Helical Piers (Installation to Equipment to Cost) to understand the difference in the methods we use.

Also, read Concrete Piles vs Push Piers (Depth, Active Zones, and Loads) to understand how concrete piles are ineffective.

Schedule a Free Evaluation

Foundation movement is easier to judge in person than from a photo. Schedule a free evaluation and a Dalinghaus specialist will walk the property with you and explain what the evidence shows.