Cost, price, the almighty dollar is always at the forefront of everyone’s mind when it comes to an underpinning project – particularly when it comes to helical piers. And, in a time of high inflation, steel prices are on the rise.
Helical piers are the A-Team of underpinning, sans Mr. T. They are stronger than their push pier counterparts and can withstand more pressure.
Push piers are like nails and are hydraulically driven to load-bearing competent soil. Helical piers are hydraulically screwed into the earth and anchor into the soil via their helices.
Helical piers address foundation settlement and foundation heave, both of which are caused by expansive soil. Helical piers are worth every penny.
In this blog post, we are going to cover:
- What exactly is a helical pier?
- What is the cost per pier?
- What is the cost of a helical pier underpinning project?
What is an Underpinning Helical Pier?
A Helical Pier is a steel circular/square pipe (utilized in foundation repair) that is hydraulically driven to competent, load-bearing soil and anchored to a structure’s prepped footing via a remedial bracket to secure, stabilize, and/or lift a structure.
Helical Piers are:
- Comprised of galvanized steel to impede rust or oxidation
- Have a maximum load capacity of 74,000 pounds
- Come in sizes ranging from 3′, 5′, 7‘, 10′ or 20′
- Comprised of a lead, extensions, & remedial bracket
- Generally pushed down to depths of 25 to 30 feet
Helicals differ from push piers and other steel systems in that they have helices (circular sections like a staircase or corkscrew) welded to the bottom of the galvanized pipe.
These helical piers anchor the structure they are attached to. Imagine your home sitting on underground stilts that are embedded in load-bearing soil or bedrock.
Helical piers are often utilized on single-story homes that are too light for push pier repair.
Check out our article: 5 Steps to Helical Pier Installation.
What is the Helical Pier Cost Per Pier for Underpinning?
This is kind of a trick question because companies rarely, if ever, charge per pier. They don’t charge for every piece of steel used – they charge per pier location.
Each individual helical pier location costs an average of $2,000 to $3,000 in Southern California and Arizona.
These prices may even be steeper depending on your state due to the increase in steel prices and the current transportation fiasco due to COVID-19.
Here at Dalinghaus Construction Inc. the $2,000 to $3,000 per pier location price comes with no depth clause – meaning we will install the pier system to whatever depth is required to achieve the necessary capacity of the pier.
There is an option to pay per pier with a depth clause after 21 feet of installed material.
But we charge $35 per foot of installed material after the 21 feet. That adds up quickly and can prove steep (which is why we often do not offer this option).
Choosing to have a helical pier project with a depth clause is like gambling unless you know the target depth from a geotechnical report.
Yes, you get a cheaper price upfront which looks great, but the minute the piers start to go beyond the 21-foot mark it will start to add up in a hurry.
We suggest you always go with the no depth clause option to avoid stress and change orders.
Read more about: Underpinning Cost – Push Piers
What is the Cost of a Helical Pier Underpinning Project?
The average helical pier underpinning cost comes out to be $24,000 to $60,000.
This range encompasses everything:
- Foundation Repair Inspection
- Engineering
- Permitting
- Material
- Labor
- Warranty
Check out our article: Foundation Repair Cost.
Choose Dalinghaus for Your Underpinning Needs
Be sure to check out our Ultimate Foundation Repair Guide.
Here at Dalinghaus Construction, Inc.: we respect your time. We tailor-fit your foundation repair plan to meet your unique needs.
Dalinghaus Construction Inc. can help you fix your sinking foundation once and for all with helical pier, push pier, and polyurethane underpinning.
We do foundation underpinning and retaining wall repair the right way. With over 100 years of combined experience and 4.9 stars out of over 300 reviews – we are here to ensure that you never settle.
Check out our case study: Repairing Tustin Home with Helical Piers
If you live in SoCal or Arizona and would like a FREE crack inspection, click the link below –
