Carrollton Foundation Experts connects homeowners comparing pressed concrete piers in Carrollton, TX with an independent local foundation company that installs them.
Pressed concrete piers are among the most widely used slab repair methods in North Texas. Short precast concrete cylinders are pressed into the soil one on top of another beneath the foundation beam until the column will go no deeper. Then the slab is lifted on them.
Step by Step
- A hole is dug beside the beam, or under the slab for interior piers.
- The first cylinder is placed under the beam and pressed down with a hydraulic jack.
- More cylinders are stacked and pressed until the column reaches refusal.
- A cap and steel shims set the slab at its new height.
- Holes are backfilled and final readings are taken.
Why Contractors Use Them
- Compact equipment fits tight side yards and backyards
- Piers can be loaded and the house lifted right away
- They are a common, well-understood method for one- and two-story houses
Limits to Ask About
Depth depends on where each column reaches refusal, and that varies across a lot. For heavier buildings, or where deeper support is wanted, steel piers or drilled bell-bottom piers may be recommended instead.
Older Houses and Earlier Repairs
In Carrollton, many slabs already have some piers from earlier repairs. A new plan might add pressed piers to areas the first repair did not cover. Ask how the new piers relate to the old ones, and get an updated drawing showing both.
Questions to Ask
- Are the cylinders tied together with a cable or rebar, or stacked loose?
- Will you record the depth of each pier?
- How many interior piers, and how will you reach them?
- Who pulls the City of Carrollton permit?
- What does the written warranty cover?
Side Yards and Tight Lots
Pressed concrete piers are often chosen in established neighborhoods because the equipment is compact. Fences, AC units, gas meters and mature landscaping crowd many Carrollton side yards, and a pier crew needs only a small excavation beside the beam. Ask the crew to note anything near a pier location that will need to be moved or protected, and who puts it back afterward.
Depth Records
Ask for a pier log showing where each pier sits and how deep it went before it stopped. Because Carrollton requires an engineered design, also ask how the engineer reviews the depths.
Interior Piers
Some slabs need piers under interior beams as well as the perimeter. Interior piers mean cutting through the floor inside, so ask how many are planned and how flooring will be patched.
Common questions
How much do pressed concrete piers cost?
Angi's guide lists piers at about $1,000 to $3,000 each across types; pressed concrete is often on the lower end. The total depends on the number of piers.
How long do they last?
They are meant to be permanent, but soil movement elsewhere under the house can still cause problems later. Ask what the warranty covers.
Can new piers be added next to old ones?
Yes. Second repairs often add piers to areas the first repair missed.
Do pressed piers need a permit?
The City of Carrollton states that all foundation repairs require a permit.
Will my yard be torn up?
Each pier needs a hole beside the beam, which is backfilled afterward. Ask how landscaping will be protected.
Will the crew move my AC unit or fence?
Sometimes items must be moved or protected. Ask who handles it and who puts things back.