Carrollton Foundation Experts connects homeowners and property owners considering steel pier foundation repair in Carrollton, TX with an independent local foundation company that installs them.
Steel piers are steel pipe sections driven deep below a foundation through brackets fastened to the beam. Because they can be driven farther than concrete cylinders can be pressed, they are often used when deeper, firmer support is the goal.
Installation
- Soil is excavated beside the foundation beam and a steel bracket is attached.
- Pipe sections are driven through the bracket with a hydraulic ram.
- Driving continues until the pier meets the required resistance.
- The foundation is lifted, brackets are secured and the holes are backfilled.
When Steel Makes Sense
- Heavier homes and commercial buildings
- Sites where shallow piers will not reach adequate support
- Repairs where a recorded installation pressure for each pier is wanted
- Second repairs after an earlier, shallower repair did not hold
Things to Weigh
- Cost: typically more per pier than pressed concrete piers.
- Corrosion: steel in soil needs a coating or galvanizing.
- Interior work: interior steel piers are harder to install than exterior ones.
Records Worth Keeping
Ask for an installation log showing the depth and driving pressure of each pier, along with the pier drawing, readings, the City of Carrollton permit and the written warranty. Together they tell the next owner exactly what is under the house.
Questions to Ask
- What resistance or depth will you drive to?
- Is the steel galvanized or coated?
- Will an engineer review the plan?
- Can steel piers be combined with the existing piers from an earlier repair?
Second Repairs on Previously Pierced Houses
When a Carrollton house has moved again after an earlier repair, some contractors suggest steel piers for the new work, since they can be driven deeper and come with recorded installation pressures. Whether that is the right call depends on why the house moved again. If the cause was a leak, drainage or a tree, fixing it may matter more than the pier type.
Corrosion Protection
Steel piers spend their working life in damp clay. Ask whether the pipe and brackets are galvanized, coated or bare, and what the manufacturer says about corrosion.
Install Records
Each steel pier is pushed down with hydraulic equipment until it meets enough resistance. Ask whether the crew records the final depth and the pressure for every pier, and whether those records go to you and to the engineer whose design the city requires. They are useful if you sell and if anything ever needs to be adjusted.
Keep those records with the permit and the engineer's letter.
Common questions
How much do steel piers cost?
Angi's guide lists piers at about $1,000 to $3,000 each across types; steel is usually toward the higher end.
Are steel piers better than concrete?
Not always. They reach deeper and give recorded pressures, which helps on heavy or difficult jobs. Concrete piers work well on many houses.
Can steel piers rust?
Steel can corrode in soil, which is why galvanizing or coatings are used. Ask what the contractor uses.
Do I need an engineer for steel piers?
Not always for houses, but often for commercial work and large repairs.
Does steel pier work need a permit in Carrollton?
The city states that all foundation repairs require a permit.
Is a second repair usually done with steel?
Not always. The right pier type depends on why the house moved again and what the soil allows.