Concrete & Steel Piers

Concrete and steel piers are the two primary methods Texas contractors use to stabilize and lift settled foundations, and understanding the difference helps you evaluate competing quotes. Concrete pressed piers — also called pressed pilings or concrete cylinders — are the most widely used and economical option: cylinders are hydraulically pressed into the soil until they meet resistance, then capped and used to lift the beam. Steel piers — including push-pier and helical pier systems — are driven to a verified load-bearing depth using hydraulic equipment and confirmed by torque or load testing. Steel piers generally cost more per unit but offer greater depth control, which engineers sometimes require in areas with very soft, variable, or expansive soil layers close to the surface.