Push Piers vs Helical Piers: Cost, Strength & When to Use Each

Push piers and helical piers both transfer a building's weight to deep, load-bearing soil, but they get there differently. Push piers are hydraulically driven using the weight of the house as resistance, so they suit heavier structures. Helical piers are screwed in with a torque motor and do not need the building's weight, so they suit lighter structures, new construction, and loads that pull up as well as push down. On cost, helical piers usually run a few hundred dollars more per pier, though some sources show the ranges overlapping.

Key takeaways

• Cost: push piers typically cost about $1,500 to $2,500 per pier and helical piers about $2,000 to $4,000, based on consumer cost guides. Manufacturer figures overlap more.
• Weight: push piers need enough structural weight to drive against. If a building is too light, helical piers are the standard choice.
• Verification: each push pier is load tested as it is driven. Helical pier capacity is verified by installation torque.
• Uplift: helical piers resist tension; push piers generally do not.
• New construction: helical piers work before a building exists. Push piers need a structure to push against.

Push piers vs. helical piers at a glance

Cost figures from Today's Homeowner and HomeGuide; installation and verification details from a December 2024 WATERPROOF! Magazine article by structural engineer Patrick Nevison, P.E.

What are push piers?

A push pier (also called a resistance pier or steel pier) starts with a steel bracket fastened under the existing footing. A hydraulic ram is then attached to the bracket and presses sections of steel pipe into the ground one at a time. According to Supportworks, the pier sections are driven "using the combined structural weight and any contributory soil load as drive resistance" until a suitable bearing layer is reached, at which point the structure begins to lift or the target pressure is achieved.

Because the house itself is the counterweight, the building has to be heavy enough. Nevison notes that homes with basements or frost-depth foundations are usually good push pier candidates, while shallow footings and thickened-edge slabs may not be. His rule of thumb: if you have to ask whether a structure is too light for push piers, use helical piers.

A real strength of push piers is that each one is effectively proof tested as it is driven. As Nevison puts it, the actual capacity is verified on every pier. After the piers are driven individually, they are typically re-loaded together, so each carries less than the load it was driven with, which builds in a factor of safety.

What are helical piers?

A helical pier is a steel shaft with one or more helix-shaped bearing plates near the tip. A hydraulic drive head on a mini-excavator, skid steer, or hand-held unit rotates it into the ground, and extensions are added until the pier reaches the required depth and torque. Because the machine supplies the force, the pier does not rely on the weight of the building above.

Capacity is verified through installation torque. The International Building Code, Section 1810.3.3.1.9, allows capacity to be determined from documented correlations with torque, expressed as Qult = Kt × T, where Kt is an empirical factor tied to shaft size. Product evaluation under ICC-ES AC358 standardizes those factors. Our article on how much weight a helical pile can hold explains the method in plain terms.

Helical piers can also resist tension. Nevison notes they can handle uplift that push piers cannot without field welding, which is why helicals are used for tiebacks, anchors, and structures exposed to wind or frost uplift.

Push pier vs. helical pier cost

Consumer cost guides generally show push piers as the cheaper option per pier:

• Today's Homeowner lists steel push piers at $1,500 to $2,500 per pier and helical piers at $2,500 to $3,500.
• Angi puts steel piers at about $2,000 each and helical piers at about $3,000.
• HomeGuide puts helical piers at $2,000 to $4,000, with about $3,000 typical.

Manufacturer data is less clear-cut. Titan Products, which makes both systems, gives ballpark installed ranges of $1,500 to $3,500 for push piers and $1,200 to $3,000 for helical piers. Nevison notes that push pier material costs less than helical material when the same depth is required. In short, sources disagree on how large the gap is. The honest summary is that helical piers are usually somewhat more expensive per pier in repair work, but the difference is small next to the total project cost, and site conditions can reverse it.

Why the price can flip

• Depth: push piers are driven until they hit very firm strata, which can be deep. A helical pier may reach its target torque in shallower competent soil, which saves steel.
• Pier count: push pier capacity depends partly on the weight available at each location. On lighter walls, the engineer may need closer spacing, which adds piers.
• Access: helical piers can often be installed with compact equipment in tight spots, while push piers need space to excavate at the footing and set up the drive stand.

For full per-pier and per-project figures, see our helical pier cost guide.

When push piers are the better choice

• The structure is heavy, such as a multistory home, a house with a full basement, or a commercial building.
• Bedrock or very dense soil is at a reachable depth, and you want every pier proof tested during installation.
• The goal is to stabilize and lift a settled perimeter foundation, and there is enough weight at each pier location.
• Soils contain cobbles or debris that could damage or deflect helix plates.

When helical piers are the better choice

• The structure is light: slab-on-grade homes with shallow footings, porches, sunrooms, garages, additions, or decks.
• It is new construction and there is no building yet to push against.
• The foundation must resist uplift or lateral load, such as tiebacks for a bowing wall.
• The competent soil is a dense layer above deep bedrock, so there is no need to drive all the way to refusal.
• Access is tight and compact or hand-held equipment is needed.

Durability and long-term value

Both systems are galvanized steel and are designed as permanent repairs. For helical products, ICC-ES AC358 sets scheduled corrosion losses based on moderately corrosive soils over a 50-year period, and components are typically hot-dip galvanized to ASTM A123. Long-term value depends less on push vs. helical and more on proper design, correct installation, and whether underlying water and drainage problems are fixed. Our guide on whether helical piers rust covers corrosion in more depth.

Installation time and disruption

Both systems are installed with relatively small equipment and do not require concrete curing. Residential jobs with either system are usually measured in days rather than weeks, depending on pier count and access. Push piers require excavating at each footing location; helical piers for repair do too, but new-construction helicals can be installed in open ground with minimal digging. See how long it takes to install a helical pile for more detail.

How to choose

The right answer depends on structural weight, soil profile, and what the foundation needs to do. A geotechnical report and a structural engineer's recommendation are worth the cost on any significant repair. Ask each contractor which system they recommend and why, what depth and capacity they expect, and how they will document each pier.

Many installers offer both systems. You can compare local contractors in the Helical Pile USA directory by state, including Ohio, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. If you are also weighing a concrete option, read helical piles vs. concrete piers.

Frequently asked questions

Are helical piers more expensive than push piers?

Usually slightly. Consumer guides such as Today's Homeowner and Angi put helical piers about $1,000 higher per pier, while some manufacturers publish overlapping ranges. Depth, access, and pier count can erase the difference.

Which is stronger, a push pier or a helical pier?

Neither is inherently stronger. Capacity depends on shaft size, bracket design, and the soil or rock each pier bears on. Push piers are proof tested against the structure's weight during driving, and helical piers are verified by installation torque. Both can be designed for typical residential loads.

Can push piers be used for new construction?

Generally not, because there is no structure to push against. Nevison notes that push piers cannot be installed for new construction without specialized driving equipment, while helical piers are routinely used for new builds.

Can you use both push piers and helical piers on one house?

Yes. Some engineers specify push piers along heavy walls and helical piers under lighter areas, such as an attached garage, porch, or addition.

How deep do push piers and helical piers go?

It depends on the soil. Push piers are driven until they reach refusal on bedrock or very firm strata. Helical piers are installed until they reach the design torque in competent soil. Depth is not known for certain until installation, which is why quotes include a per-foot rate for extra length.

Do push piers and helical piers lift a house?

Both can be used to stabilize a foundation and, in many cases, lift it back toward its original elevation. How much lift is possible depends on the structure and should be discussed before work starts.