Foundation piers
Piers carry part of the house on firmer ground below the soil that swells and shrinks. Here's how the main types differ and why caliche changes the conversation in the Permian Basin.
A foundation pier is a column placed under a beam so the house rests on steadier material instead of the active soil near the surface. In many parts of Texas that means pushing through deep clay. Around Midland and Odessa, the crew is more likely to hit caliche, a cemented layer of calcium carbonate. The USDA describes the Kimbrough series, one of the extensive soils of the Southern High Plains, as reaching that layer 4 to 20 inches down. Other soils in the region, like the Ratliff series, are deeper loams and clay loams with lime accumulating 20 to 40 inches down.
Which pier types are common?
- Pressed concrete piers. Short precast cylinders stacked and pushed into the ground with a hydraulic jack until they stop.
- Steel push piers. Steel pipe sections driven down using the weight of the house, usually to refusal on a hard layer.
- Helical piers. Steel shafts with screw plates turned into the ground while the installer watches the torque. Often used for lighter loads and porches.
- Drilled concrete piers. Holes drilled and filled with reinforced concrete, sometimes specified in an engineer's plan.
Is hitting caliche good or bad?
It depends on what's under it. A thick, continuous caliche layer can make a solid bearing surface. A thin crust over softer soil can stop a pier early and leave it sitting on a shelf that isn't as firm as it looks. Ask how the contractor decides a pier is done: by depth, by pressure, or by torque, and what they do if one stops much shallower than the rest.
How is the pier count set?
From the elevation survey and the spacing the system requires. The contractor marks where the beam has dropped and places supports along that stretch. A good proposal includes a drawing with each pier numbered, the pier type, and any interior locations. If two bids differ a lot on count, ask each contractor to walk you through their readings.
What should a pier warranty say?
Warranties vary in length, transferability to a buyer, and what they cover: the pier itself, later adjustments, or cosmetic damage. Get it in writing and read the exclusions closely, especially anything about plumbing leaks, irrigation or drainage, since those are common causes of movement here.
We don't quote prices. Foundation work can only be priced after someone measures the floors and works out why the house is moving, and the price is agreed between you and the contractor.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Which pier type is best for my house?
There's no single answer. Soil, caliche depth, the load being carried, access and the contractor's experience all matter. Ask why they chose their system and what the alternatives are.
Will I get a record of each pier?
Ask for one. Many contractors log the depth or pressure of every pier, and that record is useful when you sell the house.
Related services
- Slab foundation repair
- Pier-and-beam foundation repair
- Foundation evaluation and crack repair
- Foundation drainage
More background: Midland and Odessa foundation guide.
New cracks in the brick, or a door that suddenly drags?
Call and get connected with a foundation repair contractor who works in Midland and Odessa.