What a Concrete Pier System Does
Like any underpinning system, a concrete pier transfers structural load from unreliable surface soil to material at depth. What differs is the form the pier takes, how it is installed, and how the load spreads at the bearing face.
Concrete pressed pilings have a long history in Texas residential foundation work and remain common across San Antonio. They are one of the two systems most homeowners will see named in a proposal, alongside steel push piers. Our slab foundation repair page explains how either system fits into a full project scope.
Pressed Pilings: How They Are Installed
- Excavation. A pit is opened to expose the grade beam at the marked location.
- Base segment. A precast concrete cylinder is positioned beneath the beam.
- Pressing. A hydraulic ram presses the segment down, reacting against the weight of the structure above.
- Stacking. Additional segments are added and pressed in sequence, forming a column of stacked cylinders.
- Refusal. Pressing continues until the gauge indicates the stack has met material capable of carrying the load.
- Cap and load transfer. A cap or shim assembly transfers the structural load onto the completed pier, followed by lifting and backfill.
Drilled Piers: A Different System Sharing a Material
Drilled piers, sometimes called drilled shafts or bored piers, are formed in place rather than pressed. A shaft is bored to the design depth, reinforcement is placed, and concrete is poured. A belled base can be formed at the bottom to increase bearing area.
This is typically an engineered solution rather than a standard retrofit, and it is more common in new construction and in commercial work than in residential repair. Where it appears in a residential scope, it is usually because an engineer has specified it.
The reason to separate the two clearly is that proposals sometimes use “concrete piers” without distinguishing which system is meant. They have different installation methods, different cost profiles, and different disruption. It is a fair question to ask.
How Load Distribution Differs
A pressed concrete segment presents a broader bearing face than a steel tube of comparable capacity. Where the bearing material is competent but not exceptionally strong, spreading the load over a larger area can be an advantage, since bearing stress is force divided by area.
The corresponding limitation appears at depth. Each additional segment in a stack introduces a joint, and a tall stack of cylinders has more potential for misalignment than a driven steel column with mechanical connections. Where considerable depth is required, that becomes a genuine consideration.
Where Concrete Systems Fit Well
- Competent bearing material at moderate depth.
- Soil conditions where a broader bearing face is advantageous.
- Structures providing sufficient reaction load for pressing.
- Sites where the approach has an established local performance history.
Where They Are Less Suitable
- Sites requiring substantial depth, where stack alignment becomes a concern.
- Very light structures with limited reaction load available.
- Situations where an engineer’s design specifies an alternative.
On material arguments
Some contractors argue that steel is inherently superior because it is stronger, and others argue concrete is superior because it does not corrode. Both arguments describe the material rather than the installation, and the installation is what determines whether a pier performs. A pier of either material that has genuinely reached competent bearing material will carry the load. One that has not will settle.
What a Proposal Should Tell You
Whichever concrete system is named, a proposal should state:
- Which system: pressed pilings or drilled piers.
- The number of piers and their marked locations.
- The depth assumption used for pricing and how a variance is handled.
- Whether interior piers are included and how they will be reached.
- What documentation you receive: pier locations, depths, and pressures.
- Inclusions and exclusions, particularly backfill, grading, and reinstatement.
If any of those are missing, ask before comparing the total against another proposal. Two quotes describing different pier counts at different depths are not comparable on price.
Choosing Between Systems
Neither steel nor concrete is universally correct, and a company that only ever installs one will tend to find that one is always suitable. Our guide comparing steel piers and concrete piers sets them against the same criteria so you can follow the reasoning in a proposal rather than taking the conclusion on trust.
The selection for your property comes out of an on-site evaluation: depth to competent material, structural load, soil behaviour, and access.