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How steel piers work
Sections of steel pipe are hydraulically driven beneath the foundation, one on top of the next, until they reach soil or strata capable of carrying the load, commonly far deeper than pressed concrete pilings typically reach in our area. Depth is the point: North Texas expansive clay swells when wet and shrinks in drought, and a pier that terminates inside that active zone moves with it. Steel driven below it does not. The home is then lifted toward level and the piers carry the load on strata that does not cycle with the weather.
When steel is the right call, and when it is not
Steel piers are generally the premium option: highest capacity, greatest depth, strongest fit for heavier homes, additions, and soils with deep active zones. They are not automatically the right call for every home. Lighter structures on shallower active soils are often well served by concrete pressed piers at lower cost, and some conditions call for drilled or helical systems. Our recommendation follows the inspection findings, and sometimes the right answer is that you do not need a repair at all.
For a direct comparison, see Steel Piers vs. Concrete Piers in our pier systems guide.
What the inspection includes
Every Cardinal inspection includes elevation readings across your foundation, mapped so you can see which areas have moved and by how much, along with notated visual findings. You leave with data about your home, not just a number. If repair is recommended, you receive a written quote within one business day, financing is available, and the work is backed by a transferable workmanship warranty, terms vary by service.
Cardinal performs this work across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and the Houston area.
Frequently asked questions
As deep as the load requires: they are driven until they reach competent load-bearing strata, which in much of North Texas means well below the depth pressed concrete pilings typically achieve. Your soil determines the number.
Material and depth. Steel sections and the drive to deeper strata cost more to install, and in exchange the pier bears on ground that does not cycle with the weather.
Installation requires excavation at each pier location, and our crews restore work areas when the lift is complete. Access and landscaping are discussed at the inspection.
No. They fit any home whose conditions call for depth and capacity. The inspection findings, not the house size, drive the recommendation.
Yes. Cardinal's workmanship warranty is transferable, and terms vary by service. That matters in a sale, and we document the work so it is easy to show a buyer.
Start with an engineer
Tell us about your property and we'll schedule a free, no-obligation inspection. Your request routes to the right team: commercial, residential, or new construction.