Concrete Pier Foundation Repair: Pressed Piers Explained

Quick answer

Concrete pier foundation repair is a method of underpinning a house with short precast concrete cylinders that are stacked and pressed into the soil one by one with a hydraulic jack, using the weight of the building as the reaction, then capped and shimmed to support the foundation.

The piers carry load mostly through side friction along their length. They are used mainly in clay soils and in lightly loaded buildings. An engineer should prepare or certify the layout. No pier system promises that movement will stop.

Quick facts

The key facts about Concrete Pier Foundation Repair, with sources:

Also called: Pressed piles, pressed pilings, driven cylinders, precast segmented piles ¹
Built from: Precast concrete segments, usually cylinders about a foot long, stacked ¹
Driven by: Hydraulic jacking against the underside of the structure ¹
Load carried mostly by: Skin friction along the pile, with some end bearing ¹
Typical soil: Clay, where driving resistance is small enough for the building’s weight to work ¹
Residential design: An engineer should prepare or certify the pile layout ¹
Price: Not quoted here; see the cost drivers section

Key takeaways

Pressed concrete piers are stacks of precast concrete cylinders pushed down under a footing by a jack that reacts against the house ¹.
They carry load mostly by friction along their length, which is why soil type matters a great deal ¹.
They are used mainly in clay and for lightly loaded buildings. Dense granular soil can stop them ¹.
A guideline says a pile will typically not resist uplift, so they do not help if swelling soil lifts the foundation ¹.
In residential jobs an engineer should prepare or certify the layout, not leave it to the installer ¹.

What pressed concrete piers are

General information, not a diagnosis of your house. The Foundation Performance Association (FPA) guideline on this system says the piles are precast concrete segments, usually manufactured cylinders, installed one by one on top of each other and pressed into the ground by hydraulically jacking against the underside of the existing structure ¹.

The system goes by many names: precast concrete piles, hydraulically driven concrete pilings, pressed piles, pressed pilings and driven cylinders ¹. Most systems use cylinders, but rectangular or other shapes may be used. The FPA classes them as driven displacement piles, because they push soil aside as they go down ¹.

They are one way to carry out foundation underpinning. The steel options are covered on the push piers and helical piers pages.

Diagram Deep piers under a footing

Illustrative drawing, not to scale and not a design. It shows steel pier types carrying a footing to firmer soil. A pressed concrete pier is stacked from short segments and, like these, passes load into soil below the weak layer; counts, depths and spacing come from an engineer.

Pressed piers are not drilled piers

A pressed concrete pier is a stack of precast cylinders pushed into the soil under an existing footing. A drilled pier is concrete poured in a hole made by a drill rig. The names are close, and the methods are not ¹².

How pressed concrete piers are installed

The steps below follow the FPA guideline for precast segmented piles.

Open access at each location. Concrete may be removed to create an access hole through a slab. Soil is excavated to clear space under the foundation ¹.
Prepare the footing underside. The bottom surface is smoothed, by chipping or grout, so the pile can seat ¹.
Stack and press segments. Segments are pressed in one at a time by a hydraulic jack, using the structure’s weight as the driving force. Enough segments are staged to avoid pausing, since a pause can let soil grip the pile ¹.
Drive to refusal. Refusal is the point where the driving force exceeds the load to be supported ¹.
Cap and shim. A concrete pile cap goes on top, then shims fill the gap to the foundation ¹.
Test for leaks. The guideline calls for a leak test of under-slab sewer and supply lines after the work, with a written report on request ¹.

No method fits every house

Depth, count and layout depend on the building, the soil and the foundation’s strength. Never dig beside a footing, jack a house or enter a crawl space with standing water, gas or electrical hazards yourself.

Pressed pier variants and parts

From the FPA guideline’s definitions. It describes precast segmented piles in general and does not endorse a product.
Part or choice	What it is	Why it matters
Segment	Precast concrete unit, usually a cylinder about a foot long ¹	Many segments stack to reach the depth
Interconnected pile	Segments joined by a rod, cable or other link ¹	May help detect vertical misalignment while driving ¹
Non-interconnected pile	Segments driven with nothing joining them ¹	Without reinforcement it is typically less expensive ¹
Pile cap	Concrete block above the last segment ¹	Spreads load into the shims and footing
Shim	Metal or similar spacer between cap and foundation ¹	Takes up the gap and holds the elevation
Starter segment	A smaller-diameter first segment offered by some makers ¹	Eases penetration of the first segments

Example: how soil changes whether pressed piers can reach depth

The soil example below follows the guideline’s notes about soil and driving resistance ¹. It is a reading aid, not a recommendation for any site.

Ground	What the guideline says	Plain meaning
Clay with little driving resistance	The system is mainly used in clay soils where the structure’s weight can drive the pile	The best fit for the method
Dense granular soil	May offer too much driving resistance for the structure’s weight	Piles may stop early or not go in
Clay with stiff sandy clay or clayey sand layers	Difficult to install	Depth may be limited
Hard layers that resist driving	Jetting with high-pressure water or pre-drilling may be used to break up soil	Extra steps to get the piles down
Piles that cannot reach stable soil	May not resist movement from swelling and shrinking in the active zone	The repair may not hold against seasonal movement

System What a pressed pier assembly includes

Pressed concrete pierStacked segments under a footing

SegmentsPrecast cylinders pressed in one by one ¹
Pile capConcrete block above the last segment ¹
ShimsFill the final gap to the foundation ¹
Hydraulic jackPresses against the structure ¹

Source: [1]

See expansive clay soil for what the active zone is.

Where pressed concrete piers are used

The FPA guideline is written for existing residential and other low-rise buildings. It says the system is usually not suitable for high-rise buildings or heavily loaded structures because of the limited capacity of the common pile sizes and the depths usually reached ¹.

Most applications involve lifting existing foundations with the intent to mitigate future downward movement ¹. The guideline also describes partial underpinning, which covers only a portion of the structure, and complete underpinning, which covers the entire exterior and interior and may be used to lift a structure above the potential vertical rise ¹.

Foundation type matters. Slabs, pier and beam houses and basements each give different places to attach piers.

Strengths and limits of pressed concrete piers

What the guideline notes in their favor

Can be installed with the structure’s weight as the driving force, so no separate reaction system is needed ¹.
Non-interconnected piles without reinforcement are typically less expensive ¹.
Interconnected systems may help detect crooked driving ¹.
Fits clay soils where driving resistance is small ¹.
Works under lightly loaded buildings ¹.

What the guideline notes against

Typically cannot resist significant bending from sideways loads ¹.
Typically will not resist uplift if soil contacting the foundation swells ¹.
Final depth varies from pile to pile because the structure’s weight sets the driving force ¹.
If a pile does not reach stable soil it may not resist swell and shrink movement ¹.
Dense or layered ground can stop the piles ¹.

What pressed concrete piers cannot do

The guideline lists the design limits plainly. A pile will typically not resist uplift forces.

Interconnected piles that support the foundation will not provide resistance against foundation uplift if the soil is in contact with the foundation ¹.

So if the soil is swelling and lifting the structure, pressed piers alone are not the answer.

Piles typically cannot resist significant bending from lateral loads, such as a house on a slope, so the engineer must design for lateral resistance where it exists ¹.

A void under the slab after lifting needs individual judgment. The guideline says the void should remain in most cases, to mitigate the effects of soil swell lifting the foundation ¹. That means filling a void with grout or foam is not automatic. The mudjacking and foam slab lifting pages explain those tools.

Finally, a pier job does not fix the cause. Water, trees and plumbing leaks still need attention.

What drives the price of a pressed pier job

We do not give prices. The drivers, using the guideline’s own scope categories, are whether the job is partial or complete, the number of piles, the depth of each, and whether the plan stabilizes only or also lifts ¹.

Interior piles mean breaking out and patching the slab. Pre-drilling or jetting through hard layers adds time. Groundwater and surface water control during excavation add cost ¹. Leak testing, engineering, permits and finish repair complete the list.

The guideline notes non-interconnected piles without reinforcement are typically less expensive than interconnected ones, and the design choice belongs with the engineer ¹. Use the cost guide, cost calculator and pier count estimator to see how the pieces add up.

How a pressed pier project should run

Define the objective. The guideline says the owner should be involved in specifying the project objective ¹.
Engineer the layout. In residential projects an engineer should prepare a design or certify a pile layout made by a contractor ¹. See the engineer guide.
Review submittals. The guideline expects pile layout drawings and quality records to go to the owner ¹.
Install and record. Piles should be placed close to the drawn locations. Any placement more than a set distance off needs the engineer’s approval ¹.
Verify. Ask for the leak test report and the final elevation record. The elevation log can track results.

After the piers are in

Keep gutters and downspouts clear and the soil sloping away from the wall. See drainage and grading.
Keep the pile layout drawing, the leak test report and the warranty.
Photograph cracks and doors with dates, and compare them every few months.
Ask the engineer whether to monitor elevations and for how long.
Do not fill or alter any void under the slab without asking your engineer, since the guideline says voids often should remain ¹.

Risks and warning signs

Piles that stop above stable soil, because refusal depth varies with the building’s weight and the soil ¹.
Uplift from swelling soil, which the piles typically do not resist ¹.
Lateral loads on slopes that the piles cannot take ¹.
Broken sewer or supply lines under the slab after excavation, which is why a leak test is called for ¹.
Layouts drawn by the installer with no independent engineer check.

When to call a licensed structural engineer

Call one when movement is large, widening or changing, when walls are bowing or displaced, when doors and windows stick with new cracks, or when you have any safety doubt. Do not dig beside a foundation or jack a house yourself.

Codes, approval and warranty norms

The guideline’s authors reviewed the 2006, 2009 and 2012 International Building Code and found no unique definition for segmented piles.

They say the code allows deep foundation types it does not name, if the building official approves the submitted test data and calculations, and that in their opinion the system complies ¹.

This is their opinion as a professional committee. Your building official decides.

The guideline says a contractor typically provides a warranty for all work except as expressed in the contract, that typical warranties do not cover finishes such as drywall, brick or plants, and that upward movement, or heave, is not typically covered unless the contract says so ¹. Read yours carefully. See warranties.

Who may design the repair differs by state. North Carolina’s engineering board says the number and location of piers is engineering work ³. Verify license status with the issuing board.

Pressed concrete piers next to other repair methods

A comparison of how each method works, not a ranking.
Method	How it works	Notes
Pressed concrete piers	Precast segments pressed in by jack ¹	Friction-carried; limited uplift and bending resistance ¹
Steel push piers	Pipe pressed in by jack against the structure ⁷	End-bearing; needs a firm layer ⁶
Helical piers	Plated shaft turned in by a machine ⁵	Bearing on plates; rock is a limit ⁵
Drilled piers	Concrete poured in a drilled hole ⁴	Mostly new construction in clay ²
Mudjacking or foam lifting	Fills voids under a slab to raise it ⁸	Does not add deep support

Pressed pier myths

Myth Concrete piers always fail and steel piers always work.: Reality Performance depends on whether the piles reach stable soil and on the design, not on the material alone ¹.
Myth Pressed piers stop heave.: Reality They typically do not resist uplift if soil contacts the foundation ¹.
Myth A void under the slab must always be filled.: Reality The guideline says it should usually remain, to limit swell effects ¹.
Myth The installer’s layout is enough.: Reality The guideline says an engineer should prepare or certify residential layouts ¹.
Myth A warranty covers everything.: Reality Typical warranties exclude finishes and heave ¹.

Regional context for pressed piers

The FPA guideline is written for clay soils and lightly loaded buildings ¹.

The Federal Highway Administration names Texas and the Gulf Coast, the Appalachian states, the Southwest and the Great Plains as regions where expansive soils are most prevalent ⁴.

Clay with little driving resistance suits this method; dense sand and gravel, and some stiff layered soils, do not. Local code adoption and licensing rules differ by state.

Should pressed concrete piers be on your list?

They belong on the list when a lightly loaded building sits on clay that is settling, the piles can reach stable soil, and the problem is downward movement, not uplift. They are a poor fit for dense granular soil, heavy loads, sloped lots or heave.

Use the guide below to prepare questions. See repair methods, foundation repair and the repair method tool.

Decision guide If this, then ask that

If The soil is clay and the building is light: Then Ask whether pressed piers can reach stable soil ¹
If The soil may be swelling: Then Ask how the plan handles uplift, since piles typically do not ¹
If The lot is sloped: Then Ask how lateral loads are handled ¹
If A void sits under the slab after lifting: Then Ask whether it should be left in place ¹

Engineer first

Ask a licensed structural engineer to evaluate and certify a layout before you sign. See choosing a contractor and the engineer or contractor tool.

Questions about Concrete Pier Foundation Repair

What are pressed concrete piers?

Pressed concrete piers are short precast concrete cylinders, stacked and pushed into the soil one by one by a hydraulic jack that reacts against the house. A cap and shims on top support the foundation. Foundation Performance Association guidelines also call them pressed piles, pressed pilings or driven cylinders.

How do concrete piers work in foundation repair?

The jack presses each segment down until the pile cannot go farther, a point called refusal. The pile then carries load mostly through friction along its length, with some end bearing. A cap and shims transfer the load from the foundation to the pile. Engineers choose count and layout.

Are concrete piers as good as steel piers?

Neither is better in general. The guideline says concrete segmented piles carry load mainly by friction and typically cannot resist uplift or large sideways loads. Steel push and helical piers carry load differently. The right system depends on soil, loads and the design. An engineer should choose.

Do pressed concrete piers stop foundation heave?

Not by themselves. The guideline says a pile will typically not resist uplift forces, and that interconnected piles will not resist foundation uplift if the soil contacts the foundation. If heave is the problem, the plan needs another approach chosen by an engineer.

What soils work for pressed concrete piers?

Mainly clay, where driving resistance is low enough for the building’s weight to drive the piles. Dense granular soil and stiff layered soils make installation difficult, though jetting or pre-drilling may help. A soil investigation shows which case you have.

Should I fill the void under my slab after lifting?

Not automatically. The guideline says treating a void should be decided case by case, and that the void should remain in most cases to limit the effects of soil swell lifting the foundation. Ask your engineer before any grout or foam is placed.

Does a pressed pier warranty cover everything?

No. The guideline says typical contractor warranties do not cover finishes such as drywall, brick or plants, and that upward movement is not typically covered unless stated. Warranty terms are set in the contract. Read the exclusions before signing.

Do I need an engineer for concrete pier repair?

The guideline says that in residential projects an engineer should prepare a design or certify a layout prepared by the contractor. Some states, such as North Carolina, treat pier number and location as engineering work. Check your state board.

How much does concrete pier foundation repair cost?

We do not publish prices. The drivers are the number of piles, their depth, whether the job is partial or complete, whether it lifts, access, groundwater control, engineering and permits. Our cost guide and calculator show how quotes are built so you can compare scopes.

Sources

Foundation Performance Association, FPA-SC-08-1: Design, Manufacture, and Installation Guidelines of Precast Concrete Segmented Piles for Foundation Underpinning (5 March 2014), retrieved October 14, 2026.
Foundation Performance Association, FPA-SC-01-0: Foundation Design Options for Residential and Other Low-Rise Buildings on Expansive Soils (2004), retrieved October 14, 2026.
North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors, Foundation Repair Guidelines (revised 10/22/2024), retrieved October 14, 2026.
Federal Highway Administration, Drilled Shafts: Construction Procedures and LRFD Design Methods, GEC 10, FHWA-NHI-10-016 (May 2010), retrieved October 14, 2026.
Iowa State University Bridge Engineering Center and InTrans, Helical Pile Foundation Guide for Bridge Structures (October 2023), retrieved October 14, 2026.
Hubbell Power Systems (CHANCE), Technical Design Manual, Edition 3 (2014). Manufacturer document, retrieved October 14, 2026.
Hubbell Power Systems, Foundation Solutions blog: Push Piers, Frictional or End Bearing? Manufacturer document, retrieved October 14, 2026.
Federal Highway Administration, Concrete Pavement Preservation Guide, 2nd ed., FHWA-HIF-14-014 (2014), Chapter 4: Slab Stabilization and Slab Jacking, retrieved October 14, 2026.

Expert review

Written by the HyreFoundation Research team. Not yet reviewed by an outside expert. We say so rather than imply a review that has not happened; see our editorial policy.

How the numbers were checked: How the system works, its limits, soil fit, design considerations, warranty norms and code opinion come from one Foundation Performance Association guideline (FPA-SC-08-1), written by the FPA’s structural committee and describing precast segmented piles generally.

It is the committee’s opinion, not a code. Other methods are described from the sources cited in the comparison. No numeric specifications, depths, spacing or prices are given. No manufacturer or company is named. Rules checked 2026-10-14. General information, not engineering advice.

Suggest a correction. We fix errors and say what changed.