Why Contractors Choose Helical Piers for Foundation Repair

Helical piers are the most widely used foundation repair product in the industry — and for good reason. For foundation repair contractors, helical piers offer a combination of installation efficiency, engineering reliability, and long-term performance that few other foundation repair solutions can match.

Whether you’re stabilizing a settling residential foundation, supporting a commercial structure, or working on a new construction deep foundation application, ECP helical piers are engineered to perform in the most demanding jobsite conditions.

What Are Helical Piers?

Helical piers — also called helical anchors, helical piles, or helical screwpiles — are steel foundation pins with helical plates welded to the shaft. Think of them as large, heavy-duty foundation screws engineered to be drilled deep into the ground until they reach stable, load-bearing soil strata.

ECP helical piers are available in both square and round shaft configurations, with torque ratings ranging from 5,500 to 13,000 foot-pounds and maximum capacities ranging from 60,000 to 120,000 pounds — giving contractors the flexibility to select the right pier for the demands of each specific project.

How Are Helical Piers Installed?

One of the key advantages of helical piers is a straightforward installation process that requires minimal equipment and causes minimal disruption to the jobsite. Here is a step-by-step overview of how ECP helical piers are installed:

1. Small excavations — typically around three feet square — are dug at the foundation to allow access for each pier location.
2. The foundation footing is notched to place a pier bracket beneath the building’s stem wall.
3. A utility bracket is secured to the footing using anchor bolts.
4. Using a hydraulic motor, the helical pier is pushed into the soil.
5. Installation continues until the specified torque is reached in stable, load-bearing soil.
6. Once all piers have been installed and load tested, lifting head assemblies and hydraulic lifting rams are placed on the piers and connected to hydraulic pumps.
7. The building’s load is transferred from the failing soil to the pier system, and the structure is gently and evenly lifted as close to its original elevation as conditions allow.
8. Excavated soil is replaced and compacted at each pier location, leaving the site clean.

Helical piers can be installed from inside or outside the structure, giving contractors flexibility in tight-access situations.

When Should Helical Piers Be Used?

Helical piers are suitable for a wide range of new construction and existing structure applications, including residential, commercial, and industrial projects. They are particularly well-suited for sites with unstable or moisture-affected soils where surface-level repairs are not sufficient to provide long-term structural support.

Signs a structure may need helical pier support include:

• Bowing or leaning foundation walls
• Cracks in basement or foundation walls
• Uneven or sloping floors
• Sticking or hard-to-open doors and windows
• Gaps around window or door frames
• Cracks in drywall or plaster
• Tilting chimneys
• Cracks or gaps along the roofline
• Water in the basement

When contractors observe these signs during an evaluation, helical piers are often the right long-term solution — especially when settlement is ongoing or soils beneath the structure are unstable.

Why Helical Piers Are the Preferred Foundation Repair Solution

Simple Installation, Permanent Results

ECP helical piers are mechanically drilled through unstable soils to reach load-bearing strata below, with little to no vibration during installation. The installed torque directly correlates to load capacity, giving contractors a reliable, verifiable measure of pier performance during installation. Once installed, helical piers permanently stabilize the foundation without the need for ongoing maintenance.

Immediate Load Transfer

Upon installation of the foundation brackets, the load of the structure is immediately transferred to the pier system. Unlike concrete-based solutions that require cure time before loading, helical piers allow contractors to complete the repair and transfer the structural load in a single mobilization — a significant efficiency advantage on both residential and commercial projects.

Minimal Equipment and Site Disturbance

Helical pier installation requires only small excavation and drilling equipment, eliminating the need for large construction machinery. This keeps the jobsite cleaner, reduces disruption to the surrounding property, and makes helical piers practical for tight-access installations where larger equipment simply cannot operate.

All-Weather Installation

Unlike repair methods that depend on favorable weather conditions — such as concrete pours that require specific temperature ranges and dry conditions — helical piers can be installed in virtually any weather. This flexibility helps contractors keep projects on schedule regardless of the season and is one of the reasons ECP helical piers are relied on by foundation repair contractors across the country.

Long-Term Durability and Warranty

Helical piers are designed to last as long as the structure they support — potentially a century or more. ECP backs its helical piers with an industry-leading 25-year warranty, giving contractors a product they can stand behind and giving property owners confidence in the long-term value of the repair.

Helical Piers vs. Push Piers — Which Is Right for the Job?

Both helical piers and steel push piers are effective deep foundation repair solutions, but each has advantages depending on the project conditions.

Helical piers are generally the preferred choice when:

• Soils are loose, soft, or have low resistance
• The structure has a relatively light load
• Tension applications are required, such as tiebacks or anchoring
• All-weather or tight-access installation is a priority
• Immediate load transfer is needed

Push piers may be the better choice when:

• Soils have sufficient resistance to advance the pier through hydraulic pressure
• The structure carries a heavier load
• Site conditions favor driving rather than drilling

ECP manufactures both helical piers and steel push piers, giving contractor partners access to the right solution for every foundation repair scenario they encounter in the field.

ECP Helical Pier Products

ECP offers a comprehensive line of helical pier products engineered for residential, commercial, and industrial foundation repair applications. Our helical piers are manufactured in the USA at our Olathe, Kansas facility using American-made steel, and are available in both square and round shaft configurations to accommodate a wide range of soil conditions and load requirements.

All ECP helical piers are:

• ICC-certified
• Available in multiple shaft sizes and helix configurations
• Backed by a 25-year warranty
• Supported by ECP’s technical team and contractor training programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Helical Piers

Become an ECP Helical Pier Contractor Partner

ECP has been supplying foundation repair contractors with high-quality helical piers and deep foundation products for over 25 years. Our contractor-first approach means you get more than just a product — you get technical support, training resources, and a manufacturing partner committed to helping your business grow.

Ready to add ECP helical piers to your foundation repair services? Contact ECP today to learn more about becoming an ECP contractor partner.