Push piers vs. helical piers: what the difference actually means for your repair

Push piers are driven straight down using the weight of the house itself as the driving force, until they reach soil or bedrock strong enough to hold that weight. They work well under a heavier structure, because the house's own weight is what seats the pier.

Helical piers are mechanically screwed into the ground, like a very large corkscrew, to a depth verified by the torque it takes to turn them — a direct, measurable readout of the soil's actual strength at that depth, rather than an estimate. They're the better choice for a lighter structure, or a corner where more precise depth control matters.

Neither is categorically better. Which one gets used depends on what the inspection finds about your house's specific load and soil conditions at each pier location, and we'll tell you which one we're recommending and why, not just quote a number.