Helical piers are priced per pier, and most foundation jobs run from about $2,700 for a single-pier fix. The full perimeter cost depends on the perimeter of the property.
Residential helical piers are traditionally spaced 5 feet apart on center along the perimeter to properly distribute load and prevent foundation wall spanning stress. They must also be positioned at every major corner. 603 Basement Solutions installs them at $2,700 per pier for the first three, then $2,200 per pier after that.
The total comes down mostly to one thing: how many piers it takes to stop the settling and carry your home. A small, single-corner fix is a few piers. A larger section or a full perimeter is more. Unlike most foundation companies that sub the lift out, 603 self-performs every helical install in-house, so the crew that quotes your job is the crew that drives the piers and stands behind the warranty. Below is exactly what goes into that number, what moves it up or down, and how the install works.
Typical helical pier pricing (603)
| Project | Typical piers | Ballpark total |
|---|---|---|
| Single settling corner | 1–3 | ~$2,700–$8,100 |
| A failing section (e.g. 20-30ft) | 4–6 | ~$10,300–$14,700 |
| Whole perimeter / new build (e.g 100-120 linear ft perimeter on a 700-800 sq ft property) |
20-24 | ~$45,50–$54,300 |
The first three piers are $2,700 each, then $2,200 each after that. Every home is different, so the only way to know your exact number is an on-site assessment. The per-pier price and the cost factors below tell you what to expect.
What a helical pier actually is
A helical pier (you will also hear “helical pile” or “screw pile”) is a steel shaft with one or more screw-shaped steel plates near the bottom. A crew drives it into the ground with a hydraulic motor, turning it like a giant screw until the plates reach soil firm enough to carry the weight of your house. The pier is then connected to your foundation with a steel bracket, and the load of the home transfers off the unstable soil and onto the pier.
Two things make helical piers a go-to fix for settling foundations:
- The capacity is measured, not guessed. The harder the soil pushes back as the pier turns, the more weight it can hold. The crew watches that resistance (torque) as they install, so they know each pier has reached load-bearing ground.
- They work year-round. Because there is no concrete to pour and cure, helical piers can go in during winter as easily as in summer, which matters in a cold-climate state where the ground freezes for months.
When you need helical piers
Helical piers solve a specific problem: part of your foundation is sitting on soil that can no longer hold it, so the house is moving. Common signs homeowners notice first:
- A corner or section of the house that looks like it is sinking or dropping
- Stair-step cracks in a block or brick wall, or widening cracks in poured concrete
- Doors and windows that stick or no longer close square
- Sloping or uneven floors above the affected area
- Gaps opening up where walls meet ceilings or trim
Helical piers are also used to support new construction and additions on weak soil, and to hold up decks and porches that would otherwise heave or settle. For the column version of structural support inside the basement, see our guide on the cost to replace a failing lally column.
If your foundation is cracking from water pressure rather than settling, that is a different fix. A clean horizontal crack across the middle of a block wall usually points to lateral soil pressure, not settlement, and the repair is wall reinforcement, not piers.
What helical piers cost: the breakdown
Helical pier pricing is built from the ground up, one pier at a time:
Per pier. 603 installs helical piers at $2,700 each for the first three, then $2,200 each after that. That covers the pier itself, the hydraulic install, and the bracket that ties it to your foundation.
Number of piers. This is the single biggest driver of your total. Piers are placed where the foundation is failing, usually every 5 to 7 feet along the affected section. A dropping corner might need 2 or 3. A long failing wall might need 8 or more. The engineer or estimator decides spacing based on the load and the soil.
Engineering, permits, and access. Larger jobs may need a structural engineer’s drawings and a town permit, and tight or hard-to-reach work areas take longer. These add to the total on bigger projects.
So a simple way to think about it: (number of piers × per-pier price) + any engineering, permits, and access. Get the number of piers right and you have your estimate in range.
What drives the price up or down
Two homes with the same crack can have very different bids. Here is what moves the number:
- How many piers are needed. The bigger the failing area, the more piers, and this dominates the total.
- Depth to load-bearing soil. If firm soil is shallow, piers are shorter and faster. If the crew has to drive deep to reach it, that is more steel and more time.
- Soil conditions. Dense fill, ledge, or debris underground can slow the install.
- The load. A two-story house puts more weight on each pier than a single-story ranch, which can change pier size and count.
- Access. An open yard is quick. Piers next to a driveway, deck, or finished basement take more care.
- Lift vs. stabilize. Sometimes the goal is just to stop further movement. Other times the home can be carefully lifted back toward level, which is more involved.
- Repairs after. Crack sealing or cosmetic fixes once the foundation is stable are sometimes priced separately.
How the install works (what the day looks like)
For most homeowners the process is faster and less disruptive than they expect, usually one to three days:
- Assessment. A 603 estimator inspects the foundation, measures the movement, and determines how many piers you need and where.
- Layout and small excavation. The crew marks pier locations and digs a compact hole down to the footing at each one.
- Drive the piers. Using a hydraulic motor, each pier is screwed into the ground until it hits the resistance (torque) that proves it has reached load-bearing soil.
- Attach the brackets. A steel bracket connects each pier to your foundation footing.
- Transfer the load (and often lift). The home’s weight shifts onto the piers. Where it is safe to do so, the foundation is raised back toward level.
- Backfill and clean up. The holes are filled, the area is restored, and the crew walks you through the finished work.
Because the piers reach stable soil and the capacity is verified during the install, the fix is permanent, not a patch that buys you a few years. And because 603 runs the lift with its own crew rather than handing it to a subcontractor, the same people who measured the problem are the ones accountable for the result.
Helical piers vs. the alternatives
- Push piers (resistance piers). Also steel, but driven straight down using the weight of the house instead of being screwed in. They suit heavier structures, but they need enough building weight to install and their capacity is not torque-verified the same way.
- Concrete piers / footings. Poured in place. Slower (concrete has to cure) and harder to verify in poor soil.
- Slab jacking or foam injection. Lifts a sinking concrete slab (a garage floor, a patio), not a settling house foundation. Different problem, different fix.
For a settling house foundation in New England soil, helical piers are usually the most predictable and least disruptive option, which is why they are 603’s standard recommendation for that job.
How long do helical piers last, and what about the warranty?
The piers are galvanized steel driven below the frost line into stable soil, so they are built to last for decades. 603 backs the work with a 25-year engineered performance warranty that is transferable to a new owner, as long as no other contractor or the homeowner alters the installed work. A documented foundation repair with a transferable warranty can be a selling point rather than a red flag when you list the home.
Are helical piers worth it?
If your foundation is actively settling, the cost of doing nothing is the real comparison. Settlement does not stop on its own, and the cracks, sticking doors, and sloping floors get worse and more expensive to live with. Helical piers stop the movement at the source and, in many cases, recover some of the lost level. Paired with a transferable warranty, most homeowners find the cost worth the certainty that the problem is solved for good.
Helical pier cost in New Hampshire, Maine & Massachusetts
603 Basement Solutions installs helical piers across New Hampshire, southern Maine, and northeastern Massachusetts, from our base in East Kingston, NH. Pricing is $2,700 per pier for the first three, then $2,200 per pier, and our crew self-performs the install end to end. The only way to get your real number is a free on-site assessment where we count the piers your home actually needs. Call (603) 610-1770 or request a visit below.
Get a free foundation assessment →
See also: structural & foundation repair · helical piers service · lally column cost · rotting sill beam cost
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to install helical piers?
603 installs helical piers at $2,700 per pier for the first three, then $2,200 per pier after that. Your total depends mostly on how many piers your foundation needs, plus any engineering, permits, and access on larger jobs. A single-corner fix is a few piers; a failing section can run $10,000 to $20,000 or more.
How much does a helical pile cost?
“Helical pile” is another name for a helical pier, so the pricing is the same: $2,700 per pier for the first three, then $2,200 each after that.
How many helical piers do I need?
That depends on how much of the foundation is failing and how the load is distributed. Piers are typically spaced every 5 to 7 feet along the affected section. A dropping corner might need 2 or 3; a long failing wall might need 8 or more. A 603 estimator confirms the count on site.
How deep do helical piers go?
As deep as it takes to reach soil firm enough to carry your home. That varies by site and is confirmed during the install by the torque the pier reaches, not by a fixed depth.
Are helical piers worth it?
For an actively settling foundation, yes. They stop the movement permanently, often allow some lift back toward level, and 603’s work is warrantied and transferable to a future owner.
How long do helical piers last?
Galvanized steel piers driven into stable soil are built to last for decades. 603 backs the install with a 25-year engineered, transferable warranty.
Can helical piers be installed in winter?
Yes. There is no concrete to cure, so 603 installs helical piers year-round, including in the New England winter.
