While concrete underpinning may have a lower initial material cost, helical pier installation is often more cost-effective when considering the total project value, especially in the Denver area.

According to Rocky Mountain Steel Piering (RMSSCO), several factors make helical piers a superior financial and structural choice:

• Faster Installation and No Cure Time: Helical piers offer immediate loading capabilities. Unlike concrete underpinning, which requires days or weeks to cure, helical piers allow projects to stay on a fast track, reducing labor demands and general-condition expenses.
• Lower Labor Costs: Traditional concrete underpinning is labor-intensive and slow. The efficiency of the screw-in helical method can shorten project schedules significantly.
• Predictable Performance: Helical piers provide high, predictable load capacity even in poor soil conditions, such as the expansive clays or wet soils common in Colorado. Concrete underpinning is limited by the soil’s bearing capacity and may degrade in expansive soils over time.
• Longevity: Hot-dip galvanized helical piers provide a service life of 50 years or more, offering better long-term value compared to concrete, which may fail in unstable soil environments.

Because every project’s cost is influenced by site-specific engineering and soil conditions, RMSSCO recommends an on-site inspection to provide a custom, written quote.