We’ve all heard the expression a pier is a pier is a pier –
Okay, so maybe we all haven’t, but the point is there is a slew of different brands of piers out there. A question we get a lot here at Dalinghaus is: why are there so many different brands of piers and is there a significant difference?
The short answer is (1. to supply the demand and (2. no.
Except, it’s more complicated than that. Yes, piers are installed in a similar fashion regardless of brand (i.e., just like with different brands of nails and screws).
Push Piers are driven into competent, load-bearing soil like nails
Helical Piers are spun into the soil with a tremendous amount of torque like screws.
But the caliber of the pier installation is the primary difference in the lasting quality of pier performance and permanence.
In this article, we are going to cover:
- Different Brands of Piers
- Why Companies Utilize Different Brands
- What Goes Wrong with Piers
Different Brands of Piers
There is no Nike or Apple or Porsche when it comes to push and helical piers. There is no luxury or sports pier – the point is, they serve a single prosaic purpose: to lift to MPR and or stabilize foundations.
As long as the pier is galvanized (to protect against rust/corrosion) and reaches the appropriate load capacity, the pier is pierfect.
Pier Brands:
· Earth Contact Products
· Support Works
· Titan
· McLean Dixie
· IDEAL Manufacturing
· Ram Jack
· Pier Tech Systems
· Tesla (okay, so not yet, but smart piers are the future)
Different brands may claim to have a super-secret patented formula that sets them a peg above the rest.
While it may be true, they are Trade Marked TM – that doesn’t make them unique or superior as they serve the same purpose – they’re gonna be buried in the dirt.
Why Companies Utilize Different Brands of Piers
While there is no Nike or Puma brand war in the pier game, there is still brand loyalty.
Often, manufacturers form groups and only sell to a select group of vendors.
These vendors divvy up locations and are remarkably territorial. Nobody sells on anyone else’s turf, or else Big Tony takes a baseball bat to youse son’s knees (if you know what I mean).
Okay, so it’s not that cutthroat, but these groups do provide support networks that help provide training, leads, and product discounts.
So, the brand of pier utilized is often dependent on
1. The support work systems manufacturer
2. Location (availability differs from state to state)
3. Price/Quality (galvanization & maximum load capacity)
The quality of the product is relatively similar across the board – so, what quality really boils down to in terms of a foundation lift/stabilization is the caliber of the installation.
What Goes Wrong with Piers
If the quality of the pier is good, then pier mishaps are purely derived from human error, just like a car doesn’t crash itself.
The two primary factors of pier failure are:
· Faulty Design of Repair Plan
· Reckless/Inept Installation of Material
In the end, the only “brand” that matters is the integrity, transparency, and long-lasting success of your foundation repair
Dalinghaus: A Brand You Can Trust
Here at Dalinghaus, we do it right. We have over 100 years of experience, a lifelong warranty on all steel pier systems, and utilize galvanized, load-tested steel. All of our production team is trained in-house on the proper installation techniques.
In addition, our crew is heavily vetted. We do not utilize hired labor or subcontractors. We are the perfect fit for your foundation repair needs.
If you live in Southern California or Central Arizona, click our link below for a FREE foundation inspection –