Foundation Underpinning Detroit MI | 313 Foundation Fix

Foundation Underpinning Detroit MI — Steel & Helical Piers

When a foundation settles, standard repairs are not enough — you need to reach stable soil below the problem zone. 313 Foundation Fix installs steel push piers and helical piers that transfer your home’s load to bedrock or load-bearing strata, permanently stopping settlement and in many cases lifting the foundation back toward its original position.

Pier Systems We Install

• Steel Push Piers — Hydraulically driven steel pipe sections are pushed through the foundation footing into load-bearing strata. Ideal for active settlement on heavy structures.
• Helical Piers — Screw-type piers are rotated into the soil to a specified torque. Ideal for lighter structures, additions, porches, and new construction.
• Slab Piers — Installed through interior concrete slabs to lift and stabilize settled floors in garages, basements, and crawl spaces.

Signs You Need Underpinning

• Foundation has dropped more than 1 inch in any area
• Large diagonal cracks at corners of doors and windows
• Chimneys pulling away from the house
• Floors with a noticeable slope (more than 1 inch per 10 feet)
• Previous crack repairs that keep returning

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does pier installation cost in Detroit?

Pier installation typically runs $1,200–$2,000 per pier. Most projects require 6–14 piers. We provide a written scope and fixed price before work begins.

Can you lift my house back to level?

In many cases yes. Once piers reach load-bearing strata, hydraulic jacks lift the foundation incrementally. We stop when the structure is stable to avoid overstress on the framing above.

Call (313) 751-9872 — Free Estimate

We provide this service across the metro — see our Ann Arbor and Lincoln Park pages, or all services.

Helical Versus Push Piers

Underpinning transfers a footing that has lost support onto stable soil deeper down, and there are two main ways to do it. Helical piers are screwed into the ground like a large auger, and because torque during installation correlates with capacity, we can verify the bearing as we go — which suits lighter structures, additions and porches. Push piers are driven hydraulically using the weight of the structure itself as resistance, which makes them well suited to heavier buildings and to reaching deeper stable strata. Both are installed from the exterior in relatively small excavations at each pier location rather than along the whole footing. On fill soils, common near former industrial parcels across metro Detroit, piers are frequently the only repair that actually stops movement.

Common Questions

How do I know if I need underpinning rather than crack repair?

Underpinning addresses settlement — the footing dropping. The signs are a corner or section of the house sitting lower, doors and windows racking out of square in one area, and cracks that widen toward the top. Cracking without settlement usually does not need piers.

Will the house be lifted back to level?

Sometimes partially, and we will be honest about how much. Stabilising the structure so it stops moving is always achievable; returning it fully to original level is not always possible without causing damage elsewhere, particularly in older homes with plaster.

How disruptive is the work?

Less than most people expect. Pier installation needs an excavation at each location rather than a continuous trench, and most residential jobs run two to four days depending on pier count and access.