Free tool 20+ years on the water 8 states served
Last updated: June 2026 — baseline pricing from real pile-driving jobs.
Pile driving is priced by the pile type and the total length you drive — number of piles × average driven length — not per square foot. Whether you are setting foundation piles for a load-bearing structure or driving dock and pier supports, pick timber, steel (H-pile or pipe pile), precast concrete, vinyl/composite or helical (screw) piles, enter the count, size and average driven length, and this free calculator returns an all-in cost range per linear foot plus rig mobilization, then lets you download a PDF estimate to keep. This estimates the piles only — decking, caps, railings and the structure on top are quoted separately. Driving piles for a deck on top? Use our pier cost calculator or dock & boathouse calculator; for a fixed shoreline wall, use our bulkhead cost calculator. We drive piles across our Texas and Gulf Coast service area, where soft soils and tidal access shape both the method and the price.
Quick answer: driven piles run about $10–$90 per linear foot, all-in (material and labor), depending on type and size — timber is the low-cost workhorse at $10–$25/LF, helical/screw $25–$50/LF, vinyl/composite $30–$55/LF, precast concrete $40–$75/LF, and structural steel H-pile or pipe $50–$90/LF. Add rig mobilization per day, plus a work barge for over-water access; saltwater and brackish sites add a coastal adjustment.
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Pile-driving pricing is driven by the pile type and how much total length you drive. The calculator above accounts for the big ones; here's what's behind the range:
| Pile type | Typical cost / LF | Best for | Typical lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timber (CCA) | $10–$25 | Docks, piers & light structures in soft soils | 25–50 years |
| Helical / screw | $25–$50 | Boardwalks & low-impact, no-hammer sites | 50+ years |
| Vinyl / composite | $30–$55 | Light docks & low-maintenance erosion control | 25–50 years |
| Precast concrete | $40–$75 | Bridges, ports & high-capacity, long-life loads | 50–100 years |
| Steel (H-pile / pipe) | $50–$90 | Heavy/deep foundations, bridges & seawalls | 50+ years (coated) |
These per-LF ranges are all-in (material plus driving labor) for freshwater baseline sites. The calculator's live number multiplies your total driven length (piles × average length) by a size-adjusted rate within the type's range — a bigger section lands toward the higher end — then adds rig mobilization per day, plus a work barge for over-water access. This estimates the piles only; decking, caps, railings and the structure on top are quoted separately. Switch the water type to Saltwater to add a coastal adjustment; tidal and brackish sites are confirmed after a site review.
Explore detailed pricing: pile-driving services & guide, pier cost, dock cost, boardwalk cost, bulkhead cost, seawall cost, compare all our cost calculators, or browse our completed waterfront projects.
Honest answers about pile-driving pricing — what piles cost per linear foot, the cheapest pile type, how saltwater changes the price, and what this estimate covers.
All-in (material plus driving labor), driven piles run about $10–$90 per linear foot depending on type and size: timber $10–$25/LF, helical/screw $25–$50/LF, vinyl/composite $30–$55/LF, precast concrete $40–$75/LF, and structural steel $50–$90/LF. On top of the per-foot cost you add rig mobilization per day (and a work barge for over-water access). Enter your count, size and average driven length above for a build-specific range.
Timber (CCA-treated) is the cheapest at around $10–$25 per linear foot and is the workhorse choice for docks, piers and light structures in soft soils. Helical/screw piles ($25–$50/LF) are the next step up and install with hydraulic equipment instead of a hammer, which is useful on low-impact or access-restricted sites. Steel and precast concrete cost more but carry far heavier loads and last longest.
We price by total linear feet driven — number of piles × average driven length — at an all-in $/LF rate for the pile type and size, then add rig mobilization. Pricing per foot is fairer than a flat per-pile number because a 12-foot timber pile and a 40-foot steel pile take very different amounts of material and driving time. The calculator shows both your total length and the effective $/LF so you can see how the number is built.
Yes. Saltwater, brackish and tidal sites need corrosion-resistant material, heavier coatings and hardware, so coastal piles cost more than the freshwater baseline. Switch the water type to “Saltwater” and the calculator adds a coastal adjustment to the per-foot pile cost; the rig mobilization is unchanged, and your final coastal price is confirmed after a site review.
Mobilization is the daily cost of getting the pile-driver rig on site and running; the calculator multiplies your work days by the rig day-rate. Over-water jobs add a work barge per day for access. Helical/screw piles are the exception — they install with hydraulic equipment and no hammer, so they carry a lower daily equipment cost. The number shown is a planning figure; exact crew days follow a site review of access and soil.
An impact hammer drives a pile with repeated blows and is used to reach high load-bearing capacity in firm soils or to drive to refusal; a vibratory hammer shakes the pile down with much less noise and is faster in soft or sandy soils, common across the Gulf Coast. Steel H-pile and pipe pile go in with either method, timber and precast concrete are usually impact-driven, and helical (screw) piles use no hammer at all. The driving method affects crew days and the rig, which is why mobilization is a separate line in the estimate; the right method for your soil is confirmed at a site review.
The range covers the piles (material and driving labor) plus rig mobilization. It estimates the piles only — decking, pile caps, railings, bracing and the structure on top are quoted separately because they depend on your design. Final pricing also depends on soil/seabed, refusal depth, access and permits, so your firm price follows a site review — estimates are reviewed by Roman Ross, Marine Construction Estimator at Shore Protect Construction.
The ranges in this calculator come from estimates on jobs like these:
Shore Protect