Guides · Updated November 2026
How much do screw piles cost in Victoria?
In Victoria, installed screw piles typically run from about $180 to $450 per pile for standard 76, 89 and 105 mm helical piles on a house, deck or shed site, with most residential jobs landing between $3,000 and $12,000 all up. Pile size, depth to bearing, soil, access and how many piles the engineer specifies drive the number. A fixed written quote follows a site visit and the engineer's drawings.
Prices on this page are indicative ranges for Victoria at the time of writing, not a quote. Based in Keilor East, Melbourne. Working across metropolitan and regional Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.
What drives the price
Screw piles are priced per pile, installed. Four things move that number more than anything else.
- Pile diameter: 76 mm piles suit decks, pergolas and light structures; 89 mm and 105 mm carry house extensions, sheds and heavier loads, and cost more per metre.
- Depth to bearing: the pile is driven until it reaches the torque that proves the design load. Reactive clay or fill means deeper piles and sometimes extensions.
- Number of piles: set by the engineer from the loads and the soil report, usually one pile every 1.5 to 2.5 m along the bearers.
- Access and ground conditions: a tight backyard, a sloping block or rock changes the machine we bring and the time on site.
Typical Victorian ranges
These are indicative ranges for metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. They are not a quote.
- Deck or pergola, 8 to 12 piles, 76 mm: roughly $2,000 to $4,500 installed.
- Shed or garage slab, 12 to 20 piles, 89 mm: roughly $4,000 to $9,000.
- House extension or sloping-site home, 20 to 40 piles, 89 to 105 mm: roughly $8,000 to $18,000.
- Commercial and village work is priced on the engineer's pile schedule.
Why screw piles instead of bored piers
Screw piles go in the same day with no spoil, no concrete cure time and no waiting on weather, and the installation torque gives a load reading on every pile. Bored piers cost less per unit on simple sites with good access and stable soil, so we often price both and let the engineer and the budget decide. Our screw piles vs bored piers guide goes through the trade-offs.
What's included in our price
Engineering liaison, torque-verified installation, bracket or cap plates to suit the bearer or slab, and an installation record for the building surveyor. Soil reports and the structural design itself are by your engineer; we work from their drawings.
Questions we get asked
Do I need a soil report before screw piles?
Usually yes. The engineer uses the soil classification to size the piles and set the design load. If you don't have one, we can point you to a geotechnical tester.
How fast can screw piles be installed?
A typical house extension of 20 to 30 piles is one day on site, and the bearers or slab can go on straight away.
Do screw piles work in reactive clay?
Yes. They're driven below the active zone to a depth where the torque confirms bearing, which is one of the reasons engineers specify them on Melbourne's clay soils.