Apparatus and method for supporting a structure with a pier

1. A method for installing a pier to a building, comprising the steps of:

excavating an area of earth adjacent a footer;

driving a pier shaft into said earth to a weight bearing stratum;

placing a shelf on said pier shaft such that said shelf extends above and away from said footer;

pushing said shelf below said footer;

rotating said shelf under said footer;

raising said building on said shelf; and

adjustably extending a screw jack assembly between said shelf and said footer.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of mounting a top portion of said pier shaft to said footer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said shelf is mounted to a pier cap stabilizer shaft, wherein said pier cap stabilizer shaft extends over said pier shaft.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein a top portion of said pier cap stabilizer shaft extends above said footer and attaches to said footer.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of aligning said screw jack assembly on said shelf with a screw jack guide attached to said shelf.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of placing a flexible bag of structural material between a top surface of said screw jack assembly and the bottom surface of said footer.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of pushing said screw jack assembly with a hydraulic ram.

8. A method for installing a pier, comprising the steps of:

driving a pier shaft down into the ground adjacent to a footer of a building, wherein said pier shaft extends through a notch formed in said footer;

placing a pier cap stabilizer shaft over said pier shaft such that a shelf mounted to said pier cap stabilizer shaft extends away from said footer;

sliding said pier cap stabilizer shaft down over said pier shaft until said shelf is below a bottom surface of said footer and a pin extending through said pier cap stabilizer shaft contacts a top surface of said pier shaft;

rotating said pier cap stabilizer shaft in order to position said shelf beneath a bottom surface of said footer;

placing a screw jack assembly on said shelf such that said screw jack assembly extends from said shelf up against the bottom surface of said footer; and

raising said footer.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said pier shaft is driven vertically with respect to said footer.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein said pier shaft is driven at an angle with respect to said footer.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising a step of securing a top portion of said pier cap stabilizer shaft to said footer.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising a step of placing a bag of structural material between said footer and said screw jack.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein said pier has a helix mounted at a bottom end.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein said screw jack assembly is placed over a rod mounted to said shelf, wherein said rod fits within a jack sleeve of said screw jack assembly, thereby aligning said screw jack assembly on said shelf.

15. A method for assembling a pier that supports a footer of a building, comprising the steps of:

placing a shelf on a pier shaft such that said shelf extends above and away from said footer;

sliding said shelf down along said pier shaft below said footer;

rotating said shelf about said pier shaft under said footer;

moving said footer vertically above said shelf; and

adjustably extending a screw jack assembly between shelf and said footer.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising a step of placing a bag of unhardened structural material between said footer and said screw jack.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising a step of aligning said screw jack assembly on said shelf with screw jack guides attached to said shelf.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein said shelf is mounted to a pier cap stabilizer shaft, said pier cap stabilizer shaft attaches to said pier.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising a step of mounting said pier shaft to said footer.