Can bored piers be drilled through rock?

Yes, though it genuinely requires appropriate drilling equipment suited to rock — different, generally more robust equipment than what’s needed for standard soil drilling, and typically a slower process for the same depth.

Where rock presence is known or suspected before drilling begins (from your soil report or geotechnical assessment), this is factored into planning and quoting upfront rather than treated as an unexpected complication.

Drilling through rock generally adds to both time and cost compared to straightforward soil drilling — worth understanding this possibility if your site’s geology suggests rock could genuinely be encountered.

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