Helical Piers Installation In Michigan

Your foundation is a major factor in the overall health of your home. The foundation supports your home by properly distributing the weight of your house to prevent settlement. Foundation damage occurs when shifting soils, expansion, contraction, and drainage problems cause your foundation to settle. Foundation settlement can cause various issues including cracks in walls, cracks in brick, and floors that slope, just to name a few.

Michigan is an excellent location for new construction, but some areas may have poor soil conditions. To ensure a structurally sound new build on poor soil, you must transfer the loads deeper into the ground on more stable soil.

Bluebird CFW provides new construction helical piers and custom foundation repair services for homeowners, engineers, and contractors. Our quality helical pier services in Michigan are specifically designed for a wide variety of new construction applications, including high water tables, fill areas, expansive soils, and areas of unstable soil that require piering.

How Are Helical Piers Installed On The Ground?

If you are wondering how helical piers work and how they are installed, we provide you with a comprehensive detail of how helical piers work.

1. Placement and Amount: The placement of the helical pier will depend on where the settling has occurred. We work closely with a structural engineer to determine the number of helical piers needed. Several factors determine the number of helical piers required for each repair, such as the area of settling and the load of the structure.
2. Each Helical Pier Is Screwed Into The Ground: After the area of the helical placement is excavated, we begin screwing the helical into place. The steel shafts of the helical piers are designed with round helical discs to lock up the pier in load-bearing soil or strata. Each helical is placed next to the footer of the foundation. We then screw each helical pier into the soil using hydraulics to ensure maximum support.
3. Slow Rotating Installations: As we rotate the shaft of the pier, it will dig further into the ground. The motion of installing a steel helical pier is very similar to that of a wood screw.
4. Connecting to the Foundation: After the helical pier has reached the correct depth, a bracket is connected to the helical and then secured to the footer. The foundation is now supported by the helical pier and not the unstable soil.

How Is The Depth Of The Helical Determined?

Traditionally, structural engineers have relied on a soil boring sample to help determine the depth at which a helical pier will need to be inserted. Unfortunately, this process is often unreliable. A soil boring will give information regarding the type of soil present. Unfortunately, the depths of these samples are pre-determined and may not go deep enough, depending on your location. If your soil sample shows “junk” or unstable soil, you are still left questioning how far each helical pier will need to be inserted to reach stable soil or strata.

Lock In Costs With Our Test Helical Piers

Helical piers are one of the most effective, versatile solutions for foundation repair or new construction. We offer helical pier testing to determine the exact depth piers need to reach to provide effective support and stability. Our test service is quick and effective, helping you budget effectively for the cost of repairs or new construction.

We drive one pier into the ground at the front of your home or property and one at the back until we reach 2500-3000 PSI. We use this depth to determine the total cost of installing helical piers on your property. If, for any reason, we need to install piers deeper than the test piers to support your foundation, you will not be responsible for the extra cost. If you’re thinking of installing helical piers, call us today. Take advantage of our innovative testing service that guarantees reliable foundation repair and protects you from any surprise costs.

Why Is Knowing The Depth Of The Helical Pier Important?

The honest answer is the cost! We consider a test helical to be an insurance policy. Once we have determined the required depth, we are able to provide you with the exact cost of the repair. By completing the test helical, we guarantee that you will not pay any additional costs if any helical piers need to be inserted past the quoted depth. Let’s be honest. The last thing you want is additional costs during construction. A test helical will save you that headache!

Work Without The Test Helical (Depth Clause)

We can insert helical piers without the test helical process, but this blind insertion approach could increase the cost of the repair. With the depth clause, we will provide you with a quote for the number of helical piers required for the repair at a predetermined depth. However, if any helical pier is inserted past the quoted depth, there will be an additional charge per helical per foot. In some cases, this Depth Charge could add thousands of dollars to the cost of the repair when you weren’t planning on it.

Custom Helical Piers For New Construction Foundations

At Bluebird, we provide a wide variety of helical piers and new construction brackets for installation so that we can find the perfect one for you.

Our helical pier diameters include:

• 2 ⅜”
• 2 ⅞”
• 3 ½”
• 4 ½”
• 5 ½”
• 6 ⅝”
• 8 ½

Based on the specifications of your project, we can create custom orders. Our dedicated team can craft the helical pier diameters and brackets that your project needs. Every single one of our helical shafts and extensions is created from durable carbon steel with yield strength starting at 65 ksi.

Advantages Of Helical Piles and Piers

Helical piers are an increasingly popular option for foundation repair projects. They are different from push piers and are twisted instead of being pushed to the ground. Here are the reasons why you should opt for helical piers installation as a foundation repair solution.

1. For one, helical piers are versatile. They have many potential applications, making them a great solution for different types of projects.
2. Helical piers can be used for compression and tension applications, so they are a great alternative for deep foundation construction.
3. Additionally, helical piers are quick to install. Because they require small equipment, professionals can install them rapidly.
4. Ultimately, the fast installation provides immediate loading capabilities and greater cost efficiency than other methods.

So, what are you waiting for? Call our team of helical pier installers in Michigan today!

Get High-Quality Helical Piers For New Construction In Michigan

You can always trust the quality of our helical piers. Each component is coated with a thermoplastic coating, which is a highly durable option. The thermoplastic coating adheres to the Acceptance Criteria for Corrosion Protection of Steel Foundation Systems Using Polymer (EAA) Coatings (AC228). This coating provides an incredible 50-year lifespan and is a sustainable solution that you can depend on.

Bluebird helical piers provide great benefits to new construction. They are an excellent choice for mitigating the risk of conventional concrete foundations in new builds in the soil in Michigan, but they can also be used to remedy existing foundations in need of repair. Some of the powerful ways we can leverage helical piers include:

• Tension and compression applications for foundations, solar fields, launch pads, and more.
• Lightning poles and tower foundations that require shear and overturning.
• Supporting foundations in duress or providing stability to existing foundations to handle heavier loads.

Contact Bluebird CFW For New Construction Helical Piers In Michigan

Helical piers offer many key advantages. They provide predictable, reliable results that your team can count on. Helical piers can hold design loads for very specific soils, which is incredibly helpful for new construction. Our team can install them in any weather, and we require very limited access to do so. We don’t have to perform excavation spoils for installation or removal. Immediately following installation, the helical pier deep foundation system can be loaded.

Our team is here to help with commercial and residential new construction needs with our helical pier system. We will answer any questions you may have and help you find the right helical piers for your job. We also provide solutions for crawl space waterproofing and basement waterproofing. To learn more or schedule your consultation, contact us today.