Hi.

Our home is built on expansive clay. We have significant cracks in the
foundation walls and floors. We have dry wall cracks and our windows
and doors stick. Other houses in our neighbourhood have the same
problems. We have had a soil boring test and a geotechnical engineered
solution to fix the problem. The enigeer and subsequent 2nd opinions
have confirmed our house is sinking due to the expansive clay. The
recommendation is to retrofit the foundation with helical piers. We
have a rectangular, poured concrete foundation approximately 30 x 40 in
size. We have a full basement with 8" walls and 24" wide footers. The
house is a 2 story of approximately 1650 sq ft. There is also a 2 car
attached garage. It has a 4' foundation underneath - the basement does
not extend underneath the garage.

The soil test shows that our soil is hard clay from the surface to
about 8'. Then is it softer clay down to about 15'. From that point
on, we have hard clay and then bedrock / glacial till.

The engineered solution calls for piers every 5 feet. There were a
total of 32 piers recommended. We have installation estimates of about
$2500 / pier. This adds up to $80K. I've read in a news group that a
pier support weight 5 linear feet from the center of the pier.

If this is true, then wouldn't having piers 10 feet apart be enough?
This would cut the cost approximately in half.

We want to do the repair right, but we also don't have a lot of money
and don't want to spend more than is necessary.

Thanks in advance for your opinions,
Rob

"Rob" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi.

Our home is built on expansive clay. We have significant cracks in the
foundation walls and floors. We have dry wall cracks and our windows
and doors stick. Other houses in our neighbourhood have the same
problems. We have had a soil boring test and a geotechnical engineered
solution to fix the problem. The enigeer and subsequent 2nd opinions
have confirmed our house is sinking due to the expansive clay. The
recommendation is to retrofit the foundation with helical piers. We
have a rectangular, poured concrete foundation approximately 30 x 40 in
size. We have a full basement with 8" walls and 24" wide footers. The
house is a 2 story of approximately 1650 sq ft. There is also a 2 car
attached garage. It has a 4' foundation underneath - the basement does
not extend underneath the garage.

The soil test shows that our soil is hard clay from the surface to
about 8'. Then is it softer clay down to about 15'. From that point
on, we have hard clay and then bedrock / glacial till.

The engineered solution calls for piers every 5 feet. There were a
total of 32 piers recommended. We have installation estimates of about
$2500 / pier. This adds up to $80K. I've read in a news group that a
pier support weight 5 linear feet from the center of the pier.

If this is true, then wouldn't having piers 10 feet apart be enough?
This would cut the cost approximately in half.

We want to do the repair right, but we also don't have a lot of money
and don't want to spend more than is necessary.

Thanks in advance for your opinions,
Rob


Boils down to who you are going to trust-the engineer(s) who did all the soil testing and
designed the entire system based on your structure, or some guys on a newsgroup?

On 1-Jan-2006, "Rob" wrote:

I've read in a news group that a
pier support weight 5 linear feet from the center of the pier.

How much weight? Just because the span can be up to five
feet doesn't mean that it can support all possible loads over
that span. As well, the limit might not be the pier but the capacity
of your house foundation. Even if the piers can hold the load at
ten foot spacings, your house might require closer spacing unless
you want to heavily reinforce the house.

Mike

You might read this for information:
http://www.concretenetwork.com/concr...dation_repair/

I think that the price quoted would suggest at least one more
quote if possible.

(top posted for your convenience)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Rob" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi.

Our home is built on expansive clay. We have significant cracks
in the
foundation walls and floors. We have dry wall cracks and our
windows
and doors stick. Other houses in our neighbourhood have the
same
problems. We have had a soil boring test and a geotechnical
engineered
solution to fix the problem. The enigeer and subsequent 2nd
opinions
have confirmed our house is sinking due to the expansive clay.
The
recommendation is to retrofit the foundation with helical piers.
We
have a rectangular, poured concrete foundation approximately 30
x 40 in
size. We have a full basement with 8" walls and 24" wide
footers. The
house is a 2 story of approximately 1650 sq ft. There is also a
2 car
attached garage. It has a 4' foundation underneath - the
basement does
not extend underneath the garage.

The soil test shows that our soil is hard clay from the surface
to
about 8'. Then is it softer clay down to about 15'. From that
point
on, we have hard clay and then bedrock / glacial till.

The engineered solution calls for piers every 5 feet. There
were a
total of 32 piers recommended. We have installation estimates
of about
$2500 / pier. This adds up to $80K. I've read in a news group
that a
pier support weight 5 linear feet from the center of the pier.

If this is true, then wouldn't having piers 10 feet apart be
enough?
This would cut the cost approximately in half.

We want to do the repair right, but we also don't have a lot of
money
and don't want to spend more than is necessary.

Thanks in advance for your opinions,
Rob