FAQ
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- Types of piers.
- Why does Accu-Lift specialize in the steel pier?
- Why does the steel pier go deeper?
- What is the primary factor to consider in order to assure a successful and troublefree repair to my foundation?
- Are all steel piers the same?
- Is Accu-Lift insured?
- Aren't all foundation repair companies required to carry insurance?
- How do you determine how much to lift a foundation?
- If I need interior piers, what is the procedure? How much of a mess is it?
- Who would be overseeing the lifting of the foundation?
- How much experience does the Accu-Lift estimator have?
- How long does process take?
- Do I need to be home while the work is being done?
- How often would you expect to adjust the piers?
- What is your warranty?
Q: Customers say "The more I read, the more confused I become about the different types of piers. Can you explain?"
When it comes to pier types, their seems to be no standard terminology and it can be confusing.
It is important that the customer is clear on what type of pier is being offered when comparing bids. Making an informed decision can be the difference between a successful, trouble free repair and a complete waste of money. There are far too many instances where people have paid more than once to have their foundation repaired.
Key points to differentiate between piers are:
Steel Pier- is built with all steel.There is no concrete or concrete component associated with a steel pier.
Concrete Pier- may be steel reinforced and/or include steel shims. A concrete pier with steel in it is not a steel pier. It is a concrete pier with steel reinforcement and/or steel shims(spacers) etc.
Q: Why does Accu-Lift specialize in the steel pier?
The steel pier is the only method that will consistently reach rock regardless of the depth, and,when installed properly, is unlikely to ever need any adjustment.
The two most widely used repair methods in DFW are the pressed steel pier and the pressed concrete pier. Both of these piers are driven or pressed by using the weight of the house as a counter force. They are both installed with hydraulic power.
Q: Why does the steel pier go deeper?
The steel pier will penetrate deeper because the first section of pier pipe has a side friction reducer, which makes the hole wider than the pier pipe that follows it down. The steel pier pipe is also of a smaller diameter than the pressed concrete pier blocks.
The pressed concrete pier has no side friction reducer and will develop the maximum driving pressure at considerably less depth than the steel pier. The only force available to press either pier is the weight of the building. When it begins to lift, that is the maximum depth for that pier. A point or cone on the first section of the pressed concrete pier won't do much to increase the depth. Most of the resistance comes from the side friction against the soil. All concrete piers achieve most of their load capacity through this side friction. This is why, in engineering terms, the concrete pier is referred to as a friction pier.
One more major point to consider is that if a steel pier is not driven to rock, it will not be possible to lift and correct the foundation. The jack will push the pier deeper until it reaches bearing resistance. Since most of the side friction has been eliminated by the side friction reducer, the steel pier reaches the load bearing strata and is a point bearing pier as opposed to a friction pier.
The pressed concrete pier does not share this self testing characteristic. It takes very little depth in hard soil to gain enough capacity to lift and correct a foundation. The job can be completed at this time, but the foundation might not remain stable as soil conditions change.
Q: What is the primary factor to consider in order to assure a successful and troublefree repair to my foundation?
Assuming for purposes of this comparison that materials and workmanship are equal among contractors, the type of pier is the primary factor that will influence the long term performance of the foundation repair. There are four pier types that are commonly used.
- Steel Pier - see Products page for details
- Pressed Concrete Pier- also referred to as cable lock, pressed pile, pressed pier, pressed piling, segmented concrete piles etc. This is the pier promoted and highly advertised on tv etc. The pressed pier consist of 6 inch diameter x 12 inch long concrete cylinders, an 18"x8"x8" pier cap, and steel shims. The cylinders are pressed into the ground one at a time against the weight of the foundation. This pier frequently requires adjustment as soil conditions change from season to season. This is due to the fact that this pier will usually not reach rock because of the diameter and the side friction(skin friction in engineering terms). The term "tested on installation" is often referred to as a feature of the pressed pier. The implication is that the pier is tested to its ultimate assigned load or beyond when it is driven. While this may be true at the time of that installation, when soil conditions change, a "periodic" or "seasonal" adjustment may become necessary(unless the pier reaches rock). This means the previous cracks will reappear and the landscaping will again be disturbed. This could occur numerous times and frequently does.
- Concrete Drilled Pier- also referred to as a Drilled Shaft is a monolithic or one piece pier that is drilled to depths in the 9 to 12 foot range. They are poured and steel reinforced on site and require a five day curing time before the building can be lifted. In most cases, they do not reach rock and there is significantly more disruption to the yard compared to the other methods discussed here.
- Helical Pier- this pier is basically an anchor that is screwed into the soil to a predetermined resistance as measured by the torque applied at the hydraulic drill head. The high cost of materials make this pier less cost effective.
Q: Are all steel piers the same?
No. There is a wide variance in the quality of the materials and design between contractors. Accu-Lift steel piers are built with all new steel and are professionally fabricated by certified welders. Some contractors use "drill stem" . This is used pipe that was used in oil field drilling operations. The quality can be inconsistent. There are also variations between contractors with regard to pier driving systems and bracket design.
Q: Is Accu-Lift insured?
Accu-Lift is fully insured with General Liability and Workers Compensation policies. A Certificate of Insurance issued by the insurance company in your name is available upon request. NOTE: In order to verify that a contractor has an insurance policy that is in effect, you will need a Certificate of Insurance issued by the insurance company in your name. Hiring an insured contractor protects you from being sued if a worker is injured on your property or if damage occurs to a neighbors property. It also covers damage to your property if caused by the contractor.
Q: Aren't all foundation repair companies required to carry insurance?
No. There is no state or local requirement for business insurance.
Q: How do you determine how much to lift a foundation?
The objective is to restore the foundation to its original position or as near as practical and to stabilize it there without creating additional stress or damage. Physical indicators including door frame alignment, wall cracks and window edge separations. These are observed as the foundation is lifted. Floor elevations are monitored and lifting is concluded when the foundation is at its original position or as near as practical.
Q: If I need interior piers, what is the procedure? How much of a mess is it?
Would there be a lot of dust from the concrete breaking? The exact interior pier locations are determined by the locations of the grade beams, load bearing walls, tension cables and plumbing pipes. The piers must be installed under the grade beams. A grade beam is a much thicker area of concrete as compared to the 4" slab. First, the tension cables or reinforcing steel are located using an electronic rebar locator. Then the grade beams are located. A 2' x 2' area of the slab is jackhammered out. The pier is installed and the concrete is poured back at the end of the job. Breaking concrete produces a lot of dust. Due to our concern for the health of our workers and your property, our jackhammers are virtually dust free.
Q: Who would be overseeing the lifting of the foundation?
The company owner supervises every lifting operation.
Q: How much experience does the Accu-Lift estimator have?
27 years. The company owner does the estimates. We have no commissioned salespeople and no sales pressure.
Q: How long does process take?
Most jobs will be completed in 1 to 3 days.
Q: Do I need to be home while the work is being done?
No, but during the jacking process,our supervisor will need access to the inside of the building to measure the elevations and observe the progress of the lifting.
Q: How often would you expect to adjust the piers?
The Accu-Lift Steel Pier is designed and installed to never need any adjustment but it is easily adjustable if required.
Q: What is your warranty?
Lifetime Transferrable Warranty
Testimonials
To future clients,
We knew our house had foundation problems, but did not know to what extent. We got 3 bids on repair of our foundation. One of them was from Chuck at Accu-Lift Foundation. He was referred to us from a friend of the family who was an engineer and had spent several years working with him.
I told Chuck I wanted to write this letter of reference. He did not ask me to. We felt that Chuck spent the most time assessing the damage by measuring in detail both inside & outside of the house. He explained the process and answered our numerous questions. We had researched this in depth to make sure we made the right choice.
He was honest, knowledgeable and did not try to tell us we needed more piers then we really did. There was no hard sell; it was such a refreshing change to have someone so competent, especially with such an important repair.
He started the work and it was completed within 4 days. We needed several piers and although the outside was disrupted, we felt like it was minimal for the amount of work that needed to be done. He was on the job constantly, even when the men were digging and he probably did not have to be there. He answered any questions we had during the process.
We would recommend him without a doubt. As any homeowner knows, there are so many people out there that don't do jobs correctly or overcharge you, that when you find someone good you want others to know.
I would be willing to talk with anyone who is thinking about using Accu-Lift Foundation in the future, we were very pleased.
Chuck,
I just wanted to drop you a note thanking you for all your hard work. I couldn't be more pleased. My father told me that the difference between a tradesman and a craftsman is attention to detail and you are certainly a craftsman.
I particularly appreciated that you repaired my sprinklers next to the areas you had to dig even though you weren't asked to, you never mentioned you'd done it, and they had been broken for over a year before you repaired the foundation!
Please feel free to use me as a reference and thanks again.
Chuck bid the job, and then started work in less than a week. The job took 5 days and he installed about 10 piers. He was personally on site and doing the work. This involved holes both outside and inside the house. He kept us informed and did exactly what he promised. The results are remarkable, with a stable floor, and cracks that have closed.
Chuck,
I wanted to thank you again for the great work you did on our foundation. You were prompt, courteous, and delivered exactly as quoted. We found the process to be painless and expeditious. Thanks again for the great service. We will recommend your company to our friends.