Sagging Addition Gets a Boost in Manistee, MI

Tuesday, March 14th, 2017 by Brian Bigger

Challenge

This 1800s home had an addition that was built in the 1960s. Since then, some of the blocks in the foundation wall began to fail. This led to sagging floors and holes in the yard as the soil slowly caved into the crawl space. Helical piers which are long steel shafts advanced deep into the ground to competent soil and afixed with heavy-duty foundation brackets on top, would generally be the go-to solution for a sagging foundation. These piers are most commonly implemented in situations where they could be spaced out along a slab and lift it into position. In this case, we need to support a block wall with even distribution of support across all of the blocks. It was necessary to change our tactics to fit this unique situation.

Solution

The answer for us started with excavating the area around the wall to expose the base of the blocks and then replacing the failing portion with new cinder blocks. Then a custom 6" x 6" steel angle iron was ordered to sit at the base of the blocks. With helical piers distributed along the angle iron, this would provide the equal distribution of support needed across the entire brick wall. Helical piers are also a great option for not just supporting the home but also lifting it back to its original position. The wall was then coated with concrete to add strength and create a smooth facade. The excavated ground was filled back in and the homeowners were back in business. Foundations often sit with little support on top of soil that shifts and moves. The foundation become suceptible to that movement. With helical piers reaching all the way down to competent soil, they offer permanent support without maintenance. This wall will never sag again.