New Baltimore's Dependable Basement Waterproofing & Foundation Repair

A homeowner in Chesterfield, MI was growing more and more distressed as each day passed. They had recently added an addition to the garage, which was built on a concrete slab and it was beginning to sink. This was causing cracks on the walls and uneven floors inside the home. Determined to save their home and the new addition, they reached out to us for a solution that would put their mind at ease.

Upon arrival, our experienced Project Manager conducted a thorough inspection, utilizing his tools and expertise to assess the foundation's stability. Once he had completed the free inspection and discussed his findings with the homeowner, he recommended the installation of the Helical Pier Support System for the foundation. 

The helical pier is a foundation support system designed to provide deep foundation support for residential structures. It consists of a steel shaft with helical plates along its length, resembling large screws. This is where it gets its name from. The first step is to prepare the surrounding area, ensuring there is clear access to the foundation. Next, our crew begins the installation process for the helical piers, they excavate the area around the addition, making sure the holes are precisely positioned in locations where the load-bearing capacity of the soil is optimal. Once the holes are ready, the helical piers are hydraulically driven into the ground, deep beneath the unstable soil layers until they reach more stable, load bearing soil. The helical plates on the piers create a strong anchor, securely holding the foundation in place. This installation method offers several advantages: it minimizes disturbance to the surrounding landscape, provides immediate load-bearing support, and eliminates the need for curing time. With the helical piers securely in place, our crew attaches heavy-duty steel brackets to the foundation's base. These brackets serve as connectors between the piers and the structure, effectively transferring the load from the sinking foundation to the stable piers beneath the ground.

Upon completing the installation, our crew conducted a final inspection to ensure the helical piers are properly aligned and capable of withstanding the structure's weight. Satisfied with their work, the homeowner thanks them for the peace of mind they restored.

Adding a patio to the home can increase its property value, which is exactly what this family in Chesterfield, MI, had in mind when they built it. Unfortunately, not long after its construction, they began to notice how it slanted too much to one side. Not wanting to have their home lose value, they came to the conclusion that it was time to address the root of the problem. After a search for foundation repair nearby, they were directed to HomeSpec BasementFix as the foundation repair contractors best fit for this job.

Ted, our Project Manager, who had prior experience with sinking foundations, was called out to do a free inspection of the property and address the homeowners concerns in more detail. Ted explained to the owners that over time, the soils beneath the patio can shift, causing a void that the concrete foundation sinks into. This can be due to many reasons, such as too much moisture causing soils to wash out completely, or if the soil is too dry, it can crumble under the weight. Understanding the need for the homeowners to restore property value and return the patio to its original condition, Ted laid out a solution for the family that involved the Helical Pier Support System to add structural integrity back into the foundation.

The Helical Pier Support System gets its name from the helical plates welded to the shaft of the pier. These plates act as a screw, digging deeper into more competent load bearing soils in order to transfer the weight of the foundation from the weaker soil. Helical Piers are an ideal solution for this foundation repair because its permanent nature anchors the foundation to the newer load bearing soils, allowing for the structural integrity to remain intact. Due to the specifically designed helical plates, advancing the piers deeper into the ground does not add weight to weaker soils, allowing it to reach bedrock if needed without compromising the strength or integrity of the support system. 

The Helical Pier Support System provided results the family could see firsthand and were more than happy to recommend HomeSpec BasementFix to friends in need of foundation repair.

While approaching their home in Chesterfield, MI, the homeowner noticed that something didn't look right. After a closer look, they realized the home was sinking from left to right. The homeowner thought back to when they had an inspection from HomeSpec 10 years ago, and decided not to address their foundation repair problems at that time. Now the issues had compiled to the point it could no longer be avoided, including a severely sinking foundation. They decided to reach back out to HomeSpec BasementFix again, this time, with the intention of having this issue fully resolved once and for all.

Project Manager Mark, who had experience with foundation settlement repair, was sent to the home to provide an inspection, free of charge. While discussing concerns with the homeowner, it was brought to our attention that the back wall was showing signs of tipping. After explaining to the homeowner that weak foundation soils can be washed out completely by rain or shrink due to dry conditions, the weight of the foundation can no longer be structurally supported and this is what causes it to sink and settle. This movement of soil from the surface can cause the foundation to sink into the void left by the soil, and eventually fail. The homeowner, having not realized the gravity of the situation, requested that our project manager come up with a solution as soon as possible. This is what led Mark to propose a custom solution that involved our Helical Pier Support System to raise the foundation and our PowerBrace Wall Support System to bring structural integrity back into the walls. 

The first step in this foundation repair was for our crew to install the Helical Support System. Helical plates are welded to the galvanized steel piers which act as a screw and dig deep into the ground. Helical piers permanently stabilize the foundation from further settlement and in this case, raise it back to level. The piers are advanced to the appropriate depth without disturbing the weaker unstable soils, allowing the weight of the foundation to be transferred, through the piers, to more capable load bearing soil. Combined with the steel brackets that attach to the home, helical piers present a permanent solution to prevent this homeowners foundation from sinking. The next step in this foundation settlement repair was for our crew to install the PowerBrace Wall Support System. The PowerBrace stops the wall from tilting by installing steel beams that are secured to the beams above using brackets. The PowerBrace is a minimally invasive solution that is adjustable to meet the needs of the home over time. 

With the home successfully leveled and the foundation wall supported, this homeowner was relieved to have HomeSpec BasementFix provide an excellent solution to their problems. 

A homeowner said a diagonal crack in his basement wall leaked when it rained heavily.

We injected the crack with polyurethane and installed power grids to stabilize it.