Category: Pier Drilling

Using Piers and Piles to Shore Up Sagging Foundations

Pier drilling and pile driving are techniques used for driving pier or piles into the ground underneath a structure to shore up sinking or sagging building foundations, bringing them back to their proper level and preventing further foundation settlement.

Also called “piering,” this method involves the use of strategically placed mechanical jacks to slowly and carefully lift the settled foundation beam to grade. Once raised, the beam is held to elevation by attaching it firmly to the piers.

There are two common types of foundation piers: Continue reading “Using Piers and Piles to Shore Up Sagging Foundations”

Excavating and Drilling in Wet Weather

The Northern California rainy season has begun, and with it come special challenges for construction project crews.

The most common wet weather dangers are “slips, trips and falls.” These dangers are particularly prevalent when working in elevated positions such as when using scaffolding, hand holds, stairs and ladders. Even after the rain stops, conditions remain muddy underfoot for days.

Strong winds create their own hazardous conditions, scattering unsecured materials and putting pressure on scaffolding. Wet and windy weather can also make driving and operating excavation machinery more dangerous due to slick conditions and reduced visibility. Continue reading “Excavating and Drilling in Wet Weather”

Construction Site Excavation Safety Steps

Excavation and trenching are naturally hazardous construction operations, and contractors need to take all the appropriate steps to ensure worker safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines an excavation as “any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in the earth’s surface formed by earth removal.” A trench, in particular, is defined as “a narrow underground excavation that is deeper than it is wide, and is no wider than 15 feet (4.5 meters).”

When we approach any excavation, drilling or demolition job we keep safety first, starting with the planning for the job. It is not just the possibility of the sides of an excavated plot or trench collapsing. Safety planning also must accommodate the interaction of our people and the machines they need to employ to carry out the job, and the terrain on which those machines must operate. Continue reading “Construction Site Excavation Safety Steps”

Common Residential Home Foundations

Homeowners don’t often think about the foundations of their home, but those foundations are critical components of any home, as they bear the entire load of the structure above. Foundations also have another critical function, in that they must prevent groundwater and soil vapors from penetrating into the home’s interior. When you’re trying to decide what kind of foundation your new home should have, there are four choices available to you, and each has advantages and disadvantages.

Choosing a Home Foundation

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Helical Anchors a Great Choice for Solar Array Foundations

One of the typical methods for anchoring ground-mounted solar arrays has been to use a slab of concrete for the foundation. Helical piles are gaining popularity among designers and contractors, though, to provide solar array owners with a more stable installation. Helical piles provide some distinct advantages, so it is worth considering the use of helical piles as anchors for these solar arrays.

Benefits of Helical Piles

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Excavation Contractor – What Does the Business Involve?

What seems like a straightforward business, drilling and excavating, actually has a lot of parts to it that all have to work together. Here are some of the key aspects of running a business like ours.

The Work of an Excavating and Drilling Contractor

Moving Dirt Around Continue reading “Excavation Contractor – What Does the Business Involve?”

Pier Drilling Can Shore up a Sagging Foundation

All building foundations will settle with time, but problems arise when this settlement is uneven or extreme. Sometimes requiring pier drilling or helicals.

Are you wondering if you have foundation issues with any property that you own? All building foundations will settle with time, but problems arise when this settlement is uneven or extreme. Continue reading “Pier Drilling Can Shore up a Sagging Foundation”

Soil Improvements Provide Strength and Control Groundwater for Excavation

Before excavation and construction can begin at a construction site, ground improvements must be done to manage groundwater and improve soil strength. Otherwise the site may not be able to provide adequate support for the planned foundation. There are several methods which can be used to accomplish this, depending on the conditions of the soil. To determine the need to make soil improvements prior to the work of the excavating contractor, it may be necessary to consult with a civil engineer.

Methods for Stabilizing Soil for Excavation Projects Continue reading “Soil Improvements Provide Strength and Control Groundwater for Excavation”

Foundations: Building a Strong Base for Your Building

The long-term structural stability of any building depends on having a well-built foundation in place. In a region subject to earthquakes, it is especially important for a highly reputable Bay Area excavating company to set the stage for that strong foundation. It is easy to build something passable, but it takes a well managed, well supervised and well executed excavation to build a foundation that will stand the test of time.

How to Build a Strong Foundation

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How Does Pier Drilling Work?

Pier drilling is a process which uses an augur to drill deep down into the ground, for the purpose of establishing piers or columns upon which a foundation can be placed to support a structure above ground. It is very often used in locations where the ground is not particularly stable, and where it would be unsafe over the long haul for building construction. Piers are often drilled down deep enough so they can rest in either stable ground, or on solid bedrock, which can provide a very solid base for supporting anything above.

How Pier Drilling is Accomplished

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