So you have had an inspection done and your suspicions have been confirmed. Your home has foundation damage, and it needs repair. You’ve begun to do some research into what’s involved, but one distinction keeps coming to the surface – Pressed Pilings vs. Bell Bottom Piers. Why do most companies use pilings and others, such as Dawson Foundation Repair, only use Bell Bottom Piers?
Simply put, most companies use Pressed Pilings because the profits to the company are greater. Fewer man hours are required and materials, generally speaking, are less expensive with Pressed Pilings. So why then would any company use Bell Bottom Piers? We believe the advantages of the Bell Bottom Pier method have proven to offer the most reliable and time-tested solution for foundation repair, so let’s look at some of those advantages.
1. Soil Testing – With Bell Bottom Piers, your soil will be tested down to a depth of 15-18 feet. Soil testing is the only way to ensure that the piers are installed to the correct depth for reaching stable soil. If stable soil is not confirmed during installation, your home’s foundation can sustain additional damage over time.
2. Visual Installation Inspection – During installation, the shape of the bell, its angle of installation, and the depth of the shaft can all be seen and inspected visually. This eliminates the possibility of misalignment and skewing that goes unseen with pressed piles, and visual confirmation ensures the integrity of your installation.
3. Steel Support – In both the shaft and cap of the Bell Bottom Piers, steel rebar is added for stability and strength. Three ½” rebars are added into the shaft, and 2 layers of rebar in the cap, giving extra reinforcement to the overall design.
4. Solid Base – Bell Bottom Piers are named for the large, high strength concrete bottoms, 22” in width, that provide a solid base to the piers, something not offered in the piling methods.
5. Prevention of Uplift – Bell Bottom Piers prevent future uplift, the upward movement of one area of your original foundation due to expansive soils. Other methods of foundation repair may not withstand potential uplift.
6. Furniture Distribution – With Bell Bottom Piers, the homeowner can rearrange or add heavy furniture to the home without any concern for damage to the foundation. With other methods of foundation repair, rearranging heavy items may result in additional foundation movement and failure of the repair job.
The disadvantage to Bell Bottom Piers as you might imagine is that some of these extra measures and the more rigidly engineered design increase the cost of materials to the contractor as well as the hours of labor and manpower. These costs are reflected in the cost to the homeowner, but in the long run, there is no more reliable method of foundation repair than the Bell Bottom Pier method.
Because we believe Bell Bottom Piers have far more advantages than any other method of foundation repair, it is the only method we use. It is the highest quality foundation repair method available in Texas. We’ve built our reputation on this method and since 1984, have proven its effectiveness with numerous satisfied customers. Dawson Foundation Repair services homes and commercial businesses all over Texas.