Addition at Back of Home is Settling
Challenge
A homeowner in Billerica, Massachusetts had bought a split-level home 27 years ago. In 2007, they constructed a large addition at the back of their home. For over a decade, the homeowners enjoyed using their new addition without any issues. However, a few years ago, they began to notice that their windows and doors were getting tight and not opening properly. Concerned, they conducted some research and found out that these issues may indicate foundation problems. They searched for foundation repair companies in the Billerica area and discovered Erickson Foundation Solutions. They contacted them and scheduled a free inspection.
During the inspection, Design Specialist Jason Vachon met with the homeowners to discuss their concerns and how long they had been experiencing them. After understanding the situation well, Jason inspected the addition for foundation issues. He tested the doors and windows to confirm his suspicions of potential foundation settlement. As most of the windows and doors were tight, he used a laser level to measure the entire structure. After taking measurements, Jason detected significant settlement from the back of the original home to the rear of the addition. The settlement ranged from 1.875 inches to as much as 2 inches. With this information, Jason created a solution that would stabilize the foundation.
Solution
Jason's solution included:
- 14 - 3" Push Piers, with Standard Bracket
- Lifting Procedure
- PolyLevel- To fill the void under the slab after the lifting procedure
The team began the installation process by removing dirt from the back foundation wall. They then exposed the foundation footing of the 65-foot wide addition so they could attach the Push Pier Brackets to the foundation. With the brackets securely attached, they were able to insert rods into the soil below and start lifting the foundation of the addition to try and restore it to its original position. They used the pushing power of their hydraulic press to apply pressure to the push piers and slowly stabilized and lifted the foundation. However, in this case, they were only able to stabilize it and couldn't lift it 100% back to its original position.
After completing the lifting procedure, the team backfilled over the piers and tamped the soil back into place. Next, they entered the basement with the PolyLevel team to fill any voids under the basement slab caused by the lifting process. They made a small hole in the basement slab using a drill bit and injected PolyLevel through it and down below the slab. The foam rapidly expanded and filled any voids. Once all the voids were filled, they sealed the tiny holes with a small bit of concrete.
Finally, the team completed the job and cleaned up the site before taking the homeowner on a walkthrough of the entire project. The homeowner was delighted with the results, and the crew was able to answer all of their questions.
Project Summary
Design Specialist: Jason Vachon
Crew Lead: Neal Foley
Products Installed: Push Piers and PolyLevel
