Posted by Craig Milam on Mon, Aug 09, 2010 @ 09:17 AM
Once again we have been working hard to put together a list of Events for the upcoming holiday weekend. Due to the success of our previous posts on July 4th, Memorial Day, New Year's Eve, Christmas, and Thanksgiving, we have decided to offer our suggestions for all major holidays. Feel free to
subscribe to our RSS feed to stay up to date on what's going on around Central Texas over your favorite holidays. Following are our picks for
Labor Day 2010 Events in and around Austin and San Antonio.
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Southern National Archery Festival - Austin, TX
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The Southern National Archery Festival will be held from Sep. 2-5, 2010 at the Travis County Expo Center and will be featuring an archery competition with $250,000 in Prize Money, including a $32,000 grand prize. Along with a top notch Archery Competition, Live music from well-known, national recording artists will be on hand. Artists scheduled to appear include: Tanya Tucker, Steve Wariner, Johnny Rodriguez, Asleep at the Wheel, Frank Addington, Justin Haigh, Charlie Hurtin, Vallejo, and LC Rocks. In addition this event features a Cowboy Church, Redneck Parade, Swap Meet, Wild Card Drawing, Wild Cook Off, and a Youth Range. Tickets range between $27.25 and $37.75 for adults while children under 16 will receive a discount. On site camping is available. In addition Earl Campbell will be hosting a kickoff Gala on August 25th at Cool River Cafe. The Southern National Archery Festival is also on Facebook, stop by for more info.
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Hayes Carll's Labor Day Bash - Luckenbach, TX
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The folks out at Luckenbach continue their tradition of offering high quality country music festivals to residents of Central Texas over holiday weekends. For Labor Day they will be presenting Hayes Carll's Labor Day Bash. The show will begin at 2 p.m. on Sep. 5th and features a line up of 7 artists including: Hayes Carll, The Trishas, Jesse Dayton, John Evans, Corb Lund, Rosie Flores, and Alejandro Escovedo. Tickets for this event are $37 and can be ordered on the Luckenbach, Texas Event page. This so show is an outdoor event and will be well attended, so get there early and bring a lawn chair! Also check out this write up on facebook about the Labor Day Weekend in Luckenbach.
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Rodrigo y Gabriela - San Antonio, Texas
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On Saturday September 4th at 7:30 p.m., internationally acclaimed recording artists Rodrigo y Gabriela will be performing at San Antonio's Majestic Theatre. Tickets for the show are available online and range between $39-$49. From Mexico, this duo combines their rock and roll influences with latin and flamenco styles to create an intriguing sound. The duo are both accomplished guitar players. Visit their website for more information on Rodrigo y Gabriela. Here is a sample of their music
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2010 Kerrville Wine & Music Fest - Kerrville, Texas
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The annual Kerrville Wine & Music Fest will take place from Sep. 3-5 in Kerrville, Texas and will feature 3, 6 hour evening concerts with wine tasting provided by some of Texas most renowned wine makers. There will also be a pair of 2 hour afternoon concerts during the festival, however wine tasting will only be available during the evening concerts. As always there will be vendors offering food and on-site camping is available. Two dozen world renowned Singer/Songwriters will be performing throughout the course of the event. SFR can personally recommend attending the Baskery show.
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Celebrate Bandera 2010 - Bandera, Texas
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"The Cowboy Capital of the World", Bandera, presents Celebrate Bandera 2010 Sep. 3-5 with a plethora of events to be held around town. This festival includes a Parade, Cattle Drive, Inter Tribal Pow Wow, Live Music, Cowboy Mounted Shooters, a Wild West Show, and an Invitational Tie Down Roping & Barrel Race (more info and a schedule of events). The web page includes descriptions of all events and more information on the festival.
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Westfest Polka Festival - West, Texas
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Since 1976, the good folks of West, Texas have been celebrating the rich Czech history in Texas with Westfest. The event will take place from Sep. 3-5 and features the Miss Westfest contest on Friday evening, a parade on Saturday morning, the Kolache 5000 Fun Run on Sunday morning and a Polka Mass on Sunday morning. There will be live polka music on two stages starting at 12:15 on Saturday and Sunday and lasting throughout the day until the end of the festival. Tickets for Westfest are $12 for the Friday night Kick Off Party, and $8 per day on Saturday and Sunday.
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Texas Labor Day Weekend - Uvalde, TX
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Uvalde was home to the first ever BBQ cook off competition which took place on June 3, 1972. The Texas Labor Day Weekend Celebration commemorates this event with the Briscoe Ranch BEEF BBQ Cook-off Challenge presented by the South Texas CattleWomen and takes place from Sep. 3-4. The challenge will take place on Friday Evening beginning at 6 in Uvalde Memorial Park. Saturday activities at the Texas Labor Day Weekend include a parade on Saturday morning, 3-on-3 basketball tournament, team roping, live music, kids activites, a horse shoe tournament, washer pitching tournament, and plenty of food and drinks (event schedule).
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Kendall County Fair - Boerne, TX
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For over 100 years, the citizens of Kendall County have been hosting the Kendall County Fair over the Labor Day weekend in Boerne. It started as a way to exchange agriculture tips and recipes and has blossomed into one of Central Texas' most anticipated Labor Day Festivals. The Fair takes place from Sep. 2-5 and except for Thursday when admission is free, tickets are $10 per day Friday-Sunday, with a $15 separate charge for Saturday night's festivities, highlighted by a performance from Roger Creager. Activities during the fair include: a beauty contest, carnival, vendors, exhibits, a Rodeo, live music, a parade on Saturday morning, and livestockk barns (event schedule).
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Central Texas State Fair - Belton, Texas
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Belton is the home of the Central Texas State Fair which takes place from Sep. 3-5 at the Bell County Expo Center. Admission to the fair is $5 per day, while some events require a ticket purchase. Activites at the Central Texas State Fair include a carnival, livestock shows, mechanical bull, petting zoo, hypnotist, juggler, freestyle bicycle stunt team, rock climbing wall, vendors and live music (event schedule). Tickets are available for Professional Bull Riding on Friday and Saturday as well as Power Fest 2010 (a monster truck show) on Sunday.
Of course, there are other events happening around Central Texas this Labor Day weekend, and here is a list of events with links and locations.
Superior Foundation Repair wishes you a safe Labor Day Weekend in whatever you decide to do. If you are in the Austin or San Antonio areas and are experiencing foundation problems, please visit our Austin Foundation Repair page or our San Antonio Foundation Repair page, for more information on our services. We also provide Free Foundation Repair Estimates. Subscribe to our RSS feed for more information on foundation repair and events in Central Texas.
Also, if you have any links you feel should be added to this list, email us at info@superiorfoundationrepair.com.
Posted by Craig Milam on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 @ 08:32 AM
In Texas, there are two main types of foundations used to construct houses. Slab, or slab-on-grade, foundations are the most common and most cost efficient types of foundations. Pier and Beam foundations were preferred up until the late 1950's and early 1960's, when slab foundations became the norm for home construction.
Cost Effective Foundations
Slab foundations are more inexpensive than pier and beam foundations and can lower the price of construction significantly. In fact the difference in price between the two is often more than the average cost of Foundation Repair (usually between $4500 and $6500 in the Austin area). Not only are they cheaper, but they are designed to move uniformly. Likewise, slab foundations are continually being refined and improved upon to increase their strength and resistance to cracking.
Specializing in Slab Foundation Repair
Superior Foundation Repair has chosen to specialize in slab foundation repair in order to offer our clients the best service possible. At Superior we believe "the Jack of All Trades is the Master of None", thus, we focus on repairing faulty or failing slab foundations in the Central Texas Area. Repairing a slab foundation is much different than repairing a pier and beam foundation, however, some companies offer both types of repair, aware that the consumer may not know the difference. If you are looking for references for our Slab Foundation Repair services please see our Foundation Repair Testimonials or our Google Maps page.
Posted by Craig Milam on Wed, Jun 30, 2010 @ 08:30 AM
As usual, Superior Foundation Repair has been putting together a list of the top events for the upcoming holiday. In this post we will take a look at our picks for the 5 best festivals/events happening in Central Texas over the July 4th weekend. Following our list for the top 5, we will be listing links to other events and their locations. Superior Foundation Repair wishes you a safe holiday weekend, and please, don't drink and drive.
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Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic
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If you haven't heard about the opening of the new Backyard in Bee Cave, you've probably been living under a rock, or just moved here to Austin. One of Austin's most loved venues has recently reopened and will be hosting Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic. This Texas Country Megafest starts at 10 a.m. on Sunday July 4th and features such notable artists as Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Asleep at the Wheel, Jack Ingram, Ray Wiley Hubbard, David Allen Coe, and Kevin Fowler, just to name a few. Tickets are available online or at Waterloo Records for $55.
The official event page for Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic
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H-E-B Austin Symphony July 4th Concert & Fireworks
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The Austin Symphony will be performing there annual concert at Auditorium Shores from 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. on Sunday July 4th. Led by Peter Bay, the symphony will perform an array of patriotic songs culminating with the 1812 overture accompanied by 75-millimeter Howitzer cannons. The performance will segue into a half hour fireworks show over Ladybird Lake. The event is free, and more than 100,000 people are expected to attend this celebration, so if you plan on attending get there early.
The official event page for H-E-B Austin Symphony July 4th Concert & Fireworks
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The Official San Antonio 4th of July Celebration
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San Antonio's official party takes place at Woodlawn Lake Park on July 4th. The festivities begin at 10 a.m. and include a parade at 11:30 a.m., a kids Zone with carnival rides and games, live music throughout the day, a special performance by the U.S. Air Force Band of the West at 7:30 p.m., and of course a fireworks show starting at 9 p.m. Much like the Austin Symphony performance, this event will be well attended, so get there early!
The official event page for The Official San Antonio 4th of July Celebration
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Luckenbach's 4th of July Celebration
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Luckenbach's annual, FREE 4th of July Celebration will start at 1 p.m. on Sunday July 4th. The event is scheduled to last until 6 and will feature performances from 9 musical groups. Performers include: Walt & Tina Wilkins, The Mystiqueros, Jimmy Davis, Mike Blakely, Kevin Higgins and Barbara Malteze (of the Dust Devils), Brian Langlinais, Austin Mayse, Bill Worrell and Jason Eady. After the celebration a special July 4th edition of the Picker's Circle will be held from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. for those who aren't quite ready to go home.
The official event page for Luckenbach's 4th of July Celebration
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35th Annual Schertz Jubilee
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The annual Shertz 4th of July Jubilee will take place from July 2nd-4th. The festivities kick off with a BBQ cookoff at noon on Friday, and feature live music in the evening down at Pickrell Park in Shertz, Texas. On Saturday there will be a Rib Cookoff (starting at 9 a.m.), parade, special guests, live music, and a special performance by the U.S. Air Force Band of the West at 2:30 p.m. Sunday will feature an Apple Pie Bakeoff (starting at 12 p.m.), YMCA Family Fun Time (with games and activities), live music and of course a fireworks show starting at 9:15 p.m.
The official event page for 35th Annual Schertz Jubilee
- Frontier Days Celebration Round Rock, Texas
- Lakeway City Park Lakeway, Texas
- Spicewood 4th of July Parade Spicewood, Texas
- Pflugerville Pfirecrack Pfestival Pflugerville, Texas
- Wimberley Independence Jubilee Wimberley, Texas
- Delwood II/Mueller Fourth of July Austin, Texas
- East Communities YMCA July Fourth Family Fun Festival Austin, Texas
- Elgin 4th of July Celebration Elgin, Texas
- Volente Beach Fireworks Lake Travis, Texas
- Lago Vista July 4 Celebration Lago Vista, Texas
- Carlos' N Charlie's Fireworks Extravaganza Austin, Texas
- Pioneer Farms Independence Day Celebration Austin, Texas
- Hutto July 4th Events Hutto, Texas
- SERTOMA 4th of July Celebration Georgetown, Texas
- Round Rock Express/Dell Diamond Round Rock, Texas
- San Marcos Summerfest San Marcos, Texas
- Cedar Park 4th of July Celebration Cedar Park, Texas
- Fredericksburg Independence Day events Fredricksburg, Texas
- Johnson City's Fourth of July Spangle Dangle Johnson City, Texas
- New Braunfels 4th of July Celebration New Braunfels, Texas
- Lockhart 4th of July Fest Lockhart, Texas
- Opal Divine's Drink Pink benefiting Breast Cancer Research Austin, Texas
- Kyle Fireworks Kyle, Texas
- Red, White, and Buda Buda, Texas
Other Central Texas 4th of July Fests
Of course there are many other festivities to be found throughout Central Texas on the Fourth of July Holiday Weekend. Following is a list of links to other festivals and where they are located.
If you have links to any other events going on around Central Texas during the 4th of July weekend, please leave them in the comments section below. Superior Foundation Repair wishes you a happy and safe holiday. For all of your Austin Foundation Repair or San Antonio Foundation Repair needs, please contact us for a free foundation repair estimate.
Posted by Craig Milam on Wed, May 19, 2010 @ 08:00 AM
With the Onset of Summer, Comes Contracting Soil
After a fall and winter of higher than average rainfall in Central Texas, thanks to El Nino, a dry summer has the potential to wreak havoc on building foundations across the region.
Soil in Central Texas has Expanded Due to Recent Rainfall
The soil composition here in Central Texas is comprised of moderate to highly expansive soils, see our post on expansive soils. What this means is that in wet periods our soils absorb water and expand, and during dry periods they lose moisture and contract.
In the example at right, taken from a Prentice Hall textbook, we can easily see the amount of moisture present in an expansive soil multiplies when moisture is introduced causing a phenomenon known as soil heave. As the name suggests soil heave causes the soil to lift upward and can either put added pressure on your exterior walls, if the soil under your house remains dry, or on the center of your foundation, if the soil under your home is affected by leaks or other sources of moisture.
Large Cracks in a Foundation or Walls are Usually a Sign of Foundation Problems
If your home is experiencing any foundation problems, you will most likely either want to have a structural engineer take a look, or call a foundation repair company out to examine your home.
Superior has years of experience with San Antonio and Austin Foundation Repair. We also offer coupons to our web customers at our Google Maps pages, if you are in the Austin area visit our Superior Foundation Repair Austin - Google Maps page to see our specials. If you are in the San Antonio area visit our Superior Foundation Repair San Antonio - Google Maps page for our specials.
Call 877-302-5111 or follow this link to request a free foundation repair estimate.
Posted by Craig Milam on Tue, Apr 27, 2010 @ 09:00 AM
The Crawfish & Croquet Benefit for the Council on At Risk Youth, will be held at Zilker Park on May 15th from 1-6 p.m. The benefit, hosted by Outlaw Real Estate Group, will feature croquet, live music, and, of course, crawfish!
Location: Zilker Park
Time: May 15th 2010, 1-6 p.m.
The Council on At Risk Youth (CARY), is a local "not for profit organization dedicated to helping youth prevent violence, drug abuse and delinquency through public information, training, and management of youth violence prevention programs. " Superior Foundation Repair is proud to be a part of this year's sponsors for the event which works to give youth a good foundation to build their lives upon.
Live Music performers include Southern Rockers Ouachita and Acoustic Country Perfomer Wynn Taylor.
Tickets must be purchased before May 15th, and are $25 apiece. Ticket price includes Crawfish & fixins, St. Arnold's Beer, Croquet and Live Music and can be purchased via Paypal from the Outlaw Real Estate Group's website.
Come join Superior Foundation Repair and help at risk youth in our community.
For more information visit the official page of the Crawfish & Croquet Event.
Posted by Craig Milam on Tue, Apr 06, 2010 @ 07:00 AM
Simply put, this method of foundation repair is the cheapest (in price AND quality) leveling system available, and that for a reason. Time and again Concrete Pressed Pilings have been shown to be an inadequate solution to foundation problems. This method relies on pre-casted concrete cylinders to be stacked on top of each other and driven to a point of resistance, oftentimes, within the active zone of expansive soils.
Many contractors promote this method as better than steel piers, because Steel Piers rust (a shameful scare tactic, which is negated by their own used of steel piers or cables to straighten their piers once the have been installed). In addition, galvanized steel piers, like the ones used by Superior Foundation Repair, are desinged to last and withstand elements which cause steel to rust, while contractors using concrete pressed pilings often use steel products which are not galvanized and tend to rust.
A few limitations of concrete pilings can be found in this report from foundationperformance.org
Precast concrete segmental piles are not able to resist significant bending moments due to lateral loads.
Depending upon the soil uplift forces, interconnected precast concrete segmental piles that are connected to the existing foundation system may not be able to provide resistance against foundation uplift if the soil is in contact with the existing foundation system.
If the pile cannot attain sufficient penetration into stable soils, then it may not be anchored against potential movements that occur due to swelling or shrinking of the soils in the moisture active zone.
Oftentimes contractors offering to install concrete pressed pilings will offer to lubricate the soil through water-jetting, in order to push the piers further down. If any contractor offers to introduce water underneath your foundation, run as far as you can. Under no circumstances should water be introduced underneath a foundation, as water is the main cause of foundation problems. This blog post states it clearly:
Another method used to overcome shallow depths is to use high pressure water jetting to lubricate (soften) the soil below the concrete cylinder. A high pressure line is forced down the center of the concrete piles blasting water into the soil making the piles install easier. Common sense tells us that if your home was built on expanding clay soils and you are having foundation issues, the introduction of more water into these soils is not a good solution. Good for the contractor yes, good for your home – No!
In addition to inadequate depth, and cheap materials, the fact that the pilings are stacked on top of one another introduces another problem. Expansive soils can push them out of alignment, thus seriously damaging the integrity of the pilings. Homes that have been "leveled" with concrete piers will need annual adjustments, and the cracking in walls and displaced doors will continue. In other words, your foundation will neither be repaired nor leveled. You will have paid for someone to do work, but that's really about it.
For a foundation repair system that works, contact Superior Foundation Repair in Austin and San Antonio to level your foundation. Read about our steel pier house leveling process, and 11 reasons to use steel piers to level your home.
Posted by Craig Milam on Tue, Mar 16, 2010 @ 07:00 AM
Spread Footers are another common method of foundation repair which many foundation repair companies employ. Much like Drilled Bell concrete piers, though, Spread Footers are better suited for new foundation construction, and are typically better suited for areas with stable soil. A simple google search for spread footing foundation yields a variety of topics related to new construction, bridge construction, and commercial construction.
The Wikipedia definition of Spread Footers is:
Spread footing foundations consists of strips or pads of concrete (or other materials) which transfer the loads from walls and columns to the soil or bedrock. Embedment of spread footings is controlled by several factors, including development of lateral capacity, penetration of soft near-surface layers, and penetration through near-surface layers likely to change volume due to frost heave or shrink-swell. (wikipedia:Shallow Foundation)
Spread Footers are designed to act as extra support for a foundation and to distribute the load of the foundation equally among stable soil. However, in order to work properly they involve extensive geo-technical and/or structural engineering design to account for a multitude of variables. Most foundation repair contractors will not have the technical know how to properly design Spread Footers.
Major disadvantages related to installing post-construction Spread Footers include:
- Spread footers being installed too shallow, oftentimes just 2-3 feet below a foundation, which does not eliminate the effects of expansive soils.
- Because they are resting on expansive soils, they will need to be adjusted annually, while cracks and cosmetic damage will continue to form in the house, of which, the costs of repair will be the responsibility of the homeowner.
- Many contractors will use inadequate concrete for repair which is not designed to support the weight of the structure.
- Foundation Repair will last longer than a week as the excavations are made and the concrete will have to cure before the holes can be refilled.
Most engineers recommend
Steel Piers for foundation repair because they offer the greatest support. By specializing in steel piers anchored to bedrock,
Superior Foundation Repair understands the effects of expansive soils found in Central Texas and the best way to counteract them, while securely stabilizing a home. If you have had an engineer evaluate your foundation contact us for a
free estimate on the cost of foundation repair for your home.
Posted by Craig Milam on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 @ 07:00 AM
On March 4th the New York Times published an article about the foundation repair industry titled "Shifting Soil Threatens Homes' Foundations". The article points out that the foundation repair industry has grown even throughout the recession as more and more home owners have been faced with problems caused by expansive soil (read more about expansive soil in Central Texas).
The Article states:
Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association indicates that since the 1990s there has been an accelerating trend nationwide toward more extended dry periods followed by downpours. Whether due to random climate patterns or global warming, the swings between hot and dry weather and severe rain or snow have profoundly affected soil underneath buildings.
Clay soils, like those beneath the houses of Mr. Derse and Ms. Wilson, shrink during droughts and swell during floods, causing structures to bob. And because sandier soil loses its adhesive properties in dry conditions, it pulls away from foundations. Heavy rains cause it to shift or just collapse beneath structures. With both kinds of soil, such sinking, called subsidence, usually happens gradually, said Randall Orndorff, a geologist with the United States Geologic Survey. But, he said, “swinging from very wet to extremely dry weather like we’ve been seeing lately in many parts of the country may be accelerating the effect.”
While the author questions whether foundation problems are caused by global warming (this of course is an entirely different debate which we will not elaborate upon), she does provide an excellent explanation of how foundation problems occur. The soils in Texas are especially subject to these characteristics, thus the large amount of foundation repair companies that can be found in Texas.
The article also discusses the cost of foundation repair to homeowners and estimates that around $4 billion dollars a year are spent repairing foundations, a much more conservative figure than the $12.5 billion purported by the Foundation Repair Association. Regardless, foundation repair is a multi-billion dollar industry which people often tend to ignore until they see the signs of foundation problems.
The author also points out, "Subsidence is not covered by most homeowners' insurance policies in the United States." This topic has already been covered by Superior Foundation Repair in a previous blog post and readers should be aware of this fact already (read about insurance and foundation repair).
Another aspect covered in the article is proper techniques for maintaining a healthy foundation.
Landscaping should, as a rule, be installed so that water slopes away from the house and gutters should discharge at least five feet from the house to avoid oversaturating the soil. (read more about landscaping and home foundations) During droughts, experts recommend placing soaker hoses around the perimeter of the house and turning them on for 30 minutes a day. “The idea is to maintain a constant amount of moisture in the soil,” said Tom Witherspoon, a foundation engineer in Dallas. “If you can do that, your house will never move.” (read more about maintaining a healthy foundation)
Among other things there are a few personal stories mixed in with the article which highlight the hardships endured by various families who have dealt with foundation problems.
The article makes some good points about the foundation repair industry and the severity of problems caused by expansive soil throughout the United States, even if the article is loosely based around the idea that climate change may be the cause of foundation problems. However, the author also brings into question whether or not poor construction habits, the increase in new homes, or the availability of good quality soil have contributed to the increase in foundation problems across America. In all the article is an excellent read for anyone interested in understanding foundation repair and how it affects families.
Posted by Craig Milam on Tue, Mar 02, 2010 @ 12:38 PM
First of all - Definitely use a steel pier foundation repair system instead of concrete piers. Steel piers are more stable in the long term and they don't settle like concrete piers do. Concrete piers are bigger and heavier and therefore naturally settle over time if not driven all the way to the bedrock. Concrete piers are also more invasive to your property. They are much bigger in diameter than steel piers, so they require a much bigger hole to be dug around your house or cut inside the slab of your house. Superior Foundation Repair in Austin uses quality steel piers and they drive them all the way to the bedrock!
As a residential remodeler and licensed Realtor here in Austin I have dealt with many of the local foundation companies and if you are looking for a reliable, Austin foundation repair company that stands by their word and takes pride and care in their work then Superior Foundation Repair is the one. I have worked with them on several houses and been satisfied every time. If you really want to find out why Superior Foundation Repair is the best then compare their honest, lifetime, transferrable warranty to those of other companies whose warranties are full of loopholes and pages of legal disclaimers.
Another thing is that when you use the biggest foundation companies in town then that company's marketing costs, advertising costs and office expenses have to be factored into the prices they quote you. I recommend spending your dollars more wisely.
If you want a quality, pier house leveling system that is expertly installed by a company that stands behind its warranty then call Superior Foundation Repair.
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Dan Golding is a Certified, GREEN Designated Realtor & Residential Remodeler working for Casa Grande Realty.
Contact Dan via email: DanGolding.Realtor@gmail.com
or phone: (512) 590-2786
Posted by Craig Milam on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 @ 06:30 AM
Drilled bell concrete piers are a common method of foundation repair, but are actually best suited for newly constructed homes and structures. The installation of bell bottom piers in previously existing structures presents a myriad of problems.
First, let's take a look at how Drilled Bell piers are installed in a house. Shafts are dug diagonally underneath a home's foundation from the exterior of the structure. Once they reach the appropriate depth, either stable soil or bedrock, the bottom of the shaft is widened using special bits to create a bell shaped "foot". The shaft is often reinforced with steel rebar before concrete is poured into it (further reading). Once the shaft is filled with concrete, the concrete must cure for 1-2 weeks. Upon completion of curing, the house is lifted and placed on top of the Drilled Bell piers.
Now that we understand the process let's take a look at the numerous disadvantages of this method:
- First, an enormous amount of excavation is required and the excavated soil must be redistributed somewhere.
- In order to drill underneath the house heavy equipment will be placed next to the home causing considerable disturbance to adjacent landscaping.
- Also the vibrations of the drills, depending on their intensity, can cause foundations to crack further.
- Water may seep into the shafts before the concrete is poured causing the bell foot (the support) to be compromised. Any water seepage must be addressed before the concrete can be poured.
- The presence of toxic or flammable gasses may prevent thorough inspection of the shafts (book: Design of Foundation Systems).
- Upon curing of the concrete, pressure is applied, usually using bottle jacks, to the outter edges of the foundation to lift the structure up onto the piers.
- It is not possible to install interior bell piers on existing structures.
- The process takes 2-3 weeks before it is completed
So it is easy to see that drilled bell concrete piers installed in existing structures are not a viable option of foundation repair. If your home or business was built on top of belled piers, you will have adequate support.
In comparison, Superior's Steel Pier foundation leveling process requires minimal excavation, no curing time for concrete, the installation usually lasts no longer than 3 days, can be installed in the interior of the house, does not depend on soil for support, and causes minimal distubance to landscaping around the house. Because our steel piers reach all the way to solid bedrock, your home is protected against the effects of expanisve soils prevalent in our area of Central Texas, thus effectively counteracting the most common cause of foundation problems in our area.
Further Reading on Drilled Bell Concrete Piers:
myfoundationrepair.com
foundationdoctor.info
theconstructor.org