Ashland

Helical piles in Ashland, Virginia

Conditions around Richmond range from Piedmont clays to wetter ground east of town, as the Virginia guide describes. Helical piers suit these conditions because they can be advanced through weak or reactive layers to reach better bearing, and because installation is quick, clean and quiet enough for established neighborhoods.

The Virginia Residential Code has footings extend below the frost line set by each locality, and values generally fall between about 12 and 24 inches. Confirm the Hanover County or Ashland figure with the building department. On problem soils, counties may ask for an engineer's design, which typically lists pile depth and the installation torque tied to capacity.

Typical Richmond-area jobs include deck and addition footings and underpinning on reactive clay. Ask your installer which brand of pile it uses and whether the evaluation report is available.

Helical pile companies serving Ashland

One company in the directory is based in Ashland.

• Walder Foundation Products: distributes Chance helical piles and piers, helical tieback anchors, micropiles and crawl space products to contractors from Ashland. It supplies installers rather than homeowners directly.

Costs and what to ask

Helical piers typically cost about $2,000 to $4,000 each installed in the U.S., with most projects near $3,000 per pier, according to HomeGuide. Virginia prices vary with soil, pier count and access. See our helical pier cost guide.

• Which installer buys from the distributor, and is the product engineered for my load?
• Will you provide torque readings for the inspector?
• What shaft size and galvanizing are in the bid?
• Who pulls the permit, and what does the warranty cover?

See Virginia helical pile installers for installers serving Virginia homeowners.