Chesterfield

Helical piles in Chesterfield, Missouri

Missouri is one of the major karst states. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has identified about 16,000 sinkholes, formed where groundwater dissolves limestone and dolomite. Add clay soils that shrink and swell and winters cold enough to heave shallow footings, and many owners in the St. Louis area look for deeper support.

Missouri has no single statewide residential frost depth for site-built homes, so local codes apply. The guide says Kansas City and St. Louis area codes commonly call for 30 to 36 inches, so confirm the figure with the Chesterfield building department. In karst areas an engineer may want borings or a site review before specifying piles. In older St. Louis neighborhoods, helical piers are also used where brick homes sit close together and there is little room to excavate.

Helical pile companies serving Chesterfield

One company based in Chesterfield is listed.

• PierTech Systems: Manufactures patented helical piers, drive heads and torque monitoring equipment, offers engineering services, and certifies installers.

Costs and what to ask

HomeGuide reports that helical piers cost about $2,000 to $4,000 each installed nationally, with about $3,000 typical. Missouri costs vary with depth to bearing, pier count and access around the house. See our helical pier cost guide for the main cost drivers. Questions to ask:

• Will borings or a site review be done before piles are specified on karst ground?
• What torque is targeted, and will you provide logs for each pier?
• Which shaft size and galvanizing are specified?
• Does the quote include the Chesterfield permit, and what does the warranty cover?

Listings also cover St. Louis and Kansas City. See all Missouri helical pile installers.