Kansas City

Helical piles in Kansas City, Missouri

Missouri is one of the country's major karst states. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has identified about 16,000 sinkholes, formed where groundwater dissolves limestone and dolomite. Add clay that shrinks and swells and winters cold enough to heave shallow footings, and many owners look for deeper support. In older brick neighborhoods of Kansas City, where homes sit close together, compact helical equipment helps where there is little room to excavate.

Kansas City and St. Louis area codes commonly call for 30 to 36 inches of frost depth, so confirm the number with the city building department. In karst areas an engineer may want borings or a site review first, and the state sinkhole page is a useful reference.

Helical pile companies serving Kansas City

One Kansas City company is in our directory.

• Geo Support Systems: offers helical piles, micropiles, underpinning and earth retention from its Kansas City office; its listing names helical work only briefly, so confirm scope.

Costs and what to ask

HomeGuide puts the typical installed price at roughly $2,000 to $4,000 per pier nationally, with about $3,000 common. Missouri costs vary with depth to bearing, pier count and access around the house. Read our helical pier cost guide for how to compare bids.

Questions to ask any company quoting work in Kansas City:

• Engineering: Has an engineer reviewed the site for karst, and what happens if a pile hits a void?
• Torque logs: Will you give the inspector and me a torque record for every pile?
• Galvanizing and shaft size: What helix, shaft and coating details are specified, and how are extensions priced?
• Permits and warranty: What does the City of Kansas City, Missouri require for a permit, and what does the warranty cover?

For more companies across the state, see our directory of Missouri helical pile installers.