Tempe

Helical piles in Tempe, Arizona

Tempe sits in the Phoenix metro, where foundation trouble usually starts with water. The Arizona Geological Survey describes expansive clays that swell when wet and shrink as they dry, and collapsible soils that compact suddenly when wetted or heavily loaded. Leaks and poor drainage near a house can set either one off.

In parts of the Phoenix area, groundwater pumping has also caused land subsidence and earth fissures. Frost is rarely a factor in the low desert, and Phoenix's residential code keeps a 12-inch minimum footing depth, so soil strength and moisture, not cold, usually set pier depth. Typical local uses include patio covers, ramadas, pergolas and foundation repair after settlement.

Helical pile companies serving Tempe

Our directory lists one company based in Tempe.

• Arizona Foundation Solutions LLC: a Tempe foundation and concrete repair company serving the Phoenix area with pier systems, concrete lifting and commercial deep foundations. Ask it directly whether it installs helical piers for your job.

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. Arizona prices depend on how deep piers must go to get through problem soil and on access around the structure. Read our helical pier cost guide for how to compare bids.

Questions to ask any company quoting work in Tempe:

• Engineering: Will the design come from a geotechnical report, and does it account for collapsible or expansive soil under my lot?
• Torque logs: Will you give the inspector and me a torque record for every pile?
• Galvanizing and shaft size: What shaft diameter and coating will be used, and how do they suit soil that is repeatedly wetted by irrigation?
• Permits and warranty: Does the City of Tempe require a permit and plans for this work, and what does the written warranty cover if a leak caused the settlement?

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