Residential Settling Foundation in Castaic, California
Challenge
The Lindquist family had just moved into their new home and discovered the house had been settling for quite some time. Built in 1978, this 1900 sq foot home had settled 4.5" at its lowest point and the homeowners were worried the problem would only get worse, affecting the plumbing and electrical system. The Lindquist family noticed cracks in their kitchen floor and backsplash, cabinets peeling off of the walls, and the home was falling down the hill. A geotechnical investigation and slope stability analysis were completed by Helfrich-Associates, and it was determined that a deep foundation system would be required to permanently stabilize and potentially lift the home to its original position. Once repaired, the Lindquist family could begin renovating their new home into their dream home.
Solution
Since the house was sliding down the hill, there were several different products used to permanently stabilize the Lindquist home. Six (6) new-construction helical piles were installed below the patio overhang posts and embedded within the concrete footings. Six (6) additional piles were installed in the 2'X2' trench to support the grade beam of a new retaining wall. Six (6) helical anchors were installed within the retaining wall trench to laterally support the system. Seventeen (17) hydraulically driven push piers were installed around the perimeter of the home to stabilize and lift the structure toward its original elevation. At six of the push pier locations, additional helical anchors were installed and connected to the retrofit brackets utilizing the Foundation Supportworks lateral restraint system.
