Helical Piers to the Rescue: Restoring a Bowing Foundation Wall in Just 3 Days

Rapid Foundation Repair in Littleton, CO

Ram Jack of Colorado recently completed a challenging foundation repair project in Littleton, CO, involving a bowing basement wall. Their expert team stabilized the structure in just three days by using helical piers. This blog provides a closer look at the problem they faced and how they successfully restored the foundation’s integrity, providing peace of mind to the homeowner.

The Problem: A Rotating Basement Wall

The west basement wall at the back of the house had rotated inward by over five inches, posing a significant threat to the structural stability of the home. As the wall shifted, it lost contact with the sill plate, which, if left unaddressed, could have resulted in even more severe issues.

The Solution: Installing Helical Tieback Anchors

To resolve the problem, an engineered repair plan was developed, which involved installing five helical tieback wall anchors. These anchors provided the necessary lateral support to stabilize the wall and prevent further rotation. Here’s the step-by-step process Ram Jack of Colorado followed:

Installing Helical Piers

The team used 2 7/8” helical piers with an 8” disc, driving them 20-23 feet away from the house. These piers served as solid anchor points, allowing the wall to be effectively tied back.

Securing with a C-Channel Wall Plate

To ensure the wall remained secure, Ram Jack of Colorado used a C-Channel wall plate—a 3-foot long C6x10.5” section—secured with a wedge nut. This setup distributed the load evenly and reinforced the connection.

Temporary Shoring for Support

Temporary shoring was installed under the floor joist to reduce the load on the wall during repairs. This allowed the wall to rotate back into position without putting undue stress on the structure.

Excavating the Exterior Foundation

To relieve horizontal pressure on the foundation wall, the team excavated a trench along the exterior of the foundation. This process allowed for the wall’s movement back to its original position.

Achieving Full Recovery in Just 3 Days

Thanks to a systematic approach and experienced crew, Ram Jack of Colorado restored the wall to its original position in just three days, a day earlier than originally scheduled. Once the wall was realigned, they backfilled the exterior soil and removed the temporary shoring. The homeowner was pleased with the results, and the project caused minimal disruption to their daily life.

Cost-Effective Alternative to Wall Replacement

Using helical piers for this project provided a cost-effective solution that saved both time and money for the homeowner. Rather than opting for a complete wall replacement, Ram Jack of Colorado’s method avoided extensive reconstruction, offering long-term stability at a fraction of the cost.

A Grateful Homeowner’s Testimonial

After the project was completed, the homeowner left a 5-star review on Google:

“Very professional. Did what we expected. Addressed concerns. Exceptional crew. Worth every dollar we spent. Our wall was off by 5 1/2 inches, now it’s 90 degrees flush. Very professional office personnel. Would recommend highly!”

You can read more customer testimonials on Ram Jack Colorado’s Google Business page, or check out this blog: Real Stories of Foundation Repair Success.

Why Choose Ram Jack of Colorado?

Ram Jack of Colorado specializes in foundation repairs that are designed to last. Their methods, such as using helical piers and tieback anchors, provide durable solutions for bowing walls, sinking foundations, and other structural issues. The company is dedicated to delivering high-quality results with minimal disruption to customers’ lives. Choosing Ram Jack of Colorado means you’re partnering with a team that delivers proven, long-lasting foundation repair solutions. With a commitment to exceptional customer service, minimal disruption, and efficient project completion, Ram Jack Colorado provides trusted results that give you peace of mind.

For those dealing with foundation issues, Ram Jack of Colorado offers professional assessments and reliable solutions that restore stability and safety. Call Ram Jack Colorado to get an expert estimate today! (303) 716-7437

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Tie Back Anchors Pier Pipe Driven Out Into the Yard
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The pier is cut, threaded bar inserted, and secured with a plate or C-Channel and nut.

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Straight Line Construction

Straight Line Construction has changed a great deal over the last 30+ years in the industry, but one thing remains the same: our commitment to quality and to designing and installing permanent solutions to foundation settlement issues. Beginning with small residential jobs more than 30 years ago when the family-owned company was founded by Tim Davis, Sr., Straight Line Construction today repairs cracking residential and commercial foundations through its Ram Jack product toolkit and designs solutions for large infrastructure and industrial projects. We specialize in matching the right solution to each type of foundation repair issue.

Are you building a new home and want to ensure it has a solid foundation? Or is your house experiencing unwanted sagging or a cracking foundation? Are your walls cracked or your doors and windows sticking? As a bonded, licensed, and fully insured foundation repair company, we are proud to serve Colorado homeowners, builders, and commercial contractors. Our technical certifications enable us to offer the highest quality services and the best American-made, environmentally safe products available for foundation repair. Regardless of how your building is shifting or sinking, we can help you stop it. Our 30 years in the business and our designation as a Ram Jack certified dealer means you get the most technologically savvy solution to fix your foundation.

From the factory to the field, we strive to ensure the quality of our products and workmanship meet the highest industry standards. We work with other vetted professionals in the industry. All of our helical piers, push piers, and mounting brackets are manufactured by Ram Jack in Ada, OK, at an ISO-certified facility with American-made steel. Williams Form Engineering in Golden, CO, manufactures our reinforcing bar for ground anchor systems and shares our commitment to quality control and quality assurance.

About Ram Jack

Ram Jack is a family-owned business that began operations in 1968, in Ada, OK, where we currently source our piers and brackets. Back then, concrete piering was the original repair method used simply because it was the only technology available at the time. Over time, it became evident that concrete piers did not provide long-term stabilization of foundations and only provided a short-term warranty period. To guarantee the highest grade of customer satisfaction, a greater solution needed to be found.

The Ram Jack owners embarked on a research program to develop a foundation repair system to stand the test of time. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office first issued a patent to Ram Jack for its foundation repair system in 1985. Over the next few years, additional refinements and patents have followed, resulting in the strongest patented system in the industry. Ram Jack driven pilings are ICC-ES recognized (International Construction Code—Evaluation Services). Ram Jack is one of only two ICC-ES recognized foundation repair companies in the industry. Ram Jack’s products meet or exceed code requirements set down by ICC-ES for both commercial and residential properties.

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