CC Foundation RepairCo., Inc.

Below are the four major foundation repair methods used in Corpus Christi Texas area. While each has its advantages and its disadvantages. The Bell Bottom Pier method is clearly the most proven and tested method, and it demonstrates that it is the most reliable way to solve a home foundation problem in the Corpus Christi area.

The Bell Bottom Pier Method

The Pressed Piling Method

The Pressed Piling With Inserts Method

The Steel Piling Method

History of the Bell Bottom Pier

In 1916, while observing the construction of foundations for a residence, Willard Simpson became enthralled by local well driller, Ed Duderstadt, drilling deep holes with an 18-inch diameter auger powered by a mule walking around in a circle. He enlisted Duderstadt to drill similar holes (down to hardpan) for a foundation system he was experimenting with. Filling the slender cylindrical hole, which bypassed the site's unstable upper soils, with concrete and re-enforcing bars. Simpson used the resulting piers as his foundation supports, and the drilled pile (or pier) foundation system so much in use today was born!

Simpson also pioneered the concept of reaming out the bottoms of these drilled shafts to enlarge their bearing area to better carry increasingly larger building loads. In the early days, these bottom-belled piers were accomplished by lowering a construction worker down the shaft who then formed the under-ream by hand. Later, in the 1920's Simpson and Duderstadt collaborated in developing a first-of-its-kind mechanical device to under-ream pier shaft bottoms.

Advantages

Your soil is tested on-site for strength and condition.

The size of bell and depth of shaft will be custom designed for your house.

The shape, size, and depth of bell and the angle of the shaft can be inspected.

Two layers of steel rebar are placed in the cap or upper portion of the pier.

High strength concrete is poured for each house.

1/2" steel rebar is installed in the center shaft.

Large bell bottom piers give solid support for your home's slab.

Bell bottom piers anchor against uplift.

Safety factors are designed into each pier.

There are no damaging forces exerted on your house during installation.

The homeowner can add heavy items in the house without concern for the foundation.

Disadvantages

Improper construction will affect performance.

Click here to see a more detailed diagram of a Bell Bottom Pier

The Bell Bottom Pier method is the same building concept used to build support columns for bridges and highway overpasses for many decades. At CC-Foundation Repair, we have built a company and a reputation since 1986 by providing a long-term foundation repair solution for homeowners in the Corpus Christi Area.

Our foundation repair work is backed by our years of experience, a lifetime service agreement, and hundreds of satisfied foundation repair customers. We know the bell bottom pier method is superior to all other methods because we install it every single day and have seen it perform year after year.