Introduction

Of all the decisions you can make when building a house, your choice of foundation will have the number one impact on the long-term stability of the home. And make no mistake, foundation problems are not uncommon in Winnipeg and throughout Manitoba.

The trouble with choosing a foundation for your home build is you only get one chance. Once the house is built, any changes to the core support will entail a lot of time and money.

One of the solutions that has emerged as a favourite of contractors, engineers, and builders are helical pile foundations. Used extensively in Winnipeg and across Manitoba, you can find them under everything from backyard decks to hydro transmission lines and, of course, entire houses.

This strong and durable foundation is helping homeowners and contractors alike to build houses faster with greater overall economy. Able to overcome even the most challenging soil conditions and locations, it's unlocking possibilities for new home construction and ensuring decades of safe support.

In this article, we're going to explore helical pile foundations for new home construction and show you exactly how they work (and why you should care). You'll also learn how you can use helical piles to support concrete basements, slabs, and ICF blocks, increasing their longevity.

So, let's dive into the world of helical piles and help you discover how they could help you go from bare ground to finished home faster.

What Exactly is a Helical Pile Foundation?

Helical piles are a type of deep foundation, which is installed (unsurprisingly) deep into the ground in order to anchor in firm soil layers beneath the frost line.

This is in comparison to shallow foundations, that are installed relatively close to the surface above the frost line. Footings are a common type of shallow foundation for houses.

Deciding between a deep or shallow foundation really comes down to the ground conditions at your building site, design of the home, and environmental considerations.

If you're building in an area with bedrock close to the surface, for example, then a shallow foundation that's pinned directly to the rock might be best. Saturated, muddy, sandy, and loose soil conditions on the other hand, would likely make a deep foundation necessary.

We're going to cover the specific applications for helical pile foundations in new home construction through the next section, so we won't go into more detail here. Instead, let's take a look at the design of a helical pile foundation and how it works.

How a Helical Pile Works

A helical pile is comprised of three main components: the pile shaft, one (or more) helix plates, and a pile adapter.

The pile shaft forms the "body" of a helical pile and is usually made from sturdy steel pipe. It's available in a range of diameters and lengths to match the load capacity requirements and soil properties, lending versatility to the foundation design.

Towards the bottom of the pile is the helix plate. There may be one, two, or more, of these plates welded to the pile shaft depending on the load requirements and soil conditions.
This plate is shaped in a way that allows the pile to rotate into the ground without displacing large amounts of soil. It also delivers much of a helical pile's structural load capacity, using the pressure of the soil on the helix plates to anchor the pile in place.

At the top of a helical pile is the pile adapter, which has the job of transitioning from the piles in the ground to your home. There are a range of pile adapter designs available to suit any foundation configuration. U-brackets and L-brackets are great for connecting to beams, while concrete caps can be used to support basements, crawlspaces, and ICF blocks.

How is a Helical Pile Foundation Installed?

Thanks to the unique design of a helical pile, it's installed quite differently to other deep foundation options.

As we mentioned, the specific shape of the helix plate allows a helical pile to smoothly rotate into the ground. We achieve this by using a hydraulic drive, which is somewhat like a giant drill that provides the rotational energy to turn the pile.
To install a helical pile, we start by attaching it to the hydraulic drive which is mounted on an excavator. After positioning the pile, we begin rotating it while simultaneously applying downward force with our excavator arm. Once the pile "bites" into the ground, we continue installing it downwards until we reach a pre-determined torque.
Torque is one of the most powerful benefits of a helical pile foundation, because it gives us the ability to do real-time quality control on each pile.
As we install a helical pile, we continuously monitor the torque being exerted by the hydraulic drive. Thanks to the efforts of many scientists over the years, there are established calculations we use to translate those torque figures into the maximum load each pile can handle.
In a nutshell, it means we can confirm that each helical pile is being installed correctly and to specification in real-time.
After all the piles have been correctly installed, the pile adapters can be attached to the tops. The adapter is chosen based on your foundation configuration, with a variety of options to suit any situation.

What Soil Conditions Can You Install Helical Piles In?

One of the big reasons helical piles have become so popular is their high performance in a wide range of soil conditions. Particularly those conditions that present a problem for other solutions.

We can successfully install helical piles into essentially any soil that is not:
● Full of rocks or boulders● Shallow, with bedrock near surface● Extremely dense and hard-packed

Outside of those situations, helical piles can be used in a majority of the soil types we have here in Manitoba. Heavy clay, loose sand, dry, saturated, waterfront, variable, you name it!

The reason for this performance comes down, once again, to the impressive helix plate. Because the plate spreads structural loads over a wide area, while at the same time minimizing ground disturbance, you can enjoy high load capacities even in very poor soils.

How Do You Use Helical Pile Foundations for a New Home?

There are several ways in which you can leverage the power of a helical pile foundation for a new home build. Whether you're working from a "kit" home using pre-designed plans or are constructing a custom home from the ground-up, helical piles will happily adapt.

One straightforward way to use helical piles to support your new home is with a pier and beam configuration.
This is where helical piles are installed to support heavy-duty beams, which provide a platform to build on. You might see this under a ready-to-move home as it offers an extremely sturdy foundation that the house can be lowered onto.

Another option is to install helical piles as footers to hold a basement. Typically, basements are supported by wide concrete footings that act as a kind of "snowshoe" that disperses structural loads over a wide area.

This isn't a bad solution, but helical piles can actually enhance the long-term integrity and stability of the basement by offering deep support. Transferring loads into firm and consolidated soil layers virtually eliminates the risk of future problems like cracks or uneven floors.

You can also combine helical piles with integrated concrete form (ICF) blocks, whether in a basement or as the main-floor.
This type of construction is becoming more popular in Manitoba as it creates an incredibly strong, quiet, and efficient home. Helical piles can connect directly to the ICF wall to ensure it does not shift or move during our harsh winters and wet springs.

These are just a few of the different styles of foundation that a helical pile can be used for, but they certainly aren't all of them. Thanks to their ease of customization and versatility, helical piles readily adapt to nearly any configuration to provide sure-footed strength.

Reasons to Consider a Helical Pile Foundation for Your New Home

The benefits you could enjoy with a helical pile foundation solution depend, at least in some ways, on your specific situation. If you're building along the waterfront where the soil is extremely wet and unstable, you'll experience unique benefits to someone building in an area with dense clay.

However, there are a number of "universal" benefits that can apply to any project, no matter where it's being built.

Speed of Installation

Helical piles are fast to install. Compared to poured concrete, in fact, a helical pile foundation can be finished over 180% sooner. As you know, every day saved in construction keeps more money in your pocket. Plus, helical piles are ready to accept weight immediately after installation. No waiting for concrete to cure or the weather to improve.

Strength and Durability

It's no secret that Manitoba has some of the toughest weather conditions in Canada. With a frost line that extends over eight feet in some areas, significant ground movement can take place as the soil freezes and thaws. If you've ever seen a structure that's being "pushed" out of the ground, that's the result of soil pressure.

Helical piles, however, are not prone to being moved along with the soil. Even though the helix plate delivers large load capacities, the overall pile presents a relatively small surface area for the soil to act on. As such, the pile is far more effective at resisting those forces and staying firmly anchored in place.

Versatility

We said it before and we're happy to say it again: helical piles are (we believe) one of the most versatile foundations available. With their ease of installation, minimal equipment requirements, and compact footprint, they can be installed in almost any location and configuration.
Here in Manitoba, we face a wide range of tricky soil conditions. From loose sand to dense clay and everything in-between, it can present a unique problem for deep foundations. Thanks to the effective design of a helical pile, it readily adapts to difficult soils while delivering strength and durability.
This versatility protects your project from running into delays or problems due to poor ground conditions, and ensures you get all the support you need no matter the soil.

Cost-Effective

Helical piles are not a "budget" foundation option. We've seen other companies try to portray them in that way, but the reality is in many cases something like a poured concrete foundation will be cheaper.
On the surface, at least.
One thing you should be careful of is focusing too much on the "face value" cost of your foundation. Because the number on your estimate can't give you the full picture of the true costs you might be facing.
Take poured concrete, for example. Again, we have nothing at all against it. However it does require a substantial amount of time and effort to install. It may cost less than a helical foundation, but it will also increase the disruption to your site and the total timeline for the project.
Helical piles, conversely, demand minimal site preparation and substantially increase the speed of your foundation install. It may seem like more money at face value, but you'll be able to finish the project sooner and reduce costs in other areas.
Our take is that helical piles are not the cheap foundation option, but they are economical when you consider the myriad of benefits.

Land Impact

All construction activity has some kind of impact on the land itself, and that includes your foundation. In fact, depending on the type of foundation you choose it can cause widespread disturbance of your property to install.
Poured concrete, for example, typically requires fairly extensive site preparation and excavation. Not only does this add to your project timeline, it disrupts large amounts of the soil under and around your home.
Helical piles have a compact footprint and do not require excavation to install. Site preparation is kept to a minimum and there's almost no post-installation cleanup to worry about. This protects not just your property, but also the local environment and soil integrity.

Frequently Asked Questions About Helical Foundations for New Homes

Summary & Conclusion

Thinking about the foundation for a new home isn't as thrilling as, let's say, picking out cabinet designs or paint colours. Nevertheless, it's an absolutely vital component that deserves careful consideration and attention.

After all, cabinet designs and paint colours won't matter much if you're facing a failing foundation in a few years!

Poured concrete has been a common choice for home foundations in Winnipeg and throughout Manitoba for decades. And there's nothing inherently bad about using it.

But when an even better technology comes along, isn't it worth taking a look?

Helical piles aren't a perfect solution (nothing is), but they do overcome many of the challenges that frustrate homeowners and contractors alike when building a new house.

They dramatically shorten construction timelines by offering far less site prep and faster installation, while being ready to use immediately. No waiting for materials to cure before building!

A helical foundation also minimizes land impact and protects the integrity of the soil with its compact footprint and reduced need for raw material. You get all the benefits of a sturdy deep foundation, without damage or disruption to the property.

Of course, as we also covered, there are limits to this unique foundation as well. Certain ground conditions like shallow bedrock or dense stones may not be suitable for helical piles, so it's important to be aware of your soil composition before settling on a foundation!

A helical foundation isn't going to be the right choice for every project, but they might just be a great fit for yours. At the end of the day, the best way to determine which foundation suits your project is to contact a trustworthy helical pile contractor.

If you're interested in leveraging the power of this unique foundation to give your new home a fast, strong, and durable support, get in touch with us today. We'll help you uncover if it's the right choice for your project. And if it's not, we'll be honest with you!