Planning an Addition? Why Helical Piers Beat Concrete Footings in Hampton Roads

Are you planning to add a sunroom or a master suite to your Chesapeake home? Before you pour a single yard of concrete, you need to consider the “settlement gap.” In Hampton Roads, standard concrete footings are often insufficient for new additions, leading to the new structure pulling away from the original home within just a few years.

The Problem with Shallow Footings

Standard footings sit in the “active zone” of the soil—the top few feet where moisture levels fluctuate. Because your original home has had decades to settle, and your new addition is fresh, they will settle at different rates. This leads to cracked drywall and leaking roofs where the two structures join.

The Helical Pier Advantage: Prevention over Cure

Helical piers are steel shafts with screw-like plates that are bored deep into the ground until they reach stable, load-bearing strata.

Deep Anchor: They bypass the “active” clay soil entirely.

One-Day Installation: We can often install the piers for a new addition in a single day.

Immediate Loading: Unlike concrete, which needs days to cure, helical piers can support weight immediately.

By choosing helical piers for your addition, you are ensuring that your new space remains perfectly level with your original home for the life of the structure. It is the ultimate “Prevention over Cure” investment for any Hampton Roads homeowner.