Helical Piers for Home Extension

audvan wrote: ↑ Wondering if anyone has went with this option for a ground floor extension? Due to some circumstances, I may not be able to pour a foundation and am wondering if someone ever went with this option supporting their house? What is your experience with it and would you do it again?

Interestingly, I found this link for a installer in Manitoba:
https://www.manitobascrewpiles.ca/build ... rew-piles/

I looked into it, but ultimately decided to go full basement. It is definitely possible to build an addition on them. I had engineer approval for 2 storeys. No brick allowed though, too much weight. Just need the engineer to check the whole thing.

The construction details to properly air seal and insulate the flooring can be a little complicated. Make sure your contractor knows what he is doing or you will wind up with cold floors and mold growing on the back side of the exterior floor sheathing. There is plenty of literature on this, check fine homebuilding and green building advisor website.

Above all, check your contractors references for this construction method specifically. Have your architect or whoever prepares your plans full specify the correct detail and make sure the contractor sticks to it.

audvan wrote: ↑ Wondering if anyone has went with this option for a ground floor extension? Due to some circumstances, I may not be able to pour a foundation and am wondering if someone ever went with this option supporting their house? What is your experience with it and would you do it again?

I've worked on a number of sites in the GTA that just had crap soil conditions, therefore, I think at these homes, the whole house, the detached garages, and even the swimming pools are on helical piles.

Your geotech or structural should be able to refer you to a number of contractors. I'm pretty sure you'll probably need a geotech for this, not certain though.