Case Studies Permanent Foundation Repair for Westmount at Houston Street

Amenities such as a clubhouse, weight room, lounge area and business center are often a deciding factor for families to choose to live within a townhome or apartment community. If the signs of foundation settlement are apparent in public areas like a clubhouse, residents may be left to wonder if their home may also experience such issues which lead to cracked drywall and shifting floors. The property managers at Westmount at Houston Street knew they needed a permanent resolution to the issues in the building that houses their clubhouse and main offices.

Problem

Although repairs were previously done in 2015 and 2017 on the main office and clubhouse at the Westmount property, signs of additional settlement were apparent: drywall cracks, separation at ceilings and wall connections, and at the baseboards and floors. The owners wanted to find a permanent solution for the repairs while also allowing the office functions to remain operational.

Proposed Solution

Ram Jack designed a solution using 19 interior piles consisting of (17) 2 7/8 “ driven piles with Ram Jack Low Profile, Narrow Seat Brackets and (2) 2 3/8” helical piles with Ram Jack Heavy Floor Slab Brackets. The piles would need to accommodate a 28 kip design load.

Outcome

Ram Jack prepared the work areas with plastic curtaining to prevent dust from entering the office areas that were still in use. The piles were installed individually to their maximum capacity then carefully connected together for a synchronized uniform lift of 1 inch. Following the lift, the hydraulic jacks were removed and the excavations were filled with compacted soil to the bottom of the floor slab where the vapor barrier was then re-installed. Reinforcement was added to the breakout prior to the concrete being placed and the surface finished to match the existing concrete floor. The Ram Jack Crew Supervisor also ensured all floors were cleaned and mopped upon completion--all while the project finished ahead of schedule.

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