Opting for the lowest initial price, may not result in the best long-term value. The cost of a helical pile installation versus concrete piers depends on several factors.

While the initial cost of helical piles may appear more expensive upfront, they are a more economical solution longterm. This due to their durability, reliability, quick installation process, and ability to withstand weather and ground fluctuations. Here are some factors that contribute to cost efficiency of helical piles over concrete piers:

Installation Speed

Helical piles are quicker to install than concrete piers as they require no digging or curing time. Upon installation, they provide instant load-bearing support. This means lower labor costs and a faster project completion. Ultimately this helps to lower expenses and improve project profitability.

Minimal Site Disruption

The helical pile installation process causes very little noise, dust, or vibration, which reduces disturbance to the site as well as surrounding areas. This means less money spent on property restoration, landscaping costs, and site cleanup.

No Excavation or Hauling of Soil

Installing helical piles does not involve excavation or removal of soil, which reduces the material and disposal costs associated with traditional concrete piers.

Durable and Reliable

Helical piles are made of quality steel and offered with a hot-dipped galvanized coating for an extended life. They resist frost heaving better than typical concrete piers which are installed only to frost depth. The piles are capacity validated in the field, which is a more dependable method than sizing concrete piers based on soil bearing capacity. Their durability and reliability lead to long-term savings.

Suitable for Most Soil Types

Helical piles are ideal for a variety of soil types and geological conditions. This versatility eliminates the need for additional foundation types, which overall reduces building costs.

Team Morale

We also need to consider how much happier your staff will be when they no longer have to dig holes. Happier employees perform better and improve profitability.

These factors combined make helical piles a more cost-effective option than concrete piers. They save time, reduce labor costs, produce minimal site disruption, and require less maintenance.

If you want to estimate the real cost of digging concrete footings, you should consider these variables:

Techno Metal Post adapts to all your projects!

During the night of May 17, 2022, a Techno Metal Post team arrived at Carrefour de Touques for a unique job. The project needed to be carried out after work hours as not to disturb the regular business flow. The installation of helical piles was needed to support a storeroom elevator shaft.

Ground conditions were poor, with a survey indicating the start of dense soil at 16m (52 feet). The first challenge was positioning the installation machine in its work area: access was narrow and low pipes obstructed installing 2 out of the 10 piles required. At 9pm, after finding the right working position (and without risking store wall damage) the helical pile installation began. The required bearing capacity is reached with the first pile at a depth of 22m (72 feet).  A shipment of pile extensions was quickly obtained, given that 18m (59 feet) had originally been planned. The alternating process of screwing and welding continued throughout the night.

By 8:10 the next morning, all the piles were installed, set at the required height, and head plates welded. A team of two professionals, which included a welder, successfully installed 10 helical piles measuring between 18 to 24 meters (59-78 feet) in length. The satisfied customer was surprised by the efficient overnight installation, consisting of just over 200 meters (656 feet) of piles!

Under the direction of Sylvain Jirot, a unique challenge of meeting deadlines kept arising. All the dealership's teams were busy, which affected the project's original deadlines. Two of the network's installers (Reginald Nardeau of Techno Pieux Picardie Ouest and Pierre de Franssu of Techno Pieux Martinique) were available to come and carry out the project, ensuring it was completed on time.

Using ABCDeck is free !

Did you know...there’s a site that helps you with the construction of your deck foundation, using only helical piles?  It's called ABCDeck.  A great tool that's useful, easy, and full of insightful advice.  The platform allows you to input your measurements, then supplies you with a complete report.  This includes: the material needed, a plan to share with your installer, tools required & important information/advise.

Here, you’ll be provided with everything you need for your deck project, using Techno Metal Post helical piles.  Please keep in mind-the maximum size accepted for a deck is 16'x16'.

How to use this tool?

1. Click on the ABCDeck link (http://abcdeckapp.com)
2. Register
3. Answer three simple questions (height, length and width of your deck)
4. Follow the steps

Key features:

• A rectangular or square shaped helical pile deck, can be attached to the house
• Users will get a list of materials needed, with the exact dimensions of all pieces
• The deck plans and related info, are kept in your client account for later revision
• There are numerous links to the Techno Metal Post website, that allows users to understand the advantages of using helical piles as deck footings
• You can easily locate a certified Techno Metal Post installer near you

Helical pile foundations are used regularly in the construction industry, to support the load capacity of heavy materials.  Screw piles are chosen, depending on soil type and the weight of the structure needing the support…rendering it durable for years to come.

Helical piles & ground beams?

It's well known that ground beams are often used in lightweight building foundations, when the ground load-bearing capacity is at a low depth (0 cm to 90 cm).  Sometimes we do encounter sites that are made up of layers of lesser carrying capacity.  In those cases, a Techno Metal Post helix pile may be the best solution to avoid:

• Excessive Digging
• Managing soil excavation and transport
• Trench water pumping

Why are they used with ground beams?

If the ground conditions require the foundation to be deeper than one meter (example: low bearing capacity of the soil, presence of clay or a high-water table), our helical piles are the best solution.  This ensures the foundation will sit on proper ground with the appropriate bearing load.

Our specialized machines install the Techno Metal Post by rotating it into the ground then reading the ground bearing capacity.  The setup is complete when the correct depth and required bearing load is attained… Simple and efficient!

Once that is done, our certified installer cuts off the top of the steel shaft to the correct height.  Afterwards, a top plate is installed, making it possible to solidify the Techno Metal Posts with the ground beam.

We're a little biased, and think Techno Metal Post helical piles may even be a ground beam contractor’s “best friend”.

How does the helical pile work?

Once the ground beam and helical pile have been joined, the accumulated live and dead loads, will be transferred across to the depth and layer of bearing capacity.  This way, the building can be assembled on the ground beam as planned.  Techno Metal Posts helical piles, made of steel, are considered a prefabricated foundation alternative to many contractors.

They consist of:

• A load-bearing support plate, that connects to the structure.  They are available in several models and sizes to accommodate different dimensions or materials
• A central shaft which transfers loads from the top plate to the helical section
• One or more helical pieces welded near the base of the shaft, which is the bearing load part of the screw pile

Under the rotating effect, the helix penetrates the soil and practically no material is ejected.  The shaft of the Techno Metal Posts can be extended if necessary, using welded extensions down to the desired ground bearing level.  The size of the shafts and the helical parts are designed by our engineering team, according to the ground conditions and the load to be supported.

Advantages of using helical piles with ground beams:

Simple and quick

Our piles are installed by our certified installers, using proprietary hydraulic machines.  This allows them to immediately start building, without the hassles of digging and managing large trenches.

Limited excavation and low footprint

Techno Metal Post has developed a range of hydraulic machines dedicated entirely to the installation of screw piles.  They are all designed to perform rigorous and reliable work, and in most cases, no extra excavation is necessary for common residential projects.

Strong, solid & steadfast

They are designed according to the highest engineering and quality standards.  And so, their capacity to support heavy loads is guaranteed.  Techno Metal Posts are compliant with the UKCA, BBA and LABC certifications.

We consider them the best complementary solution for ground beam foundations.  For many years they have been used to support them, assuring a solid infrastructure is in place for your building projects.

Contact your nearest installer for more information and an affordable solution to your construction needs.

The Techno Metal Post team is proud to announce the arrival of a new dealership in the US network. Nathan Menkin recently joined our family by founding TMP of Austin. Nate decided to get into the helical pile business to offer an alternative solution to how things were currently being done in his area, i.e., pile driving in general.

Nate, who also owns ATX Lakescapes, a boat dock and boat lift remodeling company, lives in Leander, Texas with his wife Victoria and their 3 children.

Nate was born and raised in the state of Texas. He grew up with the passion of playing football and made it all the way to the NFL. He was an offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans. Later in his career Nate also played football in the Canadian Football League. His time in Canada, not to mention the bonds he made with his teammates, was a factor when it came time to reach out to Techno Metal Post about the possibility of starting a dealership.

Techno Metal Post would like to thank Nate and Victoria for their trust and confidence and the opportunity to expand the TMP technology in the state of Texas.

The entire TMP team would like to welcome them and wishes them all the best with their dealership!

When undertaking a construction project requiring a foundation, it’s critical to have a finished product that is solid and secure, so the building doesn’t collapse over time.  When a structure is built on a slope, everything becomes exponentially more difficult to complete.  For this reason, helical piles have simplified foundation building, not only in the design, but also the construction process.

Foundation Design

Techno Metal Post helical piles, can be customized for the specific needs of a given project.  Our in-house engineers look at the components required for the design and considers the following…compression, tension and lateral forces that will be placed on the pile once installed.  After this is reviewed, they can select the pile diameter & quantity needed, helix diameter, and the soil pressure they need to be installed within.  Our engineering team ensures a professional, code approved, and safe foundation solution for every project.

Once each pile is successfully installed, the design serves as a complete structural unit, each doing their individual job transferring the overall load.  Combined with a custom bracket system, the foundation piles connect to the structure’s base material (which is either steel, concrete or wood) and is locked in place.  There is no digging or compacting work required with helical piles.

When you introduce a sloped surface, there are always concerns about lateral stability.  Should this be a concern for your project (with or without a slope), a helical pile foundation can be easily adjusted to factor in this additional force.  Some of the helical piles can be constructed to have a second helix piece.  A battered pile (which means installed at an angle into the slope), can be connected next to the vertical pile shaft and welded into the main bracket system.  If the structure has a portion above the ground, then the beams and posts for the main structure can be further strengthened directly using angled bracing, as shown in the photo above.

Construction Process

The design of any foundation looks great in drawings but eventually it needs to be built on site.  Traditional footings and foundations require excavation, forming work, setting rebar, and pouring / curing concrete.  Aside from planning and executing, the concrete must also harden before any load can be placed on it.  All this extra work can be eliminated using a basic helical pile foundation design.  A single machine, compact in size, allows the crew to complete the installations needed for even the toughest foundations.  A small platform with adjustable posts, is used to create a flat surface for the crew to safely complete their job.

How deep do the helical piles need to go?

Concrete foundations have a minimum depth they can reach (below the frost line for temperate climates) and need to be wide enough for the footing width and structural load.  Helical piles, on the other hand, can go deep enough so they are secured into suitable earth below.  Good soil is confirmed by measuring the torque from the drill head, off the installation equipment, which is then converted to a load bearing capacity outcome.  This allows the depth to be well below any concrete foundation, if need be.  Once the desired load capacity is reached, the pile receives a final spin and is then locked into position, ensuring security.

On your next project, consider a helical pile foundation alternative.  We have an extensive installer network that is ready to deliver a solution for you!

Bracket with screw sets

The pile cap, otherwise known as the plate (fixed or adjustable) sits directly on the shaft below it.  The 4 set screws will be bolted and tightened, with a minimum of 15 ft-lb of torque using a hexagonal key.  For the adjustable cap, a fifth screw needs to be installed, to prevent lateral movement of the threaded rod.

Bracket with self-drilling screws

A sleeve is attached to the shaft of the pile using self-drilling screws (a minimum of two or three screws is required, see below).  Techno Metal Post recommends using the following product or equivalent:

• UCAN (model TRH 12114K5) self-drilling screws (or any equivalent brand);
• Size 12-24;
• Length 1.25” (32 mm);
• Drill point #5 in galvanized steel.

The allowable uplift resistance varied (lb) between the pile cap and the pile during the laboratory test.

Please note that for deck piles and building additions, we recommend using a minimum of 2 self-drilling screws.  For piles supporting a structure with a roof and no floor (carport, pergola, etc.), we recommend using a minimum of 3 self-drilling screws.  The connection of the supported infrastructure may limit the uplifting force.

The use of an adjustable pile cap must be avoided for free-standing structures with a roof (carport, pergola, etc) given the presence, of greater lateral and uplift loads.

Stephen Angus has recently joined Techno Metal Post by creating Techno Metal Cambridge! Well… to tell the truth, Stephen was already a Techno Metal post Certified Installer and, a few months ago, he decided to create his own business dedicated to the helical pile. His new dealership is based on his knowledge and experience in the construction industry. Stephen will be supported by his wife Lauren, who will assist him with the various business communications with their customers.

Caring for our planet is a priority for Techno Metal Post.  Just as durability and security are important, protecting and preserving the environment is always front and center for us as well.  Helical pile foundations have a very small impact on the environment, unlike concrete which leaves a large footprint.  With no excavation required, our deck posts are installed in a simple, effortless, and clean way without disruption to the surrounding area.

Techno Metal Post’s proprietary machinery and installation process, ensures flora and fauna remain protected all the while preserving wildlife habitats and ecosystems alike.  Our specialized and versatile installation equipment, runs on biofuel and produces minimal noise, with no vibration.

The machinery can also easily access many different terrain types, in turn creating little impact on the environment.

Techno Metal Post’s certified installers are conscious of and trained to respect every aspect of the ecosystem.  Whether it be a forest, meadow, waterfront, or your backyard, our installers make every effort to protect and preserve the surrounding area and its inhabitants.

Techno Metal Post places the environment at the forefront of their projects.  Honoring and respecting the natural world with leading-edge technology and a network of experienced installers worldwide.