Expansive soils are known to be present in every US state and throughout the world. Every year expansive soils contribute to billions of dollars in damage to homes. In a typical year expansive soils cause greater financial loss to property owners than earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and tornados combined. The proper design and care of your foundation is very important to preserving the integrity of your home.

 Foundation watering through the use of soaker hoses has become very important in an attempt to preserve the integrity of your home. Some clayey soils have the ability to shrink or expand at alarming rates, depending on the moisture content of the soil and weather patterns. The goal for proper foundation maintenance should be to maintain a consistent level of moisture in the soil thus eliminating swelling and shrinking of the soil that is supporting your foundation.

 If the soil around the exterior of the home becomes excessively dry, it will shrink leaving a gap between the soil and the foundation. These cracks allow additional evaporation and more cracking deeper in the soil. When heavy rains happen, these cracks allow excessive amounts of water to penetrate soil layers causing swelling of the clay soils that are intended to support the foundation. This rapid expansion can cause settlement, foundation cracking, drywall cracking and the need for foundation repairs.

 The lack of uniform moisture levels can be caused by:

                  1.       Neglect

                  2.       Lack of guttering on the home

                  3.       Improper drainage

                  4.       Plumbing leaks

                  5.       Improper grading

                  6.       Excessive watering

                  7.       Trees too near the foundation

 Expansive soils, combined with a shallow foundation, creates a scenario that can manifest itself into major foundation problems. Shallow foundations (foundations very near the surface) rest upon soils that are greatly influenced by rain and ambient temperatures. These foundations become highly susceptible to movement which causes cracking and structural damage. Opposed to deep foundations (foundations that are set below the zone of influence), shallow foundations are cheaper and account for the greatest financial losses due to foundation repairs and structural failures.

 Deep foundations penetrate expansive soils providing support for a structure without being effected by shrinking and swelling clay soils. These foundations are most effective when used during initial construction but can also be retrofitted using a high quality end bearing foundation repair system. End bearing is the key here. Foundation repair systems that rely on skin friction fail very quickly when soils dry out and separate from the pile. Deep cracks in the soil are a sign that a skin friction pile has become unsuitable. The highest quality foundation repair systems use slender steel shafts that drive deeply to load bearing soils or rock. Being slender in nature these piles allow expansive clay soils to move around the shaft without negative effects.

To summarize, the expansive clay soils are generally not the problem. The foundation design or foundation repair design is generally the problem. Simply adding water around the foundation most likely will only affect the upper most soil layers which does not solve the problem. Water must be deeply injected into the soil in a wide radius around the foundation to help maintain a consistent soil moisture level. This is generally unfeasible due to the huge amount of water required in dry seasons.

The most effective solution to foundations in expansive soil areas is through professional design. A deep foundation along with proper guttering, grading and landscaping will create an effective foundation for homes and commercial buildings alike without the concern of structural cracking and foundation repair work.

  For existing homes:

      1.       Maintain guttering around the perimeter of the home

      2.       Direct downspouts at least 10’ from foundation

      3.       Create proper grading around the home

      4.        Remove trees and large shrubs that are within 15’ of structure

      5.       Maintain plumbing pipes beneath foundation

      6.       Use only high quality end bearing foundation repair techniques

The swelling and shrinking of expansive clay soils create serious problems in shallow foundations throughout the United States. Differences in performance of foundations arise from differences in design and the extent of disturbance of natural conditions. Methods of identifying potentially troublesome conditions and various foundation and foundation repair design to cope with these problems are now available to foundation specialists. Soaker hoses alone will not solve your problem, a trained foundation specialist is generally required.

When it comes to residential foundation repairs, the number one question asked is - How much does it cost?

Many of us also think about our home that is in need foundation repairs and think of how much of a hassle it can be to have it repaired. The first step is early detection. At the first sign of damage you should contact a foundation repair contractor right away for an inspection and repair cost estimate. Foundation problems do not go away, they will not fix themselves. You first must have the foundation inspected and the damage assessed by a professional before supplemental damage occurs.

How do they come up with an estimate?

Foundation repair contractors and professional foundation engineers take many factors into consideration when assessing your foundation for repair. After the initial inspection, they will gather the facts, decide on a mode of repair and determine how long it will take to fix the foundation. With this information in hand the foundation professional will then review outside factors that may influence the repair. These factors include the weather, driveways or patios, landscaping, street creep as well as the slope of the land surrounding the homes foundation.

Before committing to a foundation repair contractor, you should get some references from other homeowners and preferably the engineering community. Simply getting three estimates and accepting the cheapest may not always be in your best interest. Generally your home is your most valuable asset and should be treated as such. The type of foundation repair materials and the contractors experience and reputation should weigh heavily in your decision making process. Sometimes it will be worth it to pay more in order to get a better quality job and often times your long term costs will decline with this approach. Remember, it will cost you more to have the job redone due to inferior work. Another factor that will determine the cost is the area in which the damage is located. Certain locations of the foundation will cost more to repair than others.

Foundation repairs do not have to cost a lot of money. Yes, they can be expensive but, if you catch the problem early you will generally save some money. Many foundation repair contractors offer payment plans or Same-as-Cash financing to help relieve the burden of major repairs. Home equity loans are another source of monies to spread the burden over time.

So, how much does foundation repairs cost? Well that is like asking how much does an airline ticket cost. It depends of when, where, why and how. Do your research and then contact a foundation repair contractor or foundation engineer and they will help you answer this question for you and your home.

Tips to help determine the cause of diagonal foundation cracks in basements:

In building corners in cold climates - frost heave, shallow footings, water problem, or poor backfill. In a raised ranch with a garage located in part of the basement, often you will find step cracks in the front and rear foundation walls on the garage-end of the home. These cracks may correspond to some related observations:

(1) If a downspout or gutter spills rain water against the home, these forces will often combine to make more severe frost cracks appear on the garage side of the home.  

(2) There may be less backfill against the front and rear foundation walls at the front of the garage.

(3) The decrease in backfill combined with an un-heated garage may expose these building corners to more frost damage

In the foundation wall anywhere, wider at bottom than top – often due to foundation settlement.

From corner towards adjacent opening, wider at top than bottom - often due to foundation settlement, expansive clay soil, frost damage, or damage from a shrub/tree close to the foundation wall.

Under a ground floor window, from sill to ground, sill bowed up - often due to foundation heave, clay soil, frost, shallow or missing footings.

Over a window or door, straight or diagonal - may appear as horizontal along top or bottom of header, vertical at ends of header (possibly due to differences in thermal expansion of different materials of header vs. wall) or vertical/diagonal at center of header (loading failure) or at corners (possible point-load failure)

Cracks in a poured concrete basement walls which are diagonal or vertical and which are generally uniform in width, or which taper to an irregular hairline form, usually in fact a discontinuous crack in the hairline area, are usually shrinkage cracks and should not be ongoing nor of structural problem, though they may invite water entry through the wall.

From a distance, helical anchors from manufacturer to manufacturer look similar, but are they? In simplest terms – No they are not the same. As a matter of fact, there can be huge differences in helical anchors. Some suppliers use old oilfield pipe (known as J55 pipe) and this can make a huge difference in longevity and structural safety of the helical anchor.

First of all, the used oilfield pipe available for the helical anchor market is pipe that is deemed no longer fit to be used in the oil rig. With the high oil prices and the pipe shortages, the oil rig operators are wearing it out before they sell it.

Let's talk about salt water in oil production. Most of the existing wells in Texas, Oklahoma and the Midwest are classified as stripper wells. These are wells that produce a 90% / 10% mix of fluid on a daily basis. This means that if the well produces 10 barrels of oil a day, it also produces 90 barrels of saltwater per day. The affects of saltwater on steel pipe does not need explanation. Furthermore, periodically, acid is drawn down the wells to help the flow of fluids into the well bore. Once again, not much explanation needed.

Last but not least, the most destructive effect on oil field pipe is known as rod wear. Inside the oilfield pipe, which is known as drill stem, are the sucker rods. Now very quickly, a brief lesson on oil production. The pumping unit sits on the surface. Attached to the horse head on the pumping unit is the bridle. Attached to the bridle is the polish rod. Attached to the polish rod are the sucker rods. Down deep in the hole is the rod pump. To pump this fluid (saltwater & oil) out of the hole, the horse head, the polish rod, the sucker rods and the pump have to go up & down constantly. These rods, going down through this pipe are rubbing against something and that something is the used casing pipe (J55 pipe). Oilfield operators generally will not stop using this pipe until they have determined that 30% or more of the wall thickness is gone.

To spell it out, these super hard rods, rubbing constantly against the casing pipe, causes some very thin spots inside the pipe. So, pipe that was nice and thick when it was new, has salt-water corrosion, acid corrosion and very thin spots due to "rod wear". Does this sound like pipe that should be used to manufacture helical anchors that provide structural support?

Obviously not all helical anchors are the same. Manufacturers that use old oilfield pipe may be putting your structure at risk. Why would they do this? Cost is the only reason. New structural steel pipe cost a bit more but is certified to specifications and is designed to provide years of structural support. Not all helical anchors are the same, as a matter of fact, there are major differences between helical anchors.

Damage to homes and commercial structures in the US is commonly related to soil characteristics, with expansive (shrink/swell) soils and collapsing soils causing the most problems. Cracking of foundations, walls, driveways, swimming pools, and roads costs us millions of dollars each year in repairs. Severe or recurring damage can lower the value of a house or property. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, about half of the houses built in the United States each year are situated on unstable soil, and about half of these will eventually suffer some soil related damage.  This damage causes greater financial loss to property than earthquakes, flooding, hurricanes and tornados combined. 

Each spring and summer homeowners in Texas are reminded of this, as the moisture content of their expansive clay soils dramatically increases and decreases with the seasons.  The causes of soil expansion or collapse are related to the type of clay minerals in the soil and original soil density. A change in soil moisture content can cause clay minerals to swell like a sponge or to collapse as it dries.  Expansive clay soils can cause walls and foundations to crack and roads and sidewalks to warp.  

The first sign of expansive soils causing a need for foundation repairs is when you notice a misalignment of doors and windows. Another indication of soil expansion is when your patio or driveway slabs buckle or move away from the house. Non-load-bearing walls, which do not have enough weight to resist the pressure produced by expansion, typically crack before load-bearing walls do. Upon drying, expansive soil shrinks, forming large, deep cracks or "popcorn" texture in surface exposures. 

Decreasing the effects of expansive clay soils can be accomplished several ways. The application of hydrated lime to swelling soils is a common treatment that is usually effective in reducing expansion. Another effective method is to replace the expansive soils with non-expansive fill. This can only be accomplished in new construction projects. The application of protective barriers, such as geo-membranes, that surround the homes foundation help keep soil moisture levels constant and prevent the infiltration of surface water. 

For larger problems caused by expansive soils, helical piers or steel piers can be an effective solution. These piers extend the foundation below the active soil layers to a non expansive stratum of soil. The key to these types of foundation repair techniques is depth. One must bear these piers on deep soils at least three times their diameter below the expansive layers.

Poor drainage can result in ponding of water, which allows clays to absorb water, expand and cause problems. Gutters and downspouts should direct water at least 10’ away from the foundation to help maintain consistent soil moisture. Deep watering of landscaping plants and lawns by drip irrigation systems also can trigger soil expansion.

This day and age we are bombarded with Green Products and Energy Saving Devices, but do we really know what they mean or what our goal truly is? Why do we need to save energy? How will it help me? Will what I do really matter in the long run? These are the questions that we are all thinking about, now  we just need some guidance and honest answers.

It is no secret that we cannot continue to increase the demand on our current power sources at our current pace. If our demand for power continues at the current rate, without improvements, we will be in trouble in very short order. Fossil fuels, coal natural gas and petroleum cannot keep up with our current rate of usage growth. Secondary sources of power generation, Nuclear Plants and hydro- electric plants, cannot be built fast enough to compete with demand. All is not lost though.

Renewable energy production, wind, solar and geothermal can increase very quickly and without much burden to consumers. Ten years ago we rarely saw Wind Turbine farms or Solar Farms, they were few and far between – literally. Today you see 250 megawatt wind farms throughout the Midwest (http://www.tradewindenergy.com/) , that’s enough power for about 75,000 homes. Large Solar Farms (http://www.solarpower.org/) of 5-15 megawatts are no longer uncommon to see, especially in the east and west. These are current and viable options to much of our energy needs. No longer is this a pipe dream, it is technology that is available today and as production increases the cost per watt will decrease dramatically.

Now, we are fairly helpless in providing our own renewable energy. Yes we can put a solar panel on our roofs or place a wind turbine in our back yards, but will this really help? Not as much as if we decrease our individual power consumption. This is easier than you might think, as long as we all have a goal. I propose that our goal should be to decrease our individual power consumption by 25%. Yes 25%.

This raises an obvious question – how can I decrease my power consumption by 25%? Simple, start with the following nine steps:

·         Replace your home light bulbs with CFL’s (compact fluorescent lights). A single bulb will save $30 in its life, on average. They use 75% less electricity than standard bulbs. There is no down side, they save money and reduce our energy consumption. Remember your outdoor lights, CFL’s can really save money here.

·         Turn off appliances when they are not being used. I am not suggesting that you stop using appliances, only to turn off the TV when you are not watching it, shut down the computer when it is not being used and of course shut off lights in rooms that are not being occupied. A desk top computer typically uses between 60 and 200 watts of power.

·         Use cooler water when washing clothes. The cold/cold setting uses only 16% of the energy compared to the warm/cold setting. And the cold/cold setting uses only 8% of the energy required to run compared to the warm/warm setting.

·         Heating and cooling systems are a very large source of potential savings. We have all heard it for years – turn up the temperature setting on your air conditioner. Once again, you do not have to stop using it, just get a programmable thermostat and turn it up 2 degrees over “normal”. Running a fan is much more cost effective than adjusting the setting down a degree or two. Also shutting off vents in rooms not being used can save some real money.

·         Use your curtains and shades. In the summer keep them closed when the sun is shining on them. In the winter keep them open to let radiant solar energy in and then close them at night to trap the warmer air in. What could be simpler than this? You paid for blinds or curtains, use them.

·         Do not soak dishes in the sink. Yes, I said do not soak dishes in the sink. A dishwasher uses around 37% less water than doing them by hand. Quickly rinse the dish and place it in the dishwasher. It would not hurt to turn down the heat on the dishwasher cycle also.

·          Buy kids toys that do not use electricity. For every toy that uses electricity buy them one that does not. What could be simpler? Have them use their mind when playing and they might even get some exercise on top of it.

·         Plant a shade tree on the south side of your home. You will want to keep it its expected height away from your foundation to prevent potential foundation repairs (http://www.myfoundationrepairs.com/) down the road. Shade trees are an excellent insulator and will help with those summer electricity bills.

·         Consolidate trips in your car. It seems obvious but consolidating errands into a single trip will save you money. Resist the urge to run unnecessary errands. Wait until you have more than one errand to run and try to combine your trip to a single store if possible. Also, as Americans we all love the freedom that driving a car affords, but we waste money and energy by taking multiple cars to places when adding a person or two to your car would work just fine.

Now that you have read these nine easy steps to saving money you have to admit, saving money and energy is fairly simple. Common sense will take you far in your quest to save money and energy. Let the experts figure out how to add renewable energy generation and decrease our demand for foreign oil. You and your family can reduce your energy demands by taking a few simple steps, and you will save money!

The celebration of our Independence is very special and this is displayed across the country with fantastic fireworks displays and neighborhood parties. Most every community has their own special celebration where friends and neighbor are encouraged to get together and have a BBQ, or go to the lake or some other special event. At the end of the day we all expect to see a brilliant fireworks display which brings an end to our day of celebration.

While most every community has a 4th of July event, some cities go above and beyond the norm to create a special event for all. The best of the best community celebration are listed below.

Washington D.C. - It should come as no surprise the the biggest and most glamourous display of our countries independence is in our capital city. 2010 is the 30th anniversary of PBS broadcasting this special display for all to see. No doubt that many will be in attendance for the 234th birthday of our country.

Traverse City, MI - Lake Michigan provides the backdrop to this Independence Day celebration. Combined witht the local cherry festival this event has become world famous as the place to be on the 4th of July. The Blue Angels will provide crowds with excitement as they display their flying skills followed by a majestic fireworks display over Lake Michigan.

Eastport ME - This five day celebration which includes BBQ's, boat races, parades and of course fireworks displays. Being the eastern most city in the United States it is fitting that such a celebration occurs here. This event is ideal for families to be together and relax in the sun until the daytime and night time fireworks displays.

Philidelphia, PA - The Philly celebration is a two week event that includes concerts, pisnics and parades that only the home of the Liberty Bell could pull off. The Party on the Parkway and a concert in the park is followed by a fantastic fireworks display.

Chicago, Il - This one million person event in Grant Park is actually done on the 3rd of July so that friends and family can spend the 4th together. Also on the 4th of July the Navy Pier celebration is an event for all. People travel from across the country to view this spectacular display.

Alpharetta, GA. - The Peach State is well known for its family oriented activites and 4th of July weekend is no exception. On the fourth, many head over to Wills Park where the City of Alpharetta’s Recreation and Parks Department offers families a free evening of fun. Activities for children, entertainment and a spectacular fireworks show top off a weekend of pure Americana.

Vail, CO. - Vail’s event-filled Fourth of July celebration, Vail America Days, continues to be a top destination for those looking to celebrate the summer holiday in a fun and safe mountain environment. A full week of activities leads up to the July Fourth celebration with the 38th annual Vail Lacrosse Shootout. Highlighting the activities will be the traditional Fourth of July parade on Sunday, beloved by locals and guests alike. This year’s theme is “America the Beautiful” and will set the tone for the rest of the day’s celebrations featuring a patriotic concert, Vail Farmers’ Market and a fireworks display.

Nashville, TN. - Nashville’s Music City July 4th “Let Freedom Sing” event is consistently ranked one of the best in the nation. The fireworks take place at Riverfront Park, overlooking the Cumberland River in downtown Nashville and are accompanied by Music City’s best singers and musicians. The festival lasts all day and the free family fun zone will be a hit with younger kids. Live music will be offered beginning in the afternoon and playing through the night.

To keep your basement dry, the first thing you need to do is control rain water runoff. The most common source of rain water is the water which comes from our roofs. This water can come in very large volumes and create a massive flow of water around your foundation. A two inch Spring rain is equal to almost 2,000 gallons of water from a 30 X 50 residential roof. If this 2,000 gallons of water is not directed away from your foundation, it can cause cracking and flooding inside the home.Directing your downspouts directly into a drain pipe is a fairly common and simple solution to controlling rain water runoff. This is as simple as digging a trench and laying a solid drain pipe inside this trench and directing it at least 10’ away from the foundation. The outlet can be a simple emitter, drain grate or if adequate slope is available, daylighting works. This type of system is very common and with proper pitch and sizing it can be very efficient. The downsides to a direct connection system are clogging or freezing.

Another very effective method of controlling downspout discharge is the use of a catch basin. The catch basin is placed directly below the downspout outlet and serves as a collection point which transfers the water to a solid drain pipe and then to an emitter or grate. The distinct advantage of the catch basin is the grate, which covers the top of the unit. This grating serves as a filter to prevent debris from clogging your underground pipe. Simply wiping off the grate periodically will keep the system working efficiently.

The other benefit of a catch basin is its ability to collect pooling surface water. If your soil is not adequately sloped away from the foundation, the catch basin can collect some of this surface water and drain it away just as it does with the rain water from the roof.

Catch basins come in a variety of sizes and outlet configuration which should be taken into consideration when designing your system. Basin selection will be a function of anticipated water volume, piping size and depth and water source layout. This is best done by a water management expert or landscape architect / engineer. Next is the fun part - grate selection. Catch basin grate selection is very broad to the point that you can pick color, style and material based on the aesthetics and volume required. Plastic, green and black being the most common, is the most economical. Brass, copper or chrome would be a more personal statement that can add to the overall landscape design, but more expensive.

Whichever method you choose, direct connection to a solid drain pipe or the catch basin design, the key is to collect storm water runoff and direct it away from the foundation. Remember, the goal is to protect your home from flooding and foundation damage.

On May12th, 2010 Earth Contact Products announced that they received a Product Evaluation Report for their patented steel piering system. Evaluation report #PER-09040 was approved and published by PEI after a thorough testing and analysis procedure.

Laboratory testing by the accredited engineering testing lab began in the fall of 2009 and continued until early 2010. The highly regarded Product Evaluation Report also required a complete manufacturing facility inspection along with quality control review and verification. Robotic welding procedures and a technologically advanced facility was credited with much of the quality control approval.

Earth Contact Products (ECP) manufactures a complete lineup of foundation repair and helical anchors for the residential and commercial construction industry. Their steel push piers have become the industry standard for underpinning systems across the country. ECP’s nationwide approved contractor network is trained and support by the manufacturer with product and engineering support.

OCEAN HOUSE, WATCH HILL, WESTERLY, RI

After two weeks at the new Ocean House Luxury Hotel, New England Foundation and Stabilization Co. completed the ECP (Earth Contact Products) Helical Torque Anchors to support the proposed event tent on the south lawn of the property that overlooks Watch Hill.


The Helical anchors were recessed into lawn boxes that can be accessed when the tent is erected and will provide support to the tent guy wires, allowing proper tensile support in a strong wind load area, and ease of erecting and removing the tent during event set-up and tear down.

OCEAN HOUSE HOTEL

HELICAL PIER INSTALLATION

Once the piers were installed they were cut and capped using a custom pier cap that was welded to the pier pipe and connected to a clevis that will allow for easy attachment of the tent guy wires. 

Due to a septic leaching field, one line of the Helical Anchors had to be designed to straddle between the septic fields and the guy wire attachments were connected via channel welded to the Helical Anchors. 

Once the anchors were installed and capped, the site contractor graded the lawn and placed the lawn boxes that will be recessed into the lawn.   

Due to cold weather striking early, the new turf was not able to be placed, therefore temporary lawn was hydro-seeded and fenced off while the remaining landscaping continues. Next spring this lawn will be ready for use and tents will be assembled and disassembled with ease for events along this beautiful shore line. 

The use of helical anchors is making the installation of large solar panel facilities simpler and more efficient. Efficiency is one of the key ingredients for solar panels. Solar panels can be the optimal solution for you with minimal disruption to your home or business. Solar Power is a safe choice. Solar power is available in quantity at peak usage times. Current solar panels offer up to 50% more power than panels of just a few years ago. Solar panels that are more efficient provide the strongest return on your investment.  Higher efficiency means more savings per square foot. Helical anchors help make this all possible.

Helical ground anchors are engineered deep foundation members that provide high compressive and tension holding power. Their unique design can eliminate concrete foundation members that are often the source for construction delays. Helical anchors can be configured for most renewable energy applications in most soils. Installation of helical anchors is very fast and can be performed using relatively small equipment in hard to access site conditions. A verifiable load capacity can be determined for each location to assure owners of long term stability.

Efficiency, efficiency, efficiency are three things that solar power and helical anchors have in common. The fourth item is renewability. Solar power is obviously a renewable energy source that will help satisfy our energy appetite. Earth Contact Products, a major helical supplier to the Solar Industry, uses recycled steel in the production of their helical products.  According to their website, http://www.earthcontactproducts.com/Recycling.asp , “Our tubular products … are therefore at least 95-98% recyclable”. This commitment to recycling and Green Initiative makes helical anchors and solar power very Earth Friendly and Efficient.

No matter if you are having your home inspected by a professional inspector, structural contractor or professional engineer all aspects of the inspection should be handled in a similar manner. A home inspection is an in-depth visual examination of a structure - from top to bottom, inside and outside. It is an analysis of the present physical condition of the home or structure. The home inspection should be a process that the inspector and customer/homeowner communicate the findings during the inspection. Upon completion of the insopection the inspector should provide a written report on the finding of the examination and analysis.

During the inspection the homeowner/customer is key to the communication process. At no other time are the details about the property more important to convey. The better the information and history of the structure is conveyed to the inspector the more complete this visual inspection will be. It is the inspectors responsibility to educate the property owner and make sure that he understands the finding of the report. This communication is not only done through the final report but throughout the inspection.

Guidelines for home inspections:

• Communicate during the inspection
• Communication is a 2-way street
• Good and bad news must be communicated
• Educate property owner
• Remember scope of inspection
• Review final report together

From the pre-inspection meeting through the final report review communication is the key to success. The property owner must communicate the history of the property to give the inspector insights to renovations, repairs and problems, the inspector must communicate the scope fo the inspection, the visual clues and final analysis. Both parties have the same goal - to evaluate, assess and formulate a plan for repair. Without this communication a full proof plan cannot be obtained and such the property owner will not be completely staisfied witht the repairs.

This day and age property owners have access to more information than ever before. Not all information is good but be assured there is more information available. Websites such as www.myfoundationrepairs.com and www.mywaterproofing.com give consumers to good background and solution oriented information. This information leads to better questions and a more realistic expectation of what can be done to solve their problem.

Deciding on who is going to perform your inspection is the only question at this point. A professional engineer is always the best suited person to perform a through evaluation of your property. They have nothing to gain by steering you in a sinlge direction, they are bound to have your best interest at heart. Hiring a professional engineer is truly hiring a professional that has only your best interest in mind and has the knowlege and experience to insure your property and money is taken care of. Structural repair contractors are the next best source for inspectors. A reputable structural foundation repair contractor has personel on staff that are trained and experienced in foundation problems. Yes there are contractors out there that do not have the experience and ethics behind them to give you an unbiased report. But when it comes time to perform repairs you will be working with them whether you hire a professional engineer or home inspector to do the report. Many times the prudent thing to do is to get a reference from the contractor or have a couple contractors give you an evaluation and compare their methods and final reports.

World of Concrete is the industry's ONLY annual international event dedicated to the commercial concrete and masonry construction industries. Featuring indoor and outdoor exhibits with the industry's leading suppliers showcasing innovative products and technologies, exciting demonstrations and competitions, a world-class education program, and the information you need to help sustain and grow your business. Start the year off strong at World of Concrete!

Exhibits February  2 – 5^th 2010

Seminars February  1-5^th 2010 

EXHIBITS:
Original equipment manufacturers from around the world, like Earth Contact Products, displaying their products for the commercial construction, concrete and foundation repair industries.. WOC attracts approximately 1,600 exhibitors and occupies more than 800,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibit space.

WHO ATTENDS:
Commercial Contractors, Concrete Contractors, Construction Managers, Dealers/Distributors, Structural Repair Contractors, Designers and Specifiers, General Contractors, Masonry Contractors, Architects, Engineers, Brick and Block Producers, Repair Contractors, Residential Contractors,  Specialty Concrete Contractors, Pipe and Block Producers, and Precast/Prestressed Producers, and more...

EDUCATION : WOC offers both 90-minute and 3-hour seminar sessions; more than 100 skill-building seminars with top industry experts. This unsurpassed program provides training, updates and certifications.  Some contractors, like Earth Contact Products, have private educational seminars about their products and industries. For example, ECP is offering a Technical Seminar for their contractors and specifying engineers. This seminar is titled Basic Helical Design and Applications. This 5 hour technical presentation requires pre-registration by calling 866-327-0007. 

Do not miss out on this yearly gathering, in Las Vegas, of the best manufacturers and contractors from around the world. Visit the ECP display at booth #S11813