By Art Koziol
My first experience with the helical pile system was in 1997 during a job with D’Angelo Brothers, Inc. in Port Norris, NJ. We were installing 700 helical piles in the wetlands to support the construction of new observation decks and boardwalks over the marshes. At the time, I was doing construction work in Sea Isle City, mainly building framing for houses. The system presented an opportunity to do something new and different. In 1999, I moved to Boston to work on helical pile installation with a Boston-based engineering company.
Years before, when I lived in Europe, I ran my own structural business. After gaining experience in Boston, I decided to start another business of my own, this time installing helical piles. Back then, it was a new system for engineering outfits, many of which were reluctant to switch. Seeing an opportunity, I contacted Danbro Distributors and South Jersey Helical Piers was born.
The company grew, becoming an installer in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. We were able to do many different jobs: installing anchor tiebacks for bulkheads, installing new construction piles for commercial and residential properties, and underpinning existing foundations. After installing more than 21,000 pilings over 10 years, we gained experience working with many different soil conditions including heavy clay, soil, marsh and sand. And now we are using our years of experience to tackle a new challenge: raising the houses damaged in the Hurricane Sandy tragedy. Using our system, we hope to both restore the properties and keep them standing strong for years to come.
Two of South Jersey Helical Piers' Sandy-related house raising
projects safely resting on the Helical Pulldown® Micropile
System.
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Art Koziol is the Founder of South Jersey Helical Piers, Inc. He has installed more than 21,000 piles and continues to be passionate about working with helicals. To contact South Jersey Helical Piers, call (609) 646-4757, email SJHelicalPiers@comcast.net, or submit an appraisal form.
South Jersey Helical Piers’ recent house raising project in Point Pleasant, NJ can be seen on the special season of “This Old House” premiering October 3, 2013. To catch a sneak peek of this and other SJHP projects, check out Danbro Distributors‘ “The Sandy Solution Series.”
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[…] proud. And a special thanks to all of our guest bloggers – Gary Seider, Lee Goen, Dino Vito, Art Koziol, Tom McAuliffe, Paul Mauer, High Rise Industries, Joe D’Angelo, Elizabeth D’Angelo, […]