The city of Cape May construction code forbids homeowners with Victorian era structures to destroy them. They can be renovated and modernized (interior) but must maintain the original architectural integrity. At the same time, the homeowners wanted to develop the rest of the property. Cape May’s construction code forbids foundation work between Memorial Day and Labor Day so helicals were chosen as the deep foundation of choice for the speed of installation to meet a strictly enforced deadline.
Project Summary:
- Helical Pile Type: 1.5″ Square Shaft
- # of Helical Piles: 98
- Location: Cape May, NJ
- Installation Depth: 25′ to 30′
- Ultimate Pile Capacity: 12 Ton Ultimate
- Equipment Used: Bobcat 430 Excavator with a 12K Drivehead Bobcat MT-85 Walk Behind
- Challenge/Unique Aspect: The addition was on open access lot with the exception of some trees. However, the piles underneath the existing house had to deal with limited overhead and were installed with a small walk-behind machine maneuvering between the cribbing. Some spots required pre-drilling as the root structures of removed trees were encountered. The Cape May Historic Commission insists on helicals in historic neighborhoods for the absence of vibration during installation. Two machines working simultaneously were required to meet the compressed schedule.
- Engineer/Architect: Green Engineering Design, Arthur Chew Pile Certification, Joseph Ross Architect
- Danbro Certified Installer: Coastal Marine Piling
- General Contractor: D. L. Miner Construction
