How to Spot An Amateur Pile Foundation Company

Foundation installation is continually evolving with new techniques, procedures and tools. When amateur pile foundation companies are hired, errors are made, budgets are stretched and safety is compromised. Here are five of the top indicators of an amateur pile foundation company.

Amateur Pile Foundation Companies Lack Experience

There is no substitute for experience in this field. ScrewFast has not only been working in a range of foundation industries for nearly 2 decades, but we maintain a training school to teach new installers and to provide refresher courses for experienced staff.

Amateur Pile Foundation Companies Lack Strong Safety Records

Amateur foundation companies have been known to cut corners. This can lead to injuries of staff, clients and even the general public. ScrewFast takes a different approach. Our vigilance to safety during all projects has paid off.

We’ve never had any serious injuries to anyone including those involved with the manufacture, installation, and use of our products. We also have a ‘no failure in service’ history and are backed by a number of consulting organisations around the world such as Mouchel, URS, Arup, WSP, Atkins, and Mott McDonald.

Amateur Piling Companies Treat All Terrain as Equal

Terrain varies considerably and so must one’s approach to installing foundations. It’s imperative to know the local ground criteria. Our piles are manufactured only after sound geotechnical assessment of soil particularities in order to meet ground conditions. This includes the addition of rock cutting teeth and profiled leading edges to helical piles for penetrating rocky terrain.

We have a specialised drill/hammer that enables us to install piles through frozen soil, solid rock and even reinforced concrete. Other soil types include installations in water (marine industry) and soft soils, which require an entirely different approach and different installation equipment.

Amateur Piling Companies Lack The Right Tools

The right equipment is essential in geotechnical engineering. This should be obvious. However, many vendors do not have the facilities or the equipment to properly test, predict and execute pile foundation projects.

Amateur Piling Companies Lack Geotechnical Knowledge

Knowledge is critical for safe screw piling execution. Too often, amateur piling companies do not provide enough training, certification or experience. Their staff lack the engineering knowledge they need to adequately perform installations safely and effectively.

ScrewFast is the largest and most experienced screw pile provider in the UK. We have a team of in-house engineers with advanced post-secondary training. This includes a number of disciplines such as Structural, Chartered Geotechnical and Mechanical Engineering.

Our knowledge base has enabled us to become a pioneer in the screw piling industry. For example, we’ve invented helical rock piles and larger helical piles for wind turbines as well as highway structures. We have a team of in-house engineers with advanced post-secondary training. We are ISO 9001-Certified by UKAS.

The truth is, an amateur screw piling company is easy to recognise. We hope this has given you an idea of what to steer clear of when you are searching for foundation professionals.

For more information about any of our foundation solutions, contact ScrewFast Foundations.

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