Pier depth in karst country isn't a simple number
Reaching reliable bearing capacity through Warren County limestone can mean drilling through irregular, cavity-prone rock rather than a predictable soil profile, which changes both the method and the cost compared to a straightforward clay-soil job.
What a solid pier proposal covers
- How bearing depth was determined given the karst bedrock
- Contingency language for encountering a void or cavity mid-installation
- Helical versus push-pier reasoning specific to the site's geology
- Load-test results recorded at installation
- How settling will be monitored after piers are set
Why a generic quote falls apart here
A pier proposal written without accounting for karst variability -- the same geology that produced the Corvette Museum sinkhole -- is a proposal likely to change once drilling actually starts.