Historic Wades Point Inn Bed and Breakfast Hotel Floor Lift and Stabilization

The Challenge

The Wades Point Inn was sinking, with the rear of the house settling due to poor sandy soils and time.

The Wades Point Inn, built in 1820 by Baltimore shipbuilder Thomas Kemp, is today a bed & breakfast located on Tilghman Island just outside of St. Michaels, Maryland. The current owner was seriously concerned because the house was sinking, with the rear of the house settling dramatically due to poor sandy soils and the inevitable ravages of time. The historic home’s foundation consisted of brick and concrete block piers. The owner reported that other contractors and engineering firms looked at the project but would not even entertain the idea of a fix, due to the age of the home and the severity of the problem. Looking for a contractor with experience and vision, the owner visited the Ocean City Expo and made contact with Groundworks.

Groundworks arrived on site and inspected the building. A soil analysis confirmed the presence of poor sandy soils, and the foundation piers beneath the house were clearly settled. The polyurethane injection process was proposed for the site to stabilize the soils beneath the piers and, where required, to lift the building’s foundation. The owner was very concerned that the project might disrupt the normal flow of business at WadesPoint Inn, and worried also that any required excavation might ruin the surrounding landscaping. Groundworks decided to take on the challenge and created an injection plan that would return the historic home to its former glory.

Key Facts

The Solution

The polyurethane injection process was used to stabilize the soils beneath the piers and, where required, to lift the building’s foundation.

Groundworks crew members began work on the project, conducting polyurethane injections underneath all the building’s piers at two depths, all while working in a crawl space with only 36 inches of clearance. Using laser levels and monitors inside the building, Groundworks was able to safely stabilize the foundation and lift the structure without any damage. In just three working days, the project was complete.

The Impact

In just three working days, Groundworks was able to safely stabilize the foundation and lift the structure without any damage.

As Groundworks crews departed the project site, the Wades PointInn was beginning a new chapter in its long life atop a safe, secure, and stable foundation. The owner of the bed &breakfast was able to continue operations during the project without any downtime or loss of revenue. With no excavation required to conduct polyurethane injections, the beautiful landscaping at the inn remained pristine. For the owner, one fateful call to Groundworks was the difference between a project that couldn’t be done and the happiest of endings for Wades Point Inn.