A couple degrees off shouldn't matter much for a small structure, right?

[Jonh Newman]

Good morning! How important is it really to keep the piles perfectly vertical? A couple degrees off shouldn't matter much for a small structure, right?

[Konstantin Volkov]

Good morning! Actually, vertical alignment is absolutely critical - the permissible deviation is no more than 2 degrees, and that's a hard limit. If the support tilts further during screwing, you risk fractures or cracks in the blade itself. But exceeding this deviation poses an equally significant risk to your entire structure: a support installed at an angle may fail to withstand the calculated loads and weaken the foundation, potentially causing serious structural problems or collapse. Maintaining vertical position during installation requires efforts of at least three people - one person is solely responsible for continuous visual and instrumental monitoring using at least a magnetic level mounted on the shaft. During screwing, you must check the support's position every two revolutions and adjust if necessary. This constant monitoring and correction is exhausting and requires coordination. More information here: https://how-to-build-a-foundation-correctly.blogspot.com/2025/05/4-... This is one reason why mechanized installation is so valuable - equipment maintains precise vertical alignment that's extremely difficult to achieve manually.