Let’s get down to the details of foundations, shall we. You have an old house. You have a charming house with lots of character. But you noticed recently that there are some new cracks in the wall. Maybe you want to add a new, fancy room where your collection of vintage guitars can be displayed. Here’s the thing: without a strong foundation, your home might not be able to accommodate that dream. Article source!
It’s like giving your home a sturdy pair of legs to help it stand straight and stay upright when someone says “renovation.” You may need to strengthen your house for a number of reasons. Perhaps the soil beneath has taken a break (hello subsidence), and what used to be considered solid a hundred years ago is no longer so.
When we discuss how to do this underpinning, it is like looking at the menu of a fancy restaurant, where all things sound deliciously complex. There’s the traditional method of mass-concrete – think about it as your meat-and potatoes choice. This involves excavating sections of your foundation, and then filling in the concrete over time. This method is simple but very effective.
There’s also beam and base foundation, which is a little fancier. It would be like ordering steak with gourmet fries. The beams under your home will help distribute the weight more evenly. This is for people who want something extra.
Mini-piled underpinning is a great option for homes that are on difficult soils, or that need to be stabilized deeper (like a deep-dish pie deep). The technique is ideal when the traditional method just doesn’t work. It drills into firmer soil below.
The tools that each method uses are different – from drill rigs and concrete mixers to drilling rigs, which could be used as props in an action movie. The choice between the two options will depend on how much work you plan to do (adding a second story or just doing some sprucing-up), how big your machinery is, whether it can get on your property, and how deep your pockets are.
The modern techniques used have been designed to reduce the amount of open heart surgery that is required for this process. The resin injection technique is like injecting vitamins into the soil to help it firm up, without needing to disturb your entire garden.
Why bother? Underpinning is not only a way to prevent your house from sinking like a quicksand-playing home, but it can also prepare it for any future renovations or additions. The goal is to ensure that the walls of memories, or soon-to be memories, remain upright.
You don’t just jump into an underpinning job after watching too many DIY episodes while eating popcorn. While ambition is good, you’ll need expert advice to ensure your home doesn’t look like it’s been ripped out of the funhouse.
Here you go – the basics in a few words! Houses aren’t just bricks, they tell stories. Sometimes those stories can use a little help to stay grounded, literally.