There are three types of foundations that you can have for you home and they are the crawlspace, the slab, and the full-basement. Although the are essentially different, there are still some similarities that can be found in them.
The foundation of a building is regulated and governed by the local building code. They make sure that factors such as geological aspects and weather conditions are being put into account when building the structure.
The process of building the foundation
The first thing that should be done is the excavation. The footing is the part that is composed with concrete that is being reinforced by steel. According to the building codes, the foundation should be built below the area’s frost line.
This will make sure that the foundation of the building will not be affected by the freezing and thawing. If you are asking how thick the foundation should be, it all depends on the weight of the planned structure that it is going to support. If you are planning to have an expansion soon, you may want to have a thicker one.
After the excavation, you will have to build a form where you are going to put the footing. Backfilling will then follow as reinforcement. Then you will have to exercise patience for the curing, which will not only ensure that the concrete solidified, it also make sure that the foundation will not resort to shifting later on.
The curing of the footing paves way for the process of removing the forms that are used in the foundation. Different materials can be used for the foundation such as concrete. It can also be made of steel, stone, or wood.
If you are thinking what material you should use, you should go for the one that is water-resistant. You have to consult with a structural engineer on its design to make sure that you will have a strong foundation.
Problems that you may face
There are some problems that you may encounter along the way. And they are caused by different factors such as weather and geological changes.
You can detect such problems if you can find some cracks in the interior walls of your property. It can also be manifested by doors that can’t be closed or doors that are obviously bulging. This can be due to the fact that the curing was not set properly. It can lead to foundation shifting.
There are also other factors affecting your foundation and one of them is water damage. Your area may have experienced flooding recently and this may be the main cause why you are having problems with the structure. ProRestorations is our preferred water damage restoration service.
Foundation repair
Once you notice that there is a problem, you have to act immediately and call a professional for help. The last thing that you want is for the problem to worsen. They will evaluate the whole situation and they can formulate a plan to provide the best solutions.
If you are dealing with minor problems, you may be able to fix them. But you have to take note that if you don’t have any idea what you are doing, it is best to get professional help.
If you are dealing with sunken slabs of concrete, you may have to subject it to mudjacking.
The process of mudjacking starts with the professional drilling holes in specific locations. This will give them access to the areas that were voided. They will then proceed to pumping hardening solutions to the holes, which is supposed to fill it up. The holes will then be sealed by cement.
If you are going to buy a home, it would be wiser if you get the services of a foundation specialist so that you would know if there are some major problems that you will have to deal with in the near future.