If you are a homeowner, you know that the most important aspect of any building is its structural integrity and the same goes for your house as well. If your house has a strong foundation, it can withhold a lot of stress. Underpinning refers to a process by which the foundations of a house are strengthened. This is usually done on buildings that have already been constructed. Of course, during construction, the builder should ideally take every measure to build a strong foundation, however, over time, due to numerous reasons, the foundations may get weak and this can leave the building susceptible to a number of issues.
Underpinning can be done in many ways, depending on the extent of weakness, structure of the building and soil profile. If your house was built quite a long time back, these are the reasons why you should consider underpinning:
- If you feel the initial construction was not strong enough.
A good construction ensures structural integrity of your house; however, not all contractors always offer a good job. If you have been having doubts about the initial construction of your house and feel that your need to get your foundations strengthened, you should probably consider underpinning your foundation.
- If you live in an area prone to natural calamities.
Even if your house was constructed by the book with everything in perfect order, natural calamities can always shake the foundations of your home. This is especially true in you live in an area with high seismic activity where earthquakes happen quite a lot, or an area which experiences repeated flooding and soil damage. Earthquakes that measure at the lower end of the Richter scale may not cause you any physical harm, however, they can still rattle the foundations of your home. If your region experiences frequent floods, this may affect the soil profile and weaken your foundation.
- Soil type.
Speaking of water damage, it should be reiterated that most houses are constructed on clay soil, which has a naturally absorbent nature. This means it can absorb as well as lose water very easily, expanding and contracting at routine intervals depending in the availability of water. This can weaken the foundations of your home as the soil keeps changing its texture. This is a very important factor behind underpinning your house.
- Additional construction.
Sometimes, you may want to add an extra floor or a balcony to your house, or simply expand your house to accommodate more space. Constructing over an already built structure can cause great impact to your house, and can weaken the foundation, even if it was constructed very well. Get trending gist and news here. It is always a good idea to consider underpinning after you have made renovations and added new floors or elements to your home.
