The underpinning will be needed if your basement is too small. In this process, the foundation is extended vertically to provide a 100% functional living area below grade. Basement underpinning will also increase your property's value when it is time to sell, due to the added versatility that a finished basement offers. If you are planning to convert your basement into rental space or use it as an entertainment room, investing in basement underpinning will be worth the investment - discover more?
Benefits from Underpinning
How can you determine if your foundation will benefit from the process of construction underpinning for your home? It is a two-fold answer. There are two options: Either stabilize existing structural problems have to be addressed or satisfy all the living and economic demands. Take each one of these cases individually.
It is necessary to underpin the wall of the foundation when there is such a dramatic and substantial shift in the current foundation that the building above is not supported. In some instances, supporting structures were not designed to suit the soil or climate of an area. Part or the entire original foundation rests on marginal ground with inadequate bearing capacity to support the building. Some damage is caused by the interference of untrained or amateur tradesmen with the foundation's structural integrity. A change in shape in walls or bulging and sagging of the foundation, along with structural cracks as well issues in alignment of the windows and doors are early warning signs. For all underpinning situations, professional assessment is needed and must be undertaken quickly. This will prevent any additional damage to the home or property. This will stabilize your home, and give it more strength. By doing this, your home equity will be increased.
Underpinning Solutions
In order to relocate the structure from its existing foundation, underpinnings are used. It may be needed in several situations. This is because excavations for new structures are often within feet or inches from existing foundations, with the bottom level of the new excavated area being lower than existing foundation. The foundation for the existing building may have to be lowered to below the elevation of the proposed excavation to protect it.
One of the other uses for underpinning is settling. You can use the underpinning method to shift foundation loads onto a deeper, more reliable soil layer. You can use this method to move load if you need to put more load on an old structure than the existing foundations could handle.
Schnabel has been a leading contractor in underpinning for decades. This includes hand-dug, bracket, micro and other pile systems. Schnabel used soil mixing and Jet Grouting to support structures more recently.
Schnabels' design-build approach for underpinning is a combination of regular monitoring, close communication and our team of experienced engineers. This allows us keep movements within limits for some extremely sensitive structures.
Schnabel is an expert earth-retention specialist who can help achieve all your project goals. Our office can provide you with more information about our underpinning services.
Schnabel, a leading underpinning contractor in the United States, has decades' worth of experience designing and building hand-dug foundations. Schnabel used soil mixing, jet grouting or even jet-grouting to support structures.