All right, lets get to the bottom of this. Imagine that this is an old house. This old home is beautiful and has a lot of character. Recently, however, you may have noticed that some of the cracks were not originally part of its decor. If you have a growing collection of, say vintage guitars, maybe it’s time to create a beautiful new space for them. You might be surprised to learn that your house will not accept this dream if you don’t provide a sturdy foundation. Recommended reading?
This is the same as giving your home sturdy legs. It will stand up straight, and won’t wobble when you hear “renovation.” It’s possible that you need this extra support for your home. It’s possible that the soil below has decided it wants to vacation.
As we begin to discuss the various ways of going about underpinning all this, you’ll find that it sounds like a complex menu from a fine dining restaurant. It’s a traditional concrete mass method. The process involves digging up sections underneath your foundation. They are then filled back in in phases with concrete. It is simple, yet effective.
Underpinning with beam and base is also available. A bit more fancy, it would be similar to choosing steaks served alongside gourmet fries. This technique spreads the house’s weight by placing strong beams below it. It is for those looking for a little more.
If you have a home that is on a particularly unstable soil, or if it needs to reach further for stability (we’re talking a few pizzas deep), then mini-piled foundations are the way to go. This technique reaches firmer ground beneath and is the perfect solution when more traditional methods won’t suffice.
It’s important to note that every method is equipped with its own toolkit. These range from concrete mixers capable of stirring the soil, to drill rigs that look like extras out of a sci-fi film. This depends on how serious your renovations are, the extent of your soil-party, and whether or not you can bring heavy equipment to your site without trampling on grandma’s rosebushes.
Modern techniques try to make this less like heart surgery on your house. By way of example, resin injections are like giving the dirt underneath a boost in vitamins. This will firm it up and you won’t have to dig your whole garden up.
What is the purpose of all this? Why bother? Apart from stopping it from sinking down into the Earth like it’s playing on quicksand at home, underpinning will prepare your home for future remodels and extensions. You want to make sure that walls with precious memories (or those about to become memories) are kept upright.
The decision to undertake an underpinnings project shouldn’t be made on a random basis after watching countless DIY shows with popcorn. If you want to avoid your house looking like a funhouse, then expert advice will be needed.
There you have it, the underpinnings in a Nutshell. Keep in mind that houses represent more than bricks & mortar. These stories sometimes need help in staying rooted, literally.