Bird's-Eye View: The Science Behind Construction And Contracting

Residential underpinning is a form of construction work that is carried out to strengthen and stabilise house foundations that have been weakened by subsidence or other factors.

Although many underpinning methods can be used on residential projects, they involve either excavating the soil underneath a house and replacing it with filler material or installing piles into the ground. Each house underpinning option has its own advantages and disadvantages that need to be considered in determining which one is best for repairing your home's foundation. 

While traditional underpinning methods still have their place in today's foundation repair market, piled underpinning has been growing in popularity in recent years. This trend can be attributed to the fact that traditional underpinning cannot be used in all situations. Continue reading on to learn about the various factors that may lead to the use of piled underpinning methods rather than traditional ways of underpinning a house.

1. The top layers of soil are inadequate to bear the structural loads of the building

If the superficial soils on which your house sits are weathered and no longer sufficient to withstand the structural loads of the entire building, the loads will need to be transferred to the bedrock that lies underneath the superficial soils. If you want to accomplish this without carrying out major excavations on your residential property, you may need to opt for piled underpinning.

2. There is a need to minimise further structural damage during underpinning

While traditional methods of underpinning can be highly effective at repairing weakened or unstable home foundations, they can also cause additional structural damage to the buildings. Digging building foundations can lead to more ground movements, which only increase damage to structures. Piled underpinning helps to minimise the need for major excavations, which may lead to more extensive and expensive foundation repair.

3. You have limited access to the construction site

Excavating the foundation of your house requires adequate space on-site. If you don't have enough space to allow for the operation of heavy equipment that may be required to dig out the building's foundation, piled underpinning might be the right option for you. The installation of piling is a quick and efficient process that is suitable for most sites, including those that don't offer foundation repair crews much space to do work.

If your house has shown signs of subsidence, consider hiring house underpinning services to restore its structural integrity. Contact a residential underpinning contractor to arrange a home visit to assess the damage and get your quote.