How Can I Determine if My House Needs Underpinning?

Concerned about structural problems in your home? Recognizing the signs of a failing foundation is the first step to preserving your property’s value and safety. One key solution could be underpinning, says Geotech Built, a process that strengthens and stabilizes a home’s foundation.

If you’re noticing cracks in your walls, uneven floors, or doors and windows that don’t close properly, these are all indications that your house might need underpinning. The earlier you catch these symptoms, the better chance you have at saving time and money on repairs.

In this post, we will guide you through determining if underpinning is necessary for your home. It’s vital to take these issues seriously to protect your investment and ensure the safety of everyone living in the house.

Exploring Different Foundation Types

There are various types of house foundations, each with unique characteristics and repair costs. Determining foundation type helps identify potential underpinning needs.

What are some common foundation types?

Apart from basements, common types include crawl space, slab-on-grade, pier-and-beam, stump, and helical pier foundations. These vary based on elevation and construction materials.

How does the repair cost differ?

Basement foundations often attract high costs due to extensive construction. Contrastingly, the slab-on-grade foundation is the least expensive, involving simple concrete repair.

What environmental factors affect foundations?

Your foundation’s stability may be affected by several environmental factors such as expansive soils, poor soil compaction during construction, seismic activity, and moisture-related conditions like mold.

Are there preventive measures to save on repair costs?

Yes. Implementing measures like waterproofing membranes, drainage systems, regular inspections, and considerations on climate when choosing a foundation type can cut down maintenance expenses.

What is the impact of foundation problems?

Foundation issues could lead to substantial loss in home value, safety risks, future repair costs, decreased property appraisal values and even legal challenges during property transactions.

Cause of Building Foundation Failures

When concrete slabs subside or cracks appear in your walls, you might be dealing with foundation failure. Common signs also include difficulty in opening or closing doors and windows.

Poor Drainage Conditions

Poor drainage is a significant cause of foundation failures. From short downpipes, clogged gutters to broken services and inadequate waterproofing, they all culminate into deteriorating foundation integrity.

Sinking Concrete Slabs

Sinking concrete slabs is a telltale sign for underpinning necessity. When the soil beneath your building fails to support the structure’s weight, subsidence occurs, affecting your property’s stability.

Wall Cracks Illustrate Problems

Sometimes observing wall cracks can help you determine underpinning needs. These cracks often signify underlying issues with your building foundation and should not be ignored.

Do Cracks Indicate Subsidence?

Subsidence, the sinking of a building’s foundation due to ground collapse, can lead to substantial structural damage—even causing houses to descend into the ground.

This occurrence often escalates with climate change trends, such as extreme weather changes. A cycle of severe drought followed by heavy rainfalls can trigger subsidence.

Certain soil types, like reactive clay, dry out during prolonged periods without rainfall. This drying process causes soil expansion once rehydrated, which can induce subsidence.

• Wall Cracks: The most common sign—beware especially of cracks appearing above windows and doors.
• Sticky Doors/Windows: If your doors or windows are hard to open, it might signal subsidence.
• Gaps Beside Walls: Be cautious of spaces developing between walls and floors or ceilings.
• Sinking Floors: If you notice a dip or sinking in floors or steps, it could mean potential trouble.
• Cracked Outdoor Surfaces: Cracking on patios, driveways, or nearby pavements should not be overlooked.

Kill these signs early as the costs of rectifying subsidence can escalate significantly — exceeding £250,000 in some instances.

Your house insurer may already foresee sizable payouts due to the rising impact of global warming linked with increased subsidence cases.

How is Underpinning Performed?

Underpinning strengthens the foundation of an existing structure. It’s needed when the initial foundation can’t support the house anymore due to changes in soil.

Reasons for Underpinning

Typically, underpinning becomes a necessity when soil properties weren’t adequately assessed during initial foundation construction. This results in unfit conditions for the foundation.

In some cases, soil beneath foundations alter due to subsidence, expansion resulting from moisture, damaged plumbing or large trees in the vicinity.

Uncommon Causes

Sometimes underpinning is required due to changes in how a structure is used, like after a major renovation. Furthermore, underpinning can be crucial post natural disasters.

New constructions nearby that involve extensive soil excavation could also destabilize existing foundations requiring underpinning. Or it could simply be to accommodate additions to a structure.

Identifying Underpinning Signs: Walls, Floors, Doors and Windows

If you notice large cracks in your foundation, it’s a significant indicator your home needs underpinning to secure its structural integrity. Large cracks are concerning.

Sagging or uneven floors may indicate underground movement. This common symptom suggests issues with the foundational support underneath your home.

You may also see foundation settling, shifting or movement if your home needs underpinning. This can manifest as windows or doors stuck or difficult to open.

Damp places, such as basements or crawl spaces can show signs of leakage. Water stains, efflorescence or even a tinge of wetness indicate an underlying issue.

Types of Underpinning Methods

If your house is showing signs of foundation issues, such as cracks and water damage, you might need to consider underpinning. But what methods are available?

The traditional approach involves excavation to locate the footings of your house. This process allows contractors to extend these footings deeper, providing greater stability.

1. Traditional Underpinning: This is a foundational strategy involving excavation and extension of already existing footings in your house. The objective being enhancing the house’s stability.
2. Resin Injection: Utilized mainly for minimal foundation damage, this involves injecting sturdy resin into foundation cracks, reinforcing them against further harm.
3. Pile Method: This practice focuses on transferring the load of your home onto secure soil deep below the surface, safeguarding against shifts in ground conditions.

Choosing the right method depends on the nature and severity of your foundation problems. Therefore, seek professional advice before deciding which path suits your needs best.

Remember, extreme cases like major foundation shifts might demand more than one approach. Make sure to research thoroughly to ensure your house gets the sturdy foundation it deserves.

Engaging Structural Engineers and Contractors

When you suspect your house may need underpinning, engaging a structural engineer could be a worthwhile investment. They can accurately assess the issue for you.

Structural engineers typically charge between $300 to $900 to evaluate and identify structural issues in your house. This price varies based on the complexity of the project.

• Residential home plans: You may have to shell out from $500 to $3,000 depending on your home design and engineering requirements.
• Home additions and renovations: Ensure all remodel projects don’t harm your home’s structural integrity, an evaluation would be beneficial.
• Project size: The type and size of your home might factor into the cost of hiring a professional engineer.
• User reviews: An engineer with positive reviews may charge a premium, reflecting their experience and reputation in the industry.

You’ll benefit from objective assessment and detailed reports when you hire structural engineers. They possess no financial incentive for unnecessary work.

Their expertise also may save you money in the long run by identifying potential threats preemptively before they become more extensive problems requiring complicated remediation.

Underpinning Costs and Timeframe

Choosing to underpin your house foundation will cost between $1,000 – $50,000. Factors such as the underpinning type and foundation state determine the exact cost.

Costs Per Pier

The cost per pier can also vary significantly. Prices for concrete piers begin at $1,000, push/steel piers at $2,000, and helical piers around $3,000.

Concrete piers are used frequently for small structures and distributing loads to a shallow depth.

Influencing Factors

Pier type has considerable influence on costs. For instance, push piers made of steel distribute load to bedrock and helical piers distribute weight over a broad area.

Different foundations such as pier and beam require different underpinning methods, thus affecting costs.

Saving Money Tips

If you’re looking to save money, consider applying for multiple quotes or doing preparatory work yourself. Hiring a structural engineer is another option worth exploring.

Paying attention to underlying issues can prevent costly future expenses. Avoiding temporary accommodation during the process is also beneficial.

Your Underpinning Decision

From understanding foundation issues to identifying underpinning signs, you’re equipped with the knowledge on your home’s underpinning needs. Remember, hiring professional restumping services ensures a sound structure and peace of mind.