Everything You Need To Know About House Foundations

Your house foundations influence everything to follow. Contrary to popular belief, home foundations can be as unique as your roof or siding. Choosing the right type is one of the first steps toward building a home. Contractors must consider several details, such as temperature, climate, and budget, before making the plunge.

If you’re considering investing in a new home, you need a refresher on this fundamental detail.

Should you choose a slab house foundation, a crawl space, or a daylight basement? Here’s everything you need to know about house foundation types. We also answer your other burning questions. 

The proper foundation for your house may be incompatible with someone else’s home, that’s why you need to consider factors such as the environment and your budget before choosing your foundations. Some house foundations are also better suited to people who like to renovate a lot.

Let’s take a look at the most commonly used house foundation types.

These house foundations earned their name for the little area of space beneath the home. They are made up of short foundation walls that sit on footings and are usually between three to five feet in length.

There are usually small vents to promote airflow through the crawl space and prevent damage. It’s important to check these space for moisture and water leaks too.

Another popular house foundation is the concrete slab. Unlike the propped design of the crawlspace, the concrete slab rests directly on the ground.

Concrete slabs aren’t ideal for very cold weather due to how soil contracts, freezes, and shrinks during a temperature drop. The water supply and drainage pipes are also encased in the slabs, so these will need to be broken if the pipes need to be accessed or repaired. You also can’t retrospectively add a basement or crawl space with this type of house foundation. On the plus side, concrete slab foundations are quite affordable and last a long time.

A frequently used house foundation is the daylight basement. These foundations are built against a slope, with at least one wholly embedded in the ground, from floor to ceiling, and at least one opening up to the outdoors. They are usually large windows and doors on this side to bring in daylight.

This house foundation type creates a homey living space and is much less prone to mold and mildew than regular basements. Many homeowners like to turn their daylight basement into a home gym, extra room for guests, or storage space.

Human society has had plenty of time to perfect the art of building the foundations of a house. While techniques vary a little from business to business, we have the general steps for a concrete slab foundation below.

• Create an accurate site plan

• Study the soil and climate for compatibility

• Prepare the site

• Pour concrete to create the base

• Erect concrete walls

• Complete the slab floor

All projects need an outline. We provide custom site plans with a turnaround of twenty-four hours, Monday through Friday.

There are a few steps involved in digging a house foundation.

• Digging a house foundation starts with studying the soil — which should be compacted and thick — to determine stability.

• Next, you need to check your site plan to determine the location and dimensions of your foundations, and map these out on your site.

• The site is then excavated using heavy machinery. As the trench needs to be deeper than the frost line, a house foundation is usually a minimum of five feet, though colder climates often need extra room due to the build-up of frost.

• Finally, the trench needs to be leveled and compacted. 

House foundations need to be deeper than the frost line, so are usually a minimum of five feet. However, in colder climates, they are usually over six feet to accommodate the frost build up. The depth of the house foundation will also depend on the type of foundation used, as basements may need to be deeper to be usable as living space. 

Again, this really depends on the climate you live in and the soil beneath the house, but typically foundations are between eight and 10 inches thick. As a general rule, the thicker the foundation, the sturdier the house, as it helps to protect the house from the elements and from shifting or settling soil.

Do you worry your foundation may show signs of age earlier than usual? Contractors have several valuable techniques to strengthen foundations on the fly. 

This technique is used if the foundation is starting to show cracks. Think of this tactic like giving your foundation a helping hand.

The most common underpinning techniques include:

• Mass pour: This involves excavating the existing foundation and pouring concrete into the voids to create additional support and redistribute the load-bearing capacity.

• Pile and beam: This involves driving steel or concrete piles into the ground beneath the existing foundation to provide additional support. Horizontal beams are then installed to connect the piles, transferring the load of the structure to the deeper, more stable soil or bedrock.

• Piled raft: This technique combines elements of both mass pour and pile and beam techniques. It involves constructing a reinforced concrete raft foundation beneath the existing foundation, supported by piles driven into the ground. This method effectively spreads the load of the structure over a larger area and can be particularly useful in areas with poor soil conditions or where traditional underpinning methods may not be feasible.

This term is a little misleading since mud isn’t the key ingredient. Instead, it's a technique used to raise and stabilize concrete slab foundations, as well as bolster steps, decks, or porches. The process involves drilling small holes into the affected concrete slab and then pumping a slurry mixture (usually a blend of cement, soil, and water through the holes to fill voids, compact soil, and lift the slab back to its original position. This helps to strengthen and level the foundations. 

Does your home have a high risk for flood damage? You may need to use house lifting and leveling to protect your hard work.

This technique involves physically raising the existing structure, either partially or completely, above its current foundation level. Once elevated, the house is securely supported on temporary or permanent structures while the existing foundation is either reinforced or replaced with a higher one. 

House foundations are as unique as we are. We recommend giving this step a little extra consideration, because a poor foundation will result in a shabby house.

Once you find the right foundation for your needs, the flooring and roofing will easily follow suit.

Give your home foundation its own foundation. Contact us today for a custom site plan that steers your project in the safest direction possible.