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Basement underpinning
Underpinning is a process used to strengthen the foundation of buildings. It may be necessary when:
- The usage of a building has changed (when there is an extra strain on the foundation because of the house extension).
- The existing foundation isn’t strong enough and cannot support the structure (when the type of soil was misclassified at the design and development phase).
- The soil supporting the foundation of the main building has changed due to subsidence or as a result of some natural disasters.
- The owner wants to increase the height of the ceiling in the basement.
Looking for the answers to your questions related to basement underpinning? This is one of the most frequent requests we get from clients across South Western Ontario. A&Y Construction Group company specializes in this job and we’re ready to help you out.
How Can A Basement Floor Be Lowered?
Do you consider expanding your home down but not sure if it’s possible? The short answer is yes. In fact, many families choose basement lowering as the most convenient way of adding more space to your home. It’s a great way to increase the size of your property without sacrificing the backyard zone and without having to build an extra floor.
In many buildings, basements used to have limited functionality. They were intended as a structural part of the house, the sole purpose of which was to provide access to apparatuses. In order to add extra space in the basement, you need to make changes to the foundation wall. It’s not easy but it’s definitely possible. There are several ways of having your basement floor lowered. All of them require structural changes and the ultimate choice depends on your vision and your budget. Foundation underpinning is one of the most popular methods up to date.
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What Is Foundation Underpinning?
By many homeowners, underpinning is the preferred method of increasing the property size. It not only transforms a basement into a living space but also strengthens the foundation of the building. During the foundation underpinning, our construction team can rectify all the cracks, upgrade all the systems (e.g., plumbing, insulation, basement waterproofing), and generally modernize your building and therefore increase its value should you decide to sell it years later.
Underpinning Stages
Underpinning is a complex process that involves multiple stages. Here’s how a typical process looks like:
- Property examination and planning
- Digging a series of holes below the foundation footing
- Filling them in sequence to strengthen and lower the footing
- Digging out the soil left on the inside of the foundation
- Finishing up the renovation
It’s extremely important to entrust it to highly qualified experts with professional knowledge of excavation, building foundation walls, footings, doing concrete work, plumbing, and more.
Remember that underpinning is a complex process that takes a lot of time and requires a certain budget. However, if done right, it can have a tremendous result – a living space you’ve always dreamed of, be it extra space for your teenage kids, an office, gym, storage, entertainment space, a separate room for rent, and anything else you can imagine.
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The Benefits Of Basement Underpinning
When it comes to remodeling your house, basement underpinning is the best solution we can think of in terms of return on investment should you decide to resell or your property or offer it for rent. Below are some of the biggest benefits:
Strengthen Your Home Foundation
Regardless of the reason for underpinning, your home will benefit from the improved integrity of its structure. Due to the specifications of the underpinning process, building up the foundation is a fundamental stage of a basement lowering project. As a result, your property will become stronger, any structural problems and possible damage caused by aging, extreme weather, soil issues, etc. will be fixed. Better foundation ‒ longer lifespan!
Detect And Fix Hidden Issues
Some problems aren’t visible until the damage becomes severe. In this regard, the basement lowering is invaluable as it allows the construction team to spot the issues before they show up and fix them on the spot. After removing a part of the foundation, the experienced contractors will have access to hidden mechanicals, inspect them, and take care of any detected problems. This is something you can’t do very often.
Make Your Home Drier And Healthier
It’s no secret that older basements tend to develop leaks and cracks as the building ages. Excessive moist results in unpleasant things like odors and mold growth. As a result, the air quality in the basement gets worse, which can cause many health risks. You can make your home a drier and healthier place to live in by incorporating the waterproofing into the basement lowering process. Something as simple as installing a sump pump can make a day and night difference.
Save More Energy
Another benefit of basement lowering is that by lowering the basement floor, you uncover new opportunities for more efficient insulation methods. As a result, you get to heat and cool your home down much smarter, which will reduce your bills and increase the value of your home in the marketplace. Energy saving is an amazing bonus you didn’t know you could get from something as seemingly unrelated as basement underpinning.
Increase the Square Footage
Basement underpinning is a great way to increase the living space of your home without having to change its exterior. If you love your house as it is, but really need more space, there is no better way for you to increase its square footage. Besides, the experience shows that basement underpinning is a faster, easier, and more cost-effective method of adding the usable area to a building compared to adding an extra floor or another room.
Give An Extra Space For Rent
Even if you don’t need an extra room at the moment, you can still benefit from the basement underpinning. Many people transform their new expanded space into a separate apartment and benefit from an extra income from giving it for rent. If you find this idea appealing, you can invest in the renovation, easily recover the cost within a year, and make it an independent source of passive income.
Add Value To Your Home
As you know, the price of a property depends on many factors. Clearly, if you transform your basement into something more practical like an office, entertainment room, or gym, the cost of it automatically goes up. This extra room can make a difference between an average and premium price should you want to sell this house. Also, having a usable living space instead of a moldy old basement will help you find a buyer much faster compared to other homeowners in your area.
Before You Consider Having Your Home Underpinned…
Underpinning is a great way to increase your house space and the price of your property. However, if performed incorrectly, it can bring significant damage to your property. Make sure you are about to hire a skilled contractor and take care of other important details.
Before you make any decisions, check:
- whether your contractors are licensed;
- whether you have all insurances, drawings, and permits;
- whether the city needs to inspect this construction project.
Once all the details are in place, your chosen contractor can start.
How Much Does Basement Underpinning Cost?
It’s hard to estimate the cost for the underpinning job without examining the property because there is no universal formula that works every time. The specialist has to visit the site first to analyze square footage and linear footage of the basement. The next step would be to check the accessibility to dig outside of the building. Also, the cost will depend on the accessibility of the basement, i.e. whether it’s possible to take the necessary equipment inside. If not, all work will have to be done manually. Therefore, to get a quote of the basement underpinning in your house, contact our experts.
Interested In Working With Us?
Transform your unusable basement into a stylish and functional extension of your home! Our professional contractors can underpin your building safely and at an affordable price. With years of experience behind our belts, we’ll be able to execute your ideas professionally and on budget. Call us now or leave your contact details and we’ll get back to you to discuss your underpinning projects.