What You Can Expect From Professional Concrete Foundation Installations
You are a homeowner, and your current foundation is crumbling. The concrete material is old and withering, plus there are a lot of cracks and other defects quickly taking form. You know that you need to do something about it immediately. However, you’re not sure about everything that goes into the process of replacing and installing a new concrete foundation. This is perfectly understandable. Foundations come in different forms that have their own unique sets of dimensions, measurements and other specifications.
A lot of planning and preparation goes into pouring concrete and building foundations for your home or any other specific structure. You also have certain budgetary restrictions and you need to execute everything properly so that you can avoid any major mishaps. There are many variables to the process and you should understand everything it entails.
A Multi-Step Process
There are plenty of steps to the process of going about a professional concrete foundation installation. Any reputable contractor will closely adhere to the following:
- Picking a site to build the foundation. You want to examine the current conditions of the soil before you begin digging and preparing the area. With certain types of soil, you will also require certain specifications when it comes to the concrete material used for the foundation. If the soil is completely compromised, then you may need to pick another site for the installation. A professional contractor is always in the best position to advise on your best options moving forward.
- Survey your lot and then begin digging. This is done so that you can determine the exact parameters of the installation. This includes the corners and borders of the concrete foundation. Your contractor will then carry out any digging that is necessary during the installation process. This is also when your contractor will install the footings. They are usually made of rebar which will reinforce the structure and protect your foundation by preventing it from settling. It is worth noting that footings are important in areas with troublesome soil.
- Seal off the footings. This will prevent moisture from compromising the material. A professional contractor will use a high-end sealer. If you are undergoing a DIY project for your concrete foundation installation, you should consult a professional on how you can obtain a premium sealer.
- After you pour the concrete and allow it to dry and cure, you will want to create stem-wall slabs. Most masonry experts will begin at the corners of the foundation and work their way inward. A professional builder will follow certain procedures/methods to establish a straight and level wall so that everything is consistent. We want to mention, however, that stem-wall slabs are usually the next step in conjoining your home’s foundation with the vertical walls of the structure.
- Also, for good measure, you should apply a couple of coatings of sealer to keep out the moisture. You can always immediately apply an acrylic-based sealer once the concrete finishes drying and curing.
The Cost of Concrete Foundation Installations
The total cost to build and install a concrete foundation will ultimately depend on the size and scope of the project. Determining the complete cost ahead of time can be difficult. You can, however, consult a professional contractor and they can provide you with a rough estimate. Ultimately, there are a few factors that you will need to consider when calculating your costs. Before you do anything, you will need to test your soil. If the soil is soft, then you may want to consider removing and replacing it with a type of dirt that is more ideal for a building project. The same can be said for porous soil. The perfect soil is typically non-porous because it will help prevent your slab from eroding. Removing your soil and replacing it can constitute a major expense and it will also raise the overall cost of your installation.
Commercial and Residential Installations
Although the process is generally the same for commercial and residential installations, there are several variables that you will need to take into account. The size and scale of the project will ultimately determine those differences. Buildings and facilities of an immense size require greater reinforcement and structural support. With smaller buildings, you will still need to focus on the small details, but the technical aspects of the structure won’t be as complex. No matter what the process entails, installations will always require a lot of precision, planning, and dedication to doing a good job.
The Benefits of Concrete Foundation Installations
Many homeowners will consider alternatives to concrete foundations, such as a crawl space or basement. However, a concrete slab offers you more than enough strength, durability, and protection than you would ever expect (or need). Poured concrete is also an ideal building method for a variety of different residential and commercial structures. The material provides you with a great deal of reliability and value, and it leaves room for you to improve other areas of your home.
Protection
Protecting your property entails a lot of things, including those unexpected shifts in the soil underneath your home’s foundation as well as any unwanted water or fire damage. With greater strength and durability, your poured concrete slab will dramatically reduce the number of issues you would normally encounter with water leaks, flooding and other hazardous events. Furthermore, because concrete foundations are fire-resistant, you have a much better chance of containing fires and preventing any major damage.
Strength
Did we mention that concrete foundations are strong? Put it another way – the material is the preferred choice for homeowners because it provides comprehensive and flexural strength. This goes well beyond your basic but mandatory safety measures. Poured concrete provides an exceptionally stable base upon which you can build your home, ensuring greater longevity and structural support. Other foundations tend to shift when there is any extracurricular activity going on in the soil underneath your home.
Affordability
Slab concrete is among the most affordable materials on the market when it comes to installing a foundation for your home. Also, basements and crawl spaces require greater technical training and precision during the installation process, which can also affect the overall cost. Concrete foundations allow you to avoid a lot of digging and brick-laying. Also, a slab will reduce the amount of concrete you need to pour. When you combine all of the different factors and consider the simplicity of installing a concrete slab, you are most certainly going to save money (and get a lot of value out of your investment).
Design and Maintenance
Poured concrete is the optimal choice in terms of its design. The method itself offers contractors a lot of flexibility because of the pouring process. The concrete mixture allows you to get creative when it comes to conceptualizing the layout of the foundation, whereas it is impossible to manipulate concrete blocks into a distinct shape. Furthermore, concrete foundations require very minimal maintenance. This is because they offer resistance to heat, moisture, and other elements. The only upkeep you will need to perform is to reseal your foundation periodically.
A Few (Minor) Drawbacks of Concrete Foundations
Perhaps the only major downside of installing a concrete slab for the foundation of your home is that the material can crumble and erode. However, no visible signs of deterioration will take place for years to come if you properly install your concrete slab with rebar reinforcement. The rebar (and other techniques of reinforcement) will stabilize and enhance the strength of your home’s foundation considerably. Building code will often require you to incorporate rebar.
With all this being said, even with rebar reinforcement, the soil underneath the slab can potentially settle and create a void. If this happens, then the concrete slab won’t have enough flexural strength to fill in the recess. Furthermore, while concrete does possess incredible strength, it also happens to have poor tensile strength. This means that the material doesn’t bend very well, which makes it liable to crack and fracture. However, if a crack or any physical defect does take form in your home’s foundation, then you can easily repair it. You also don’t need to be an expert to carry out any repairs yourself. You can easily fill in cracks with epoxy resins or mortar patching compounds. However, the soil underneath your concrete slab is what’s causing the cracks, which is why you should consider addressing the soil first to resolve the issue permanently.
Have any questions regarding concrete foundation installations? You can always give us a call and one of our professional contractors will provide you with all the answers you need. They can also explain some of the intricacies of pouring and building a concrete foundation for your home.