There are multiple options when it comes to fixing your settled foundation, so how does a homeowner choose the correct option? Below are some of the most common options:
Total Foundation Replacement:
Generally, when a total foundation replacement happens, the soil around your foundation is excavated, the house is jacked up and the foundation walls or slab floor is then removed. The foundation is then rebuilt and the soil is replaced.
Some homeowners may find this to be the best option because they don’t want a foundation that is “broken” and would much rather have a new one.
While this option gives homeowners a brand new foundation, it doesn’t address and fixes the initial problem, which is the soil! This option is also extremely expensive and disruptive. Choosing this option will leave the customer with the same result as the previous foundation, as it will eventually “break,” just like the old one.
Concrete Underpinning:
In this particular foundation repair, the old footings are now supported by concrete. The soil is excavated from around the foundation, and then large concrete footings are poured beneath the existing footings.
Homeowners may decide to go this route because a footing is designed to carry the weight of the home, so by pouring a bigger footer it should create a stronger foundation, right?
The majority of the time when a concrete underpinning is poured it does not extend past the “active” or troublesome soil. The soil beneath the concrete underpinning may still be moving and the home has no way of becoming stabilized. This option is also expensive and causes a lot of disruption to the property.
Piers:
Push Piers can be installed on the interior or exterior of your home and cause minimal disturbance to the homeowner’s property. Helical Piers can help stabilize lighter structures such as chimneys, decks, or stoops using minimal disturbance to the property. Both options attempt to lift the home or settled area back to its original position using engineered products to solve the problem once and for all through quick installation.
Push Piers and Helical Piers are piering systems offered by Tar Heel Basement Systems. Unlike the other options above, the round, steel piers are driven deep into the soil past the “active zone” to bedrock or another stable layer ensuring your home will become stabilized. To speak with a Foundation Specialist, call our office to schedule a FREE consultation.
