Why Foundation Is The Most Important Part Of Your Home

Home building isn’t rocket science, but local building codes may require the services of an engineer for complicated house designs prior to blueprint approval. The engineer calculates the design’s stress loads so he can make recommendations for load-bearing walls, holding straps, floor and attic joist sizes and foundations. But of all the elements in building a house, the most important part, the foundation, is usually ignored by the majority of landlords.

Foundation

Without the right foundation, a house cannot last. Landlords often focus on the surface of things when building a home and may not be aware of the importance of the home’s foundation. The structural integrity of a home requires a foundation built to last. The foundation carries the weight of the entire house on its shoulders, offers a level base for wall construction and separates the wood framing of the house from termites on the ground. Without a strong foundation, the walls of the home will be insecure. The foundation must be built to carry the weight and load of all the other building elements used in the home.

Foundation Types

Different foundations can be built to accommodate most any kind of house site. For instance, a house on the beach or mountainside requires a raised foundation built on concrete or steel pilings. Other raised foundations include foundation walls built of concrete, bricks, stone or concrete blocks with a crawlspace that includes added piers underneath the house for support. Another foundation type uses basement walls to support the house. One of the most common foundations involves a concrete slab foundation. Any house that includes concrete in the foundation requires a slump test of the concrete during the beginning of the foundation’s construction.

Foundation and Soil Structure

Before you choose the home’s foundation, consider the structure of the soil where the house is being built. A house built on shifting soil won’t stand long. If the soil is too wet, it might require special engineering to design a foundation that will work. Soil compaction tests on the house site can help determine the type of foundation the land requires for building a strong home.

Bottom Part of the Foundation

Footings or footers sit below the bottom of the foundation. Footings typically sit 12 inches below the frost line, which is the average depth at which the ground freezes in the winter. Constructed wider than foundation walls, footings provide added support at key locations of the foundation. Footings serve to distribute the weight of the house evenly across the entire foundation and help to prevent movement and settling after the house is built.