Common Foundation Repair Methods: A Comparison

Pressed Piling:

Pressed Piling

Advantages:

  • No waiting fo concrete cure
  • Minimum traffic around landscaping

Disadvantages:

  • No tests of on-site soil.
  • Pilings are shallow under light weight houses and may not reach stable soil.
  • No steel reinforcement in cylinders or cap.
  • No pre-test of piling cylinder concrete strenght.
  • Cylinders broken during driving cannot be seen.
  • Piling installation force may damage house.
  • Adding or changing location of bookcases or heavy appliances may cause foundation movements.
  • Unconnected piling cylinders cannot resist uplift.

Pressed Piling with Insert

Pressed Piling with Insert

Advantages:

  • No waiting fo concrete cure
  • Minimum traffic around landscaping
  • Cable or rebar insert during driving helps aligment; no benefit if inserted afterward

Disadvantages:

  • No tests of on-site soil.
  • Pilings under light houses and may not reach stable soil depth.
  • No reinforcing steel in cylinders or cap.
  • No test of piling cylinder concrete strenght.
  • Cylinders broken during driving cannot be seen.
  • Piling driving force may damage house.
  • Changing location of bookcases or heavy appliances may cause foundation movements.
  • Piling misalignment cannot be detected.
  • No final inspection by enginerr or city.
  • Water flowing down the central hole weakens the soil.

Bell Bottom Pier Method

Bell Bottom Pier Method

Advantages:

  • Soil tested on site down 15 feet deep for strength and condition
  • Size of bell and depth of shaft can be customdesigned for the house
  • Shape, size, and depth of bell and angle of shaft can be inspected
  • Three 1/2″ rebars in shaft
  • Concrete strength special ordered for each house
  • Two layers of steel in cap
  • Large bell-bottom gives solid support
  • Bell-bottom anchors against uplift
  • No damaging forces on house during instalation
  • Owner can furnish and update the house in the future without concern for the fundation

Disadvantages:

  • Waiting time required to allow concrete to gain full strength
  • Improper construction will affect performance

Do It Yourself – Foundation Wall Repair

Our homes are extremely valuable assets, and we need to care for them. One of the most serious problems that you may face as a homeowner is water ingress through the walls and floor, usually from below ground level. While concrete is a superb construction material, it does shrink, especially if there was a lack … Continue reading

How To Do Foundation Repairs?

Do you have cracks appearing in your walls, or doors or windows that are not closing or opening easily? These are signs that your foundations are being stressed through movement or settling and need attention. You can do foundation repair on a DIY basis, but you will need some basic tools. Since these are usually … Continue reading

Securing the House to the Foundation

If you have an older house, it may not be secured to the foundation and could thus slip off of it in an earthquake. To prevent that, you need to bolt the mudsill to the foundation. Install a bolt every 4 to 6 feet and at each corner. If your concrete foundation is sound, use … Continue reading

Wood Foundation – A Perfect Alternative to Concrete Foundation Which Also Saves More Money!

Few years back, homeowners were unaware about the fact that they can build their home with the help of permanent wood foundation due to the heavy use of concrete structure which is a traditional mean to build the home. However, now several homes are formed on the wood foundation instead of concrete. Engineers have really … Continue reading

How to Fix House Foundation

Repairing a house foundation is a costly as well as serious consideration. Foundation of a home is considered as the prime structural element, as it holds the entire weight of the home. There are several factors like climatic changes can produce more damages both for the interior and exterior units of a home. However, only … Continue reading

Wooden Foundation – Advantages and Disadvantages

Wooden foundations for houses as an alternative to concrete have been around since the 1960’s when the process of pressure treating wood with preserving chemicals was developed. In the right circumstances wood foundations can be a cost effective option and have excellent durability, with a number of advantages over concrete. As with anything else, the … Continue reading

Insulation for Basement Walls

Thermally efficient home construction has become the norm in recent years and owners of older houses are now also investing heavily in insulating their homes, a process spurred on through the development of new construction materials and methods, more efficient home heating and cooling systems and rocketing increases in energy costs. The basement area of … Continue reading

House Foundation Repair Techniques

Repairs to the foundations of a house can be a major, very expensive undertaking. The foundation carries the full load of the entire house and also anchors it to the ground. While changes in temperature and weather factors cause visible wear on the house itself, extreme cold and flooding can also penetrate right down to … Continue reading

How To Repair Foundation Made Of Stone

A number of signs show that your house foundation is under stress and you need to know How To Repair Foundation. Among them is when your doors will not close properly, if you have bulging floors or you see cracks in the foundation. You will also notice gaps in the corner or diagonal cracks at … Continue reading