Four Ways Underpinning Techniques Are Used To Support A Second Floor Addition
Posted on: 19 January 2016
With prime real estate for building new homes becoming more scarce, you may opt to buy an existing home in a desirable location. This can present many problems, such as a home with no room for additions. Instead of building out, building up with an additional floor may be the only option to get the space you need. With a second floor, there are also additional loads, which are carried by the foundation of your home. Here are some foundation underpinning techniques that can be used to support the extra weight of a second floor:
1. Base And Beam Underpinning To Add To Exterior Walls
Base and beam underpinning is a method that involves digging beneath the foundation and creating a new concrete footing and beam. This may require a concrete pump truck. This can be a solution to support exterior walls that were not designed to carry roof loads and a second floor.
2. Improving Soil Stability With Soil Grouting
In some areas, soils may be soft or undesirable for heavy loads. To give your home more support for a second story, soil grouting can be done. This is where drilling is done in the soil and mixed with a cement mixture. This will harden the soil and provide foundation support for loads.
3. Adding Footings To Support New Loads In The Interior Of Your Home
While loads are often carried to outside walls, there may also be structural loads inside your home. This may require additional footings to support the loads. They may be in the middle of your home, such as in a basement. They may also be needed to support new loads created by the design of your addition.
4. Renovating And Reinforcing Existing Footings For Additional Loads
With an older home, there may also be older footings that do not meet modern building standards. You will want to have any of these footings repaired and renovated to ensure that they can support the extra loads of a second floor addition. This may also include adding piers and beams to reinforce them.
These are some of the techniques that can be used to support a second floor addition with foundation underpinning. If you plan on building upwards, it is important to remember that the foundation needs to support these loads. You can contact a concrete service to get help with the planning and delivery of foundation upgrades for your renovations.
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