There are a number of reasons that you might wish to underpin your basement, the most common of which we have listed below. Whether or not basement underpinning is the right choice for you will depend on the location and state of your property, as well as the aims that you hope to achieve. If you would like to find out why other people have this work done to their property, read the list below. If you have any questions after reading this list, please feel free to call the team at Integrity Home Additions and we will be happy to answer them.
Is Basement Underpinning Right for Your Needs?
Whether it is the right option for you and your home can best be decided by a professional builder but you may like to consider it in one of the following situations:
- Converting a Basement into Living Space – Many properties have quite spacious basements that would function perfectly as extra living space, if only the ceilings were a little higher. Whilst it is of course impossible to actually raise the ceiling of a basement, you can achieve the same aim by underpinning the foundations to lower the basement floor. If you want to lower your basement floor without going to the expense of underpinning, you could consider benching instead. However, if you do decide to go down this route, you should be aware that you will lose some of the floor area that you were hoping to convert into a new living space.
- Repairing Damage from Natural Forces – In some cases, the foundations of a property may deteriorate owing to natural forces such as earthquakes or floods. In such cases, it is often possible to repair the damage through basement underpinning.
- Adding an Extra Storey to Your Home – There are certain types of home additions, such as adding an extra floor, that normally require the existing foundations to be strengthened. Whether or not this will be necessary is something that is best determined by a structural engineer or another suitably qualified building expert.
- Damage Caused by New Developments in Close Proximity – If your property is in close proximity to major new building developments, there is a chance that the work performed by excavation contractors prior to the construction of these developments may have caused the earth surrounding your property to shift. Such shifts may result in damage to the foundations of your home, which basement underpinning could remedy.
These are the most common reasons that homeowners consider having their basement foundations underpinned so if you are in a similar situation to any of the above examples, you may like to enquire about our basement underpinning services. Whether it is the right solution for you can only really be determined after a thorough survey but in the event that it is not the most practical option, we may be able to suggest an alternative course of action that will help you to achieve the same aims.