Foundations an essential support to your house

"Foundations support the whole house and their failure will inevitably lead to cracking of your house"

​In our article Ground compaction making solid foundations for your home we discussed the importance of building on solid ground. Having uncompacted ground under your house will result in damage to your new home.
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Foundations support the whole house and their failure will inevitably lead to cracking of your house, which could eventually lead to leaks and even structural failure making your home uninhabitable. Repairing poor foundations is costly so it’s advisable to get an engineer to design the foundations and then to ensure that the foundations are constructed properly.

"The essential part of the foundation is that it distributes the weight of the house to the ground so that the ground is able to support the load"

​Foundations provide a level base for the structure of your house, they support the weight of the house, and in some instances they anchor the house and prevent it from being blown away in a storm. The foundations could be as simple as forming a concrete slab under the house, they could involve concrete beams below the walls, or they could be piles which are concrete, steel or timber columns driven or drilled vertically into the ground. The essential part of the foundation is that it distributes the weight of the house to the ground so that the ground is able to support the load and therefore the house doesn’t settle or sink. This may involve excavating through the upper layers of ground to reach soil or rock that can support the weight of the building. Foundations should be rigid to evenly distribute the load and to prevent unequal settlement of the house.  

What impacts house foundations 

​The type of foundations will depend on the ground conditions under the house, the load of the house above (for instance houses with two or more floor levels require more substantial foundations than a single floor house and houses with solid brick walls are heavier than frame houses clad with tin or boards), the weather conditions (houses in cyclone, hurricane and tornedo belts require more robust foundations to keep the house firmly anchored to the ground), and if there’s a basement.

Specialised house foundations

​Some houses require special foundations. This might be because:

• The ground conditions are unsuitable because:
  • Clay ground often swells or expands when it gets wet. You don’t want to live in a house that goes up and down. But invariably it doesn’t go up and down evenly, so the house will begin to crack and it could become structurally unsound. In addition, water and sewer pipes crack and break. Either the clay has to be removed and suitable material placed under the house, or the foundations must be designed to accommodate the movement, which often means installing piles. Consulting an engineer is essential.
  • Collapsing sands settle under the weight of a house which could cause cracking of the house and pipes connecting to the house. Usually foundations have to be designed for these conditions.
  • The house is built on a site which was formerly a rubbish dump.
  • The area is prone to the formation of sinkholes. Actually you don’t really want to be building in an area prone to sinkhole formation, which are normally areas with dolomite rock. If you really have to then there are steps that engineers can take to design your house foundations, but there may be no guarantee that your house won’t be swallowed by a sinkhole.
• The house is on the edge of a hill or cliff.
• The house is on steeply sloped ground.
• The house is on the banks of a river or lake.
• The structure of the house is supported on only a few columns or walls which carry the major load of the house. Or, possibly the house has cantilever sections which hang over open space and these cantilevers have to be supported and held back to stop them toppling over.
• There’s an excavation, such as a below ground pool, that’s immediately next to and below the foundations of the house.

​Special foundations are usually costly and take additional time to construct. Sometimes these have to be installed by specialist contractors. If large machines are required then access may be a problem if there’re overhead restrictions (such as power lines and tree branches) or narrow steep access routes. Always ensure that the design for all structures are complete so that all the foundations are constructed at the same time. Remobilising specialist equipment to construct additional foundations later will add more costs.

Good foundations are critical for your home

It is advisable to get expert advice when deciding on the foundations for your home. Poor foundations could result in cracking of your home, which is unsightly, and good even be so severe that your home is not safe to live in. Inadequate foundations can be very costly, even destroy the dreams of your new home for you. Good foundations are vital for your new home. Do not take short cuts with the foundations for your new home or extension to your existing house.
​#homeconstruction #buildingfoundations #housefoundations #houseconstruction

​This is an extract from the author's book 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses: Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home'.
​© 2022 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

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Want to learn more about designing, renovating and building houses?

​Paul Netscher has written 2 easy to read books 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volumes 1 and 2'. An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses Volume 1 deals with Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home.  and Designing your ideal home Volume 2 deals with Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home. 
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