Is Your Foundation Right? 5 Things to Look For Before Building Your New Home

After you decide to build a new home and have selected the land, you are probably excited about planning the building’s interior. However, before you can have a home’s frame built, you must consider the foundation first. The foundation is where all of the other materials will sit for many years, and if it is not built correctly, then it could cost thousands of dollars to repair.

Adding the Appropriate Insulation

Many homes with a foundation are going to have a basement, and that means needing extra insulation installed to keep the space warm and comfortable in the winter. A home without a basement also requires insulation layers to keep a building’s walls and floors warmer to reduce heating bills when there are cold temperatures.

Making Sure a Foundation has Venting

Making sure that foundations have proper venting can prevent problems in the future such as a buildup of odor from mildew. Avoiding mold growth is a major reason to have venting systems in a building’s foundation because this contamination can lead to structural damage in addition to dangerous health problems.

Learn about Groundwater Control

If you are building on an area that has a lot of groundwater on top or under the soil, then you must hire a certified expert from places like T. Luckey Sons, Inc. to repair the problem. Groundwater control from professionals is essential to prevent contamination, flooding or erosion into a structure’s foundation. Solutions for groundwater problems include using compaction grouting, soil mixing and jet grouting.

Installation of a Slab Foundation

A slab foundation is the most common variety for homes built in warmer geographic zones or areas with high water, but this foundation does require expert planning and installation. A home’s slab foundation is made of concrete, wire mesh and large amounts of gravel, and the builder must make sure to layer the materials correctly to prevent cracks.

Have Soil Analyzed Carefully

It is imperative to have the soil analyzed before building a foundation to avoid problems such as sinking and cracking in the future. The topsoil of a property may look normal, but underneath it may consist of soft clay or loose gravel that causes a foundation’s material to shift and decompose.

While you are building a home, a foundation may seem boring, but it is vitally important and requires special planning and attention. Take the time to learn more about the type of foundation required in a particular geographic zone that depends on the variety of soil and moisture. Make sure your builders are following local codes concerning laying a foundation to avoid problems in the future.