The home is definitely the one possession that an individual cherishes the most. It offers family safety and day-to-day comfort. In the event that house foundation is weak, it can lead towards huge problems. Security will be low. It is vital to restore foundation strength and repair it whenever it is damaged.
Strengthening home foundation is not that difficult. It can be done in various different ways. Underpinning is the option that we will consider in the following paragraphs so that you can see if this is what you want to consider for your property.
Underpinning – What Is It?
We can define underpinning as being an engineering method used to restore foundation strength. It basically involves excavating some foundation sections and then pouring concrete blocks right under them. Such a process leads towards the creation of a brand new foundation right under the one that exists for a home.
Underpinning is recommended in various different situations. This includes:
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A foundation that is weak
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Land subsidence that appeared right under the foundation
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Floors need to be added to the structure
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A natural calamity caused structure movement
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Basement height is increased and then used for another purpose, like renting
Should You Use Underpinning?
Just as with any important decision for your home, you want to consider various facts before you agree to get underpinning done. The process is complex and always requires the help of specialists. You simply cannot do it yourself and licensed underpinning contractors have to be contacted. Main factors that you will consider include:
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Costs
Underpinning costs Melbourne stand out as one of the main factors that are taken into account. This is a repair that is costly. In most situations you will want to consider the process as being the last foundation repair resort. Risks are really high so it is normal for prices to be a lot higher than with other options available for you.
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Insurance
We are talking about serious modifications that are to be done to home foundation. Because of this, home insurance is paramount. You want to have an insurance that will cover the home renovation project and that would keep you protected in the worst case scenario. Home insurance providers need to offer you home under renovation policies. Contrary to what you may think at the moment, not all home insurances have this policy.
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Building Permit
Remember the fact that you cannot make any modification to the structure of a home without a building permit. A contractor is normally in charge to get the underpinning permit. In the even that this does not happen, you would be faced with huge problems, including:
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Work Without Permit fees are paid
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Underpinning delays would appear until permits are obtained
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Work done would have to be undone
To make matters even worse, if the work was done without a permit and something bad happens after that, it is possible to end up in jail. That is definitely something that you do not want to be faced with.