5 Essential Things You Have To Know Before Underpinning Your Basement
For a basement that is structurally sound, you might want to consider underpinning it. In case you are not sure about the process, we wrapped up five things to know before you undertake this basement remodeling project:
1. The basement must be waterproof
In order for basement underpinning to be effective, the basement itself has to be waterproof. There may only be a few ways in which it can get wet either from outside or inside. If water starts coming into your basement because of rain or snow and leaks through the floor above it then there is no other option but to underpin it.
2. You have to prevent any debris from entering the basement
For basement underpinning to be effective, there should be no debris or rubble around the house. If your basement is not structurally sound then you might want to look for companies that do this kind of work keeping your family and house safe and secure.
3. The basement must not have any cracks or signs of wear and tear
There are contractors that will charge more if the basement has any cracks or damage due to wear and tear. If you know for a fact that your basement is structurally sound and it does not have cracks at all, then you will save money on the cost of basement underpinning. You also need to make sure that there aren’t any loose bricks and stones before having a contractor come over and do the actual work.
4. All the basement must be cleared before it begins
Before the company that you hired to be able to begin, all the basement contents must be removed by the owner so that the basement underpins can take place. If you know ahead of time what your plans are after, then this wouldn’t present a problem at all. It might even save you some money when it comes to moving expenses if you know where you are moving your furniture in advance.
5. The basement floor should not have any soil over it
After having your basement underpinned, there should not be any soil covering the floor at all. Otherwise, once water enters through the brick foundation walls, it will seep into the soil and make its way back into the basement floor. That is why contractors normally dig down deep enough to make sure that the soil surrounding the basement is free of any loose dirt or debris (especially if you live in an area where there are heavy rains throughout the year).
Things to Remember
After having basement underpinning, it will be important to level out your basement floor with proper grading so that water doesn’t enter through your walls once again, causing water damage. Once all of this is completed, then only can you begin remodeling or renovating your basement for whatever purpose.
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