Benefits of underpinning​

In construction industry underpinning is the process of strengthening the foundation of an existing building or other structure. Underpinning may be necessary for a variety of reasons like

• • If a building structure is very old and the original foundation isn’t strong or stable enough you should think of underpinning the structure’s foundation.
  • When the usage of the structure has changed over the period of time one should think of strengthening the structure using this technique.
  • The properties of the soil supporting the foundation may have changed over the period of time (possibly through subsidence) or were mischaracterized during design.
  • The construction of nearby structures necessitates the excavation of soil supporting existing foundations.
  • To increase the depth or load capacity of existing foundations to support the addition of another storey to the building (above or below grade).
  • Natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, drought or other natural causes have caused the structure to move, requiring stabilisation of foundation soils and or footings.

• Increased ceiling height and enhanced lighting – Usually, faulty foundations are lopsided, and take away a lot of vertical space in the basement. Underpinning straightens the floors of the house, providing more headroom in the basement for you and your family to comfortably settle in. You can even turn the basement into an office or an additional room.

• Fixing the mechanics of your house – By underpinning your home, you will be able to gain access to all its mechanical aspects, such as the plumbing, electrical wiring and insulation. So, you will be able to examine them better and fix any problems that might have developed in them. Updated mechanics ensure a safe and secure home.
• More room with better design – When a basement is underpinned, it gets all the security it needs, so you can go ahead and remove all the unnecessary walls in the basement. This leads to increased space, which can be renovated to your heart’s content.
• High demand for property – Very few houses come with underpinned basements, so if you were to sell your home, you would definitely find a lot of takers. New real estate investors would definitely be attracted to a home that is guaranteed to have premium structural integrity. So you could even cite this reason to raise the price of your property.
• These are some of the benefits of underpinning. This is definitely a less expensive way of securing the foundation of and creating new space in your home.