Building a house is an exciting adventure. Homeowners can choose wall coverings, flooring materials, upgraded appliances, variations in room sizes, and windows and doors. But, what most homeowners don’t realize is that building a home starts from scratch, from the ground up.
The most important step in building a new home is choosing the most efficient and safest foundation for your property’s location. Investigating the foundation foundations is essential to securing the structure of your new home. Some contractors know the foundation and will help you choose which one is best for your home. But, there are many who will cast a foundation of their choice without discussing the choice with you, the owner.
Two foundation options a new homeowner should be aware of are above-grade slab foundations and column and beam foundations. The two are quite different when it comes to construction, cost, and longevity.
Grade slab foundations are constructed of reinforced concrete and are generally shallow, quick to build, and inexpensive. For a builder who does not have to live in the houses he builds, slab foundations are a dream. Slab foundations are used in homes that do not have basements. One of the main disadvantages of above-grade slab foundations is that they are not resistant to seasonal movement changes and moisture disbursement due to root growth. In other words, tile foundations are not a long-term option for homes in North Texas. Another disadvantage is that generally all pipes are laid under the slab base, which causes a very expensive procedure in case a water pipe breaks.
Column and beam foundations, on the other hand, are classified a few steps above a level slab foundation. Pillar and beam foundations incorporate access space (usually at least 18 inches) under the house and concrete-filled footings to support the slab. This type of foundation is not considered a time saver, but it is safer and more convenient. The crawl space allows access to heating and plumbing services without going through the concrete slab. Pillars mean the foundation is less likely to be damaged by ground movement, a problem many North Texas homes with slab foundations experience. If extreme terrain change occurs, the foundation adjusts easily, a process that is far less expensive than tile foundation repairs, a process that most homes in North Texas will have to go through.
Since pillar and beam foundations leave homeowners walking on a suspended wooden platform, they are much easier on the body’s joints. Pillar and beam foundations are preferred by back pain sufferers on slab foundations.
Pier and beam foundations are generally used for homes built in the northern part of the country because the climate consists of freeze-thaw conditions. This condition requires that the foundation be built deep into the ground. The safety feature here is that deep foundations are rarely affected by weather changes. However, the changing terrain of North Texas makes column and beam foundations the best and most durable option for foundations in the area.
Monster Constructors is known professionally for laying pillar and beam foundations in the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex. They will test the terrain on which the house will be built to figure out the best foundation for that particular area.
