When building a home, the foundation is absolutely essential to the overall safety of the structure. A well-constructed foundation that is properly prepared during the subgrading process all the way through the final curing stages will help prevent major issues down the road, such as dangerous settlement problems. The entire weight of the structure relies on the foundation, which means this is not the area to cut corners.
Construction of a foundation begins with breaking ground and the excavation. The crews grade the lot and get the soil tested for compaction. This step also includes leveling and digging trenches for footings (the bottom portion of the foundation that will support the foundation and distribute weight evenly). Next step is involves digging the actual footings, installing the rebar, inspection of these areas, then pouring the footings once everything checks out. The third step in the process is installing blocks in order to pour the walls, which are typically insulated to prevent the cold from migrating into the home. The plumbing needs of the home are addressed in this step, also, to make sure there is a path for all necessary piping. The next step involves radiant heat (if applicable), inspection, and pouring of the slab. Plumbing pipes are placed in precise locations, plastic is laid to shield radon, tubing is laid for radiant heating (if the homeowner/business owner has opted for it), and the concrete is pumped into place. Once the foundation is poured, set, and complete, the last step is to clean up the site and prepare for the rest of the home building process.
Only highly skilled and expertly trained contractors should tackle foundations due to their complexity and necessity for perfection. For commercial foundations or structures with heavy usage, the foundation can be stabilized with reinforced machine base foundations, which means the entire floor can be completely reinforced with rebar to support the extra heavy loads. This will also help dampen the vibrations from heavy machinery or other heavy loads. All concrete foundations and pavements must be able to endure the usage over the years, so ensure it’s prepared at the very beginning to prevent constant repairs or needing to redo the entire area in the future.
Butterfield Builders is Utah’s expert in concrete services, such as:
When it comes to your foundation, trust in the experts at Butterfield Builders and rest easy knowing your property is safe, strong, and durable. From new pours to repairs, we can handle any size and type of concrete job.
