Have you ever wondered what the difference between a foundation and a pier is? Well, we’re here to tell you. A pier is often used in place of a full-depth foundation to support buildings that can’t be structurally supported by walls alone. These piers are typically made of steel, concrete or wood and help to resist lateral loads (side-to-side movements) on a building.
Choosing the right foundation system for your home can be a difficult decision. There are many options available, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. In this article, we’ll go over the basics of foundation systems and help you figure out which one is right for your home.
According to some of the best underpinning services in Sydney, foundations are used to support the weight of a building from below ground level. They are built by excavating a large hole called a footing and then placing concrete or steel beams below the ground surface to create an even distribution of load throughout the soil underfoot.
What is a Foundation System?
A foundation system is any part of a home that supports the structure above. These range from crawlspace foundations to concrete slabs and piers. Foundation systems are often chosen based on how much space is available in the home and what level of support they provide.
The most common types of foundations include:
Crawlspace Foundations – A crawlspace can be built beneath the first floor, but it does not have to be. Crawlspaces are preferred over basements because they are easier to maintain and less expensive than basement construction. A crawlspace may also provide more space than a basement would allow if needed in the future.
Slab Foundations – Slab foundations are made up of poured concrete slabs that give support for all floors above it as well as walls and other vertical structures such as staircases, chimneys or porches. Slabs can be poured on top of dirt or gravel with drainage pipes installed beneath them so water can drain away.
Crawl Space Foundations – Crawl space foundations have been gaining popularity in recent years due to their energy efficiency and low cost. They’re usually installed in new construction projects where the entire floor is already finished off (no crawl space area), but they can also be used in older homes if there is no basement or crawl space available underneath them.
Piers
Piering involves drilling holes into bedrock or compacted sand and gravel below grade, pouring concrete into them, and then filling them back up with dirt to create an artificial shelf upon which to build your home. Piers offer several advantages over traditional slab foundations: they’re more flexible, they don’t require large amounts of excavation work before construction begins, and they’re faster to install than conventional foundations.
Foundation Repair Materials
Concrete Piers (Footing Piers) – Concrete piers are typically made from reinforced concrete that is poured into a steel form and allowed to cure before being removed from the ground. Concrete piers are usually installed using hydraulic jacks or a crane. Concrete piers can be used as both a temporary solution and permanent foundation solution depending on their size and location in relation to other structures on your property. They can also be used for support for retaining walls or slabs built on grade (no basement).
