My New Foundation, Part 2

"Know your lot above ground and below ground, before you pour the foundation."

First, know your lot above ground. Several characteristics of the lot on which you plan to put your home are:

Is the lot a low point in the larger lay of the land?

If it is, you will be fighting drainage problems which will cause the clay soil to shrink and swell and trigger foundation movement. This results in torn wallpaper, cracked or buckled floor coverings and doors hanging crooked in their frames.

Was the lot created by removing a lot of trees?

Before the builders showed up, the trees and the land had a balanced agreement concerning how much water the trees would drink and how much would be kept by the soil. This resulted in a lot which stayed a consistent degree of levelness. But when the trees are removed, the lot keeps all of the water and the surface soil reacts by slowly expanding upward for the next three to five years. If you build your home on the lot shortly after the trees are removed, you could experience foundation uplift and interior damage as the soil slowly expands in reaction to the new level of water.

Was the lot made ready for building by adding fill dirt?

To make a smooth building pad, builders often pile up a bunch of dirt and level it. It is important for you to know which parts of the foundation will rest on fill dirt, since these areas will be the most prone to settlement and failure if certain steps are not taken. (I will address some of those steps in future articles.)

Second, know your lot below ground. In other words, know what lies below the surface before you put down the foundation. Is your lot sitting above an old trash dump or creek which was filled in and covered over? Are there active springs flowing under it? Was the area created for building by rezoning land previously judged "unfit for building" and what was done to "make it fit"?

These are all factors which could affect the structural stability of your new foundation and the home that sits on top of it. The answers to these questions could determine the design of your new foundation, or they could determine whether you even build your new home on that lot, or not.

I know this sounds like a lot of trouble and expense, but you really don't want to pay "the emotional price" of building in haste. I know of one woman who built her gorgeous "dream house" in the country and now lives in a home she can't enjoy because of the foundation. In fact she has suffered a heart attack due to the stress. Yes, she sought legal advice on taking the builder to court. But she was told she would need a minimum down payment of $25,000.00 and that her chances of getting anything from him were very slim -- even if she won! How much better to win up front before the builder even starts?

My next article will address: "Know what type of unique design demands the lot and floor plan make upon the new foundation."

Again, if you need answers right away, don't hesitate to call me. You might also visit my website, www.AceFoundation.com, to get more information.

- Alan Ardoin