Does Your Home Need Piling?
Has your home begun to develop a lean? Perhaps, you are finding that windows and doors are not opening and closing as easily as they once did. Maybe, you have spotted a few jagged cracks starting to form on the walls of your home, or you may have noticed that the floor of the property is no longer level. Whatever signs you have identified, a problem with the foundation of your building cannot be ignored.
Foundation issues do not resolve themselves, and if left alone, the situation will only become worse until your property is no longer habitable. It is best to call in a piling company as soon as you can. The piling company will examine the problem and identify the most practical solution that will restore the balance of your property.
What can be done? Sometimes, people get scared when they suspect a foundation problem, and they assume that there is nothing to be done except pull down their home and start again. Truthfully, foundation problems can be serious, but with swift attention, most can be rectified without too much of a problem. There is a range of solutions that the piling company could adopt depending on the nature of the problem, the type of soil in the location and the nature of the surrounding neighbourhood. Here are three things that you must decide with your chosen piling contractor:
Do you need full-length piles?
Piles are usually long, and they are driven into the ground to support the weight of a structure. They could be rested on rock below the surface, or they could be designed to spread the weight of the building so that the soil can bear it better. Sometimes, full piling is not required. Talk to your piling contractor to see whether mini-piling could be a viable option for your home.
What materials will be used?
Piles can be steel, concrete or timber. To decide which material should be used to support your home, the piling contractor must consider not just the weight of the property, and how much of that weight will be supported by each pile, but also the condition of the soil where the pile will be placed. Only by carefully considering all of the factors can you be sure that the piles will last for a long time and support your home for as long as you need.
What equipment will be needed?
A qualified contractor will know not only what type of piles are needed but how those piles will be fitted. Often, piles are driven into the ground using heavy equipment, although in some cases, screw piles can be used instead. Your chosen piling contractor will know how to fit the piles in the way that causes the least disruption to your neighbours.
Contact a contract for more information about piling.
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