Renovating Your Property? These 3 Additions Could Impact Your Foundation

Big-time property changes have a way of invading every aspect of your life, especially if they’re DIY. You’ll likely need to check your city and association regulations to ensure the changes are to code. And if your renovation involves digging, you’ll need to call public utilities to avoid damaging power or water systems. There are also your neighbors to consider during the process. When was the last time you looked at your property lines?

Then, of course, there’s your foundation. At Perma Pier, we’ve provided free evaluations and knowledgeable foundation repair solutions for decades, and our talented teams have seen commercial and residential properties at various stages of renovation.

Whether you’ve got a concrete slab foundation or a pier and beam foundation, there are ways that renovations can affect your foundation in the process. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t attempt these changes to your property, but that you should do so in an informed, strategic way. Read on to learn more.

#1 Paving a New or Extended Driveway

Extending your current driveway or adding a new driveway interrupts the current status quo of your land’s water system. To give you a better picture, let’s say you have turned a narrow driveway into a driveway that doubles your capacity for vehicles. Rainwater (and other forms) that used to soak into the grass and soil along the old driveway will now flow elsewhere. Up against the structure, for example, or down toward the street.

Why Your Property Needs Efficient Water Drainage

Your topsoil should be strong and receive healthy amounts of water to maintain snug support around your property’s foundation. Depriving it of regular water exposure could result in dried-out soil and the pitfalls that follow – especially in Texas. Additionally, if water is pooling up against a structure, it adds pressure to the home and could potentially cause cracks in your foundation.

#2 Gardens

Gardens add a lot of curb appeal to homes and businesses, and gardening is among the oldest hobbies known to man. So it’s easy to be eager about installing a garden. But like the additions mentioned above, you should evaluate your situation before committing to a place for a garden bed.

Why? You guessed it. Water. An area of your property that was once used to certain volumes of water over the seasons will now be exposed to much more as you hope to keep your garden healthy. In addition to having a foundation repair expert come out and look at your property, speak to a gardening expert about prime locations for a garden installation.

#3 Building Expansion

Perhaps the most obvious of the four: expanding your building’s square footage in hopes of having another room or unit means your foundation branches out. And if your foundation branches out, so does the potential for the system to collapse.

That’s not to say you should be worried. Your contractor may very well know what they’re doing. But know that any add-ons you make to the foundation itself can impact the rest of the foundation – especially in a pier and beam situation. We suggest a thorough evaluation of your foundation in its current state before making that big of a change to your property.

Second Stories, New Rooms, Expanded Spaces

These common structure expansions will often involve moving walls and all-around gutting structurally vital elements of your home. Adding another story will also bring more weight to the structure. 

If your renovation involves these extensive changes to the building itself, something apart from simple cosmetics (cabinets, closets, etc.), it’s that much more important to first have the foundation analyzed for safety and quality control. 

Schedule a Free Foundation Evaluation Before You Renovate Your Texas Property

At Perma Pier, we pride ourselves on being honest and adaptable throughout the foundation repair process. We care about the efficiency and strength of your property additions and we would be happy to provide a free evaluation of your foundation – should the need arise for a repair prior to future work. 

It’s vital that any foundation problems are repaired before renovations or you risk problems down the road. We serve Texas properties throughout the state, including the areas of San Antonio, Houston, Austin, Dallas, & Fort Fort Worth. Schedule your free evaluation today.