When you are told that the foundations of your property are about to give up, the news is enough to shake you… and your savings. By calling on a specialist, you may be able to get through the ordeal painlessly and even make it into a positive experience!
In Quebec’s main urban centres, there are four main types of foundations: stacked stones, the size of pebbles; rubble stone foundations; larger stones, usually also secured with mortar; foundations of stone and concrete poured from the turn of the 20th century, often of poor quality; and finally modern concrete, of better quality, poured from the years 1930-40.
In Montreal, from one neighborhood to another, the situation is very different. For example, we know that in certain neighborhoods such as Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, where the concrete is often poor quality, the phenomenon of concrete crumbling is more common than elsewhere.
If your foundation shows signs of deterioration, the first step is, of course, the diagnosis. If it is determined that the foundation cannot be repaired and needs to be replaced, for example, if the mortar is completely degraded or the concrete itself is at the end of its life, action must be taken without delay.
We first check what type of framework rests on the foundations. If it is a wooden frame, we will support the brick by removing five or six rows, we bolt an angle iron on the wooden wall behind the brick, we demolish the foundation wall, then we build a new footing and a new wall.
If it is a masonry wall with double or triple brick, or brick and concrete or ash block, a concrete beam is built under the masonry wall. Then, we can demolish the foundation wall and pour the foundation footing and wall.
Many homes have a crawl space of less than six feet. When we have to replace foundations, which is major work, we usually take the opportunity to dig the ground and increase the height under the joists, to make the basement a suitable living space. A way to make the work profitable by substantially increasing the value of your property, a forced expense that becomes a great investment!
Often, foundation replacements concern the front and rear walls, which are the most exposed to the weather, while the common walls are relatively well protected. When the party foundations are in good condition, the foundation wall is simply extended from below to obtain the desired height.
This is obviously specialized work that requires special know-how and a skilled workforce. There are quite a few companies that are experts in this field. Make sure they have their own engineering department, and also consider their years of experience, reputation, credentials, etc.
