Building foundations are the lowest section of a structure that connects it to the ground. They are designed to evenly distribute the weight of the building. Without this fundamental element, buildings wouldn’t have the strength to hold themselves up for long periods of time like they should. This should help you to understand a bit more about building foundations and the importance of them in our society.
Why building Foundations Are Necessary
A buildings strength comes from its foundation. When this is built correctly it will help to keep the building standing upright while forces of nature cause havoc. The building’s foundation will help to protect the occupants during natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, strong winds and just everyday usage. When the foundation is built poorly, it can be dangerous for everyone inside and outside the building. Some buildings these days are so tall so if they are constructed poorly and end of falling over because it wasn’t supported, it could cause irreversible damage. Ensuring you have a professional installing your building foundations is extremely important. It’s also important to check your building foundations every so often, to ensure that they remain fit for purpose.
Types of Building Foundations
Foundations are usually broken down into two categories, shallow and deep. these two different types of foundations are used in different scenarios.
Shallow Foundations
Shallow foundations are placed nearer to the surface of the earth and it will transfer the weight load at shallow depths. This foundation is generally around 1.5-3 meters deep making it a lot cheaper and easier to construct. However, this foundation is often weaker when supporting lateral loads.
Deep Foundations
Deep foundations, on the other hand, are placed deeper than shallow foundations to transfer the weight onto deep layers of rocks in the ground. Although these foundations can support heavier structures, they are more expensive due to it being a lot more complex to carry out. Although these foundations are often essential for the job at hand, they also take longer to build and sometimes not as flexible.
Get Your Foundations Started
If you are in need of any building foundations being built then contact Chris Longmore, our team will ensure that your building is constructed in the safest way possible. Give us a call on 01384 440057 or fill out our online contact form.
