foundation contractors in Bakersfield CA
Four Common Foundation Repair Mistakes
Foundation contractors come in many shapes and forms. For a building project, you have the options of using one type of contractor or the other. For instance, if you’re going to use pavers as your main material, you should use a contractor that deals primarily with that material. On the other hand, if you’re using concrete as your main material, you should use a contractor that deals primarily with concrete. It’s like putting yourself in a time machine and erasing all the years spent learning about masonry by using a contractor that doesn’t know anything about it. Your best bet for finding a good contractor to handle your foundation contractor project is to get a referral from a friend, family member, or business owner who has used a contractor that you’re considering.
Most contractors deal with both concrete and masonry, but not all do. You should make sure to ask your prospective foundation contractor about his or her experience working with both. We interviewed our friends, a top concrete contractor in Bakersfield CA to make sure we had a better understanding of foundations. The foundation of your building site is the only determining factor and how well the site will turn out will depend largely on the foundation contractor’s skill and expertise. If you’re having trouble finding an experienced foundation contractor with a good track record, there are a few other options you have at your disposal.
Your contractor should have a proven track record at repairing foundations. There are a variety of different approaches that may be used to repair foundations with varying levels of success. Some of these methods include the following:
Moisture Cure – this is an extremely common practice that almost all contractors use. The foundation contractor will apply a special coating of waterproofing products to the outside of your walls. Once the outer layer has cured, a penetrating concrete contractor will then pour the mold of your interior walls. This process seals the walls inside and out and prevents water from seeping in. These moldings can also be left on for months to help reduce the amount of moisture that seeps into the concrete and carpets.
Cracks and Dented Surfaces – In general, cracked and discolored concrete areas are very noticeable and can’t be repaired by most people. Fortunately, there are concrete repair methods for sunken concrete. As mentioned above, concrete contractors have a variety of different techniques that they can use in order to fix concrete that’s been cracked or damaged. One popular solution is called crack filling. This process seals the cracked area while protecting it at the same time.
Pore Barriers and Boring Steel Posts – If your soil is concrete, there are a variety of different concrete repair methods that can be implemented. One popular technique involves injecting concrete into depressions in the soil around the perimeter of the sunken concrete. After this is done, a series of steel posts are placed into the depressions and shore up the area with concrete slabs, paving and pavers.
Foundation Elevation – There are numerous instances where foundation problems can arise without anyone realizing it. If your soil is sandy, you may not know it contains a lot of salt until you feel the saltiness of your skin. When it comes to foundation issues, sometimes it isn’t until a foundation inspection that people realize just how bad the problem actually is. In these cases, the contractor will dig around your home using hydraulic jacks and post-trenches and elevate your foundation to a level that is acceptable for you. Usually, this isn’t too costly and can make a significant difference in the structural integrity of your home.
Slabjacking is another common foundation repair technique that is often used by contractors. Basically, slabjacking is when a large concrete slab is moved on top of a pad of gravel or a layer of crushed rocks. The slab is moved over an area of your yard, usually on top of crushed rocks and gravel. If your foundation isn’t solid, the slabjacked concrete can sometimes sit on top of the actual slab of concrete, creating an uneven surface. This causes foundation problems because the concrete slabs often do not have the same amount of weight as they once did.