| |
Pier and Beam Foundations vs Slab Foundations
Request
a Price Quote for Pier and Beam Foundations
Building
a home is an exciting venture. Homeowners get to
choose wall coverings, flooring materials, up-to-date appliances, room
size
variances, and windows and doors. But, what most homeowners do not
realize is
that building a home starts from the ground up, from the foundation.
The
most important step to building a new home is choosing
the most efficient and safe foundation for your property location.
Researching
foundation bases is essential in securing the structure of your new
home. Some
contractors are knowledgeable about foundations and will help you
choose which
is best for your home. But, there are many who will pour a foundation
of their
choosing without discussing the choice with you, the homeowner.
Two
foundation choices that a new homeowner should be aware
of are slab-on-grade foundations and pier and beam foundations. The two
are
quite different when it comes to construction, cost, and longevity.
Slab-on-grade
foundations are constructed with reinforced
concrete and are usually shallow, quickly built, and inexpensive. For a builder that
doesn’t have to live in the
homes that he builds, slab foundations are a dream.
Slab foundations are used with homes that do
not have basements. A
major disadvantage
to slab-on-grade foundations is that they are not resistant to seasonal
movement changes and moisture disbursement due to root growth. In other words, slab
foundations are not a
long-term option for homes in North Texas. Another disadvantage is
that generally all
piping is placed under the slab foundation causing a very costly
procedure
should a water pipe burst.
Pier
and beam foundations, on the other hand, rate a few
steps above a slab-on-grade foundation. Pier
and beam foundations incorporate a crawl space (usually at least 18
inches) beneath
the home and footings filled with concrete to support the slab. This
type of
foundation is not considered a time saver, but it is safer and more
convenient.
The crawl
space allows access to heating
and plumbing utilities without having to break through the concrete
slab. The piers
mean foundations are less
susceptible to damage due to ground shifting, a problem many North
Texas homes with slab foundations experience. If extreme ground shifting
does occur, the
foundation is easily adjusted, a process that is much less expensive
than slab
foundation repairs, a process most homes in North
Texas
will have to undergo.
Since
pier and beam foundations leave homeowners walking on
a suspended wood platform, they are much easier on the body’s
joints. Pier and
beam foundations are preferred by
back pain suffers over slab foundations.
Pier
and beam foundations are generally used for homes built
in the Northern part of the country because the climate consists of the
freeze
and thaw conditions. This
condition
requires that the foundation be built deeply in to the ground. The safety feature here is
that deep
foundations are very rarely affected by climate changes. But, the shifting grounds
of North Texas make pier and beam
foundations the best, longest-lasting
choice for foundations in the area.
Monster
Constructors is professionally
known for laying pier and beam foundations in the Dallas/Fort Worth
Metroplex. We will
test the ground on which the home is
to be built to decipher the best foundation for that particular area.
Written by Tasha Lucas, Monster
Constructors, L.L.C
Request
a Price Quote for Pier and Beam Foundations
Monster Constructors does
Pier and Beam Foundations all
over the DFW metroplex, including Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano,
Irving, Carrollton, Richardson, Denton, Garland, Grand Prairie,
Addison, Allen, Azle, Bedford, Benbrook, Burleson, Cleburne,
Colleyville, Cedar Hill, Coppell, Corinth, DeSoto, Duncanville, Ennis,
Euless, Farmers Branch, Flower Mound, Frisco, Haltom City, Highland
Village, Hurst, Keller, Lewisville, Mansfield, Midlothian, North
Richland Hills, Southlake, The Colony, University Park, Watauga,
Weatherford, White Settlement, and surrounding towns and
cities. Curious if you are within our scope?
Contact us:
Click Here.
|
