While the foundation repair process will vary depending on the type of foundation problem you have, in today’s blog our team of concrete experts is outlining the general repair process and what to expect. Foundation repair can cause a lot of stress and anxiety, since it is a major event and investment in your property, but you can prepare by asking our team questions and reading this blog post. Continue reading to learn more, and if you’re in need of foundation repair in Nashville, contact A-1 Concrete Leveling and Foundation Repair for a free quote.

Pilings are placed around the house

The first step in the repair process involves placing pilings around the entire perimeter beam, or the outer edge of the foundation. Pilings are columns that are pushed into the ground under a foundation, putting your house on a firm foundation so that we don’t cause more damage as we’re repairing your foundation.

Dig access tunnels

Next, tunnels are dug underneath the house in intervals from one end of the home to the other in order to gain access to interior foundation beams. The underside of your foundation looks like a waffle, and the thicker walls of the waffle are called the foundation beams, and these support the majority of the structure’s weight.

HVAC pads are lifted

If you have an AC unit that is resting on a concrete pad, it needs to be lifted. When we perform foundation repair, the house will be lifted, and everything next to the house (including the AC pad) will move upward as well. By lifting the AC pad we ensure that the connections aren’t broken during the foundation repair process. 

If you have landscaping around your house, this may be affected by foundation repair. We may need to remove landscaping, but if you can do so yourself (moving potted plants etc.) that can save us time. 

Breakout performed

Depending on your home’s construction, there may be areas of concrete, like garages, driveways, or patios that require what is called a “breakout.” A breakout is where the solid concrete surface is broken so that the foundation beams can be reached. These areas are patched after the foundation repair. 

Expose utilities (plumbing, electrical, gas etc.)

If there is a significant foundation lift, there may also be plumbing repairs that need to be made. Before lifting, the plumbing is uncovered in order to gain access to the pipes if a leak does occur. Other utilities will be exposed to help prevent damage during the foundation repair process. They need room and space to move with the lift, otherwise, the ground will damage them. 

Foundation repair pilings placed under the foundation

Our technicians will crawl under the home through the tunnels dug earlier in the process and place pilings under each beam at 8-10 feet intervals. 

Hydraulic jacks and support cylinders

After the pilings are placed, hydraulic jacks go inside the tunnels and lift the foundation beams to the correct level. After the jacks raise the foundation, support cylinders are placed under the beams to hold the foundation at the proper height after the jacks are removed.

Clean up process

After the home is lifted, there are a few things that need to be cleaned up. Any plants, gate posts, or other objects next to the house will be lifted up along with the house and the dirt needs to be lowered back to its original elevation. Anything else that was moved away (potted plants, HVAC etc.) will be put back in its proper place. The tunnel entrances are closed and the breakouts are filled with concrete.

Foundation Repair Experts – Nashville

We hope that learning more about the foundation repair process helps reduce any nerves or anxiety you feel! It is a big job, but our experts are up to the task. Know too that the initial process of digging tunnels, creating breakouts etc. can be chaotic, but once the foundation repair is done, everything surrounding your home will be returned to its original position — and your house will be resting on a firm foundation!