IMPORTANCE OF STRONG FOUNDATIONS FOR BUILDINGS

What is the most important part of any building or home? Many people often think that the roof is an important part of their building. While a roof is a component that protects people, a foundation is what supports your construction and gives strength to your building.

A strong base of a building adds strength to the construction and minimises the risk of damage. The main purpose of a foundation is to bear the weight and provide support to the construction. If you don’t give attention to the foundation while you begin the construction of your building, you will never get the second chance to fix the mistakes and make them right.

A wrong or poorly constructed foundation can be dangerous for the inhabitants as well as neighbors too. Today, as the buildings are touching the sky, the importance of building a strong foundation is also increased.

What is a foundation?

No one can build any kind of structure on the ground directly. It will certainly succumb to failure. The construction work carries a weight of several tons, which needs a strong ground to take all the weight. The unprepared earth will fail to carry the tons of weight of buildings.

This is why people lay a solid foundation of concrete on the ground before they start building the structure. It keeps the structure stable and protects its existence for a long time.

Importance of strong foundations:

A strong foundation not only prevents the risk of construction damages, but it also benefits in different ways as well. Here we have mentioned the top reasons below why your foundations are important.

1.    Supports the construction:

The construction will sink in the ground if you don’t build a foundation for it. One of the foremost purposes of the foundation is to hold your construction and keep it upright. A poor foundation results in cracks and damages in the building.

A well-designed foundation provides a strong base to a building. It will support your construction and prevent serious damages as well.

2.    Resists movement:

Natural forces can cause damage to your structure. The different natural forces including soil moisture level, temperature, tectonic plates movement, water tables and fluctuation can impact your construction.

If you don’t work on your foundation carefully, then these natural forces can cause cracks and major breaks in your structures. A strong foundation resists the movement and supports the building.

3.    Insulates the building:

Temperature plays an important role in every building. People spend tens of thousands on the temperature control system to maintain a comfortable temperature inside the building. A well-constructed foundation will insulate your property and save you money on electricity bills.

It will keep your building warm during the cold winters and manage the heat during hot summers. It will prevent heat loss effectively.

4.    Keeps moisture out:

Construction can be damaged by different factors and moisture is one of them. The moisture quickly weakens the structure and causes cracks in the walls. The building collects moisture through rain and snowfall and distributes it to the soil.

It will expand and shift the soil and put pressure on your foundation, which will also impact your entire building. A well-designed foundation will keep the moisture out and minimise the damage. 

5.    Protect structure:

The different natural factors can cause serious damage to your building. The climatic conditions are always unpredictable and it can cause maximum damage to your building if you don’t work on its foundation.

•    Storm damage:

If your building’s foundation is not up to mark, then it will never hold your structure strongly. The storms, rains, high winds, and other inclement weather conditions will hit your construction and cause serious damages. 

•    Flooding:

Flooding is one of the serious natural threats that cause damage to buildings. A strong foundation will protect your structure from water damage and keep it standing strongly.

•    Earthquake:

Earthquakes are caused by the movements of tectonic plates. The earthquakes are responsible for the major damages to buildings. A strong foundation will hold your structure upright and minimise the damage effectively.