What Type of Foundation Is Your Home Sitting On

Different types of house foundations

The start of any home is a solid foundation. There are a few options depending on the design of the home as well as the earth it is built on. Some structures may even have a combination of foundation types.

The most common types of foundations include:

• Slab Foundation. Concrete poured on grade. Structure affixed directly to the slab. Often time plumbing may run through the slab.

• Crawlspace Foundation. Concrete footing with blocks to lift the structure off the (exposed) earth below. The height of crawl spaces vary dramatically some you can barely crawl under others have plenty of space for storage. Plumbing, HVAC, utility lines will also run through space. At one time it was believed that crawl space vents were important for air flow and ventilation; therefore, most crawl spaces are built with vents.

• Basement Foundation.  Tall enough to stand. In this area, we see mostly walk-out basements. Functions may include; Garage, storage, utilities, or living spaces.

Below are the most common types;

Poured concrete walls this is the most common today.

Concrete block walls, common from 1940-1975 and still used today.

Stone walls are more common in older homes.

Monolithic foundations can be a block or poured walls but the floor and footing are poured in one piece. With walls on top, this is a two-piece foundation instead of a three-piece foundation.

Identifying the type of foundation is important for diagnosing any foundation or waterproofing concerns and to determine the best permanent solutions. Scheduling a free inspection with a proposal is the best thing to do if you have concerns.  

Drywall vs foundation cracks video: https://youtu.be/YP7QyXJCBek