You may have heard the word “excavation” in relation to the building of an entirely new structure. When preparing to build a new home, space must be excavated to pour a foundation and build out a basement.
The type of excavation that we do here at Zablocki Waterproofing is not what is described above. In addition to being a necessary step in building a house or structure, foundation excavation may be required in conducting basement wall repairs, basement foundation repairs, and basement waterproofing.
What does foundation excavation involve?
When you hire Zablocki Waterproofing to address a basement or foundation repair issue, the first step is to have one of our experienced contractors assess the situation and make a recommendation as to how the problem can be fixed. We go into more detail below as to the reasons your basement walls may need to be excavated, but this is a necessary step in conducting several crucial basement and foundation repairs.
If foundation or basement wall excavation is necessary for your home, that means we need access to the exterior of the basement walls. So, our experienced team will dig out the dirt surrounding the walls and install temporary supports to ensure safe and prolonged access to this area.
Foundation excavation is not an easy job, and should only be performed by an expert team, particularly when dealing with cracked or buckled basement walls or other delicate structural issues.
Why would I need foundation excavation?
Foundation excavation is serious business, and we explore all options up to and including foundation excavation in considering how to best address a basement wall or foundation repair issue. In certain situations, excavation is the best and only way to perform the necessary work to complete the repair.
Here are a few reasons why excavation may be necessary:
Your basement walls are cracked or buckled. This is a big one. Wisconsin’s extreme temperatures cause water in the soil to expand and contract, which puts significant pressure on the walls of a home’s basement. Over time, this pressure can cause movement of the walls, including cracks, buckling, or shifting. To fix this problem (and yes, it definitely needs to be fixed), we need access to both the inside and outside of the basement walls to fill in cracks, install steel reinforcements, and move the walls back into place.
Your basement needs to be waterproofed. If your basement experiences significant moisture issues, it’s time to waterproof. There are a variety of types of basement waterproofing and some of them only require access to the interior of the basement. However, more serious waterproofing often requires access to the exterior walls. Our experienced contractors will work with you to determine what is necessary for your home.
Your foundation or basement walls need to be weatherized. If you have an older home, the foundation may not have been properly weatherized. This means it is more susceptible to those changes in temperature mentioned above and may have problems like shifting, cracking, buckling, or leakage. Weatherization requires access to both the interior and exterior of a home’s foundation, so excavation will need to be performed.
Excavation is a big job requiring a good deal of time and labor. Here at Zablocki Waterproofing, we do everything in our power to find cost-effective and efficient solutions to foundation and basement repair issues. We have over 30 years of experience providing customers in Milwaukee and beyond with top-tier basement waterproofing, basement repair, and foundation repair services.
The only way to know if foundation excavation is necessary for your projects is to contact us for a free consultation. Give us a call today.
