Foundation underpinning is a cost-effective way of giving you higher ceilings in your basement and increasing your usable living space. It can also be used to address structural issues. Sometimes called “basement lowering,” this procedure involves dividing your basement into sections and carefully removing your old foundation section by section. Each numbered section is sequentially replaced with new, more substantial concrete footings. Basement underpinning is also helpful if you need a more robust slab to accommodate a second-storey addition.
When done correctly, underpinning your house improves the value of your home and gives you better headroom in your basement area. It’s crucial to choose the right contractor to carry out an underpinning project. Handled incorrectly by an inexperienced contractor, this process can weaken your structure to the point of total collapse. Choose an underpinning contractor that has good reviews and the respect of both clients and industry professionals.
Clients, contractors, and engineers trust MAGCOR to get the job done right. We’ve built our reputation on outstanding customer service and results that meet the highest standards. We’re fully licensed and insured, with an award-winning team that delivers projects that are well-run, on time, and in-budget. They keep everything moving smoothly, including getting your permits, inspections, plans, and taking care of demolition, construction, and waste removal.
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What is Basement Underpinning?
This specialized basement lowering process simultaneously supports your home while carefully removing your old or damaged foundation. Qualified underpinning contractors excavate to a specified depth and then build a stronger foundation to carry your home forward into the future you’re working toward.
Basement underpinning Oakville homes opens up more accessible storage areas, protects your valuables from water intrusion and mould damage, gives you a lot more headroom, and brings natural light into your basement. Save money on the cost of adding living space to your home while having the opportunity to fix any existing structural problems or prevent future issues.
We aim to please, and our customer service culture means you’ll feel well taken care of throughout each phase of your underpinning project. MAGCOR makes sure our underpinning specialists are well-trained, safety-focused, and experienced. Each team has members who:
- Assess your home’s needs
- Assist with permits, planning, and design
- Ensure your home is adequately supported while work is carried out
- Excavate the dirt from your crawlspace or under your concrete slab
- Handle upgrades, like radiant floor heating, new wiring, drain systems, and sump pumps
- Pour and float new concrete footers
- Add walls
- Install a new floor
Underpinning your foundation has the potential to deliver substantial benefits. Higher ceilings make for a living space you’ll want to spend time in, or one you could turn into a rental. Tearing out old wiring and updating the plumbing goes a long way toward convincing potential home buyers that your home is the one they want to invest in. Also, since you’ve already got all these systems exposed and accessible during the basement lowering process and you’re not trying to build a much more complicated addition, this is often a cost-effective way to make upgrades while increasing your home’s liveable square footage.
Benefits of Basement Underpinning
Bonus Living Space with Less Hassle
Building an addition to your house is a significant expense and comes with its own set of headaches. Permits are generally more expensive, and it takes longer to get them approved. With a basement lowering project, you take an existing structure and extend the walls after the foundation is dropped. On the other hand, additions involve the construction of not just a new foundation but walls and a roof, as well. There’s a lot more to consider in complexity when it comes to tying this new structure into your original home, and more complexity means you’ll have more decisions that need to be made. Building an addition usually takes longer than the four to six weeks required for most foundation underpinning projects.
Increase Your Home’s Property Value
A poorly maintained property can’t hold its value or compete with other comparable listings. Take care to prevent or address structural problems and manage your water drainage effectively. Don’t allow mould and moisture to spread from the basement to the rest of your house. Consider installing rental space in your basement for another income stream. You can also use that space for elderly family members as an alternative to a nursing home. Game rooms are another great addition that helps your home stand out from the pack.
Reinforce Your Foundation
You may need to reinforce your foundation for several reasons, including damage or the need to build up a thin slab so it can adequately support another storey. Foundations are subject to enormous pressures and extreme conditions. Hot summers and freezing winters bring a cycle of expansion and contraction that, over time, inevitably weakens your slab. Storms, flood events, and earthquakes can shift the earth under your foundation and cause settling, leaving unsupported sections that sag, buckle, and crack. Even having sup-par drainage around your house is problematic. When soil is waterlogged, it exerts enormous pressure on load-bearing walls.
Protect Better with Modern Waterproofing
Keeping water out of your basement and away from your foundation is important for the overall health and longevity of your home’s structural integrity. Modern waterproofing works with the materials your house is made with to make it difficult for water to enter the basement. High-tech Delta membranes line the walls and foundation, while the perimeter of your foundation is often equipped with a specialized drain system that catches accumulated water and carries it safely to the sump pump, where it can be pumped away from your house.
Replace Obsolete Plumbing, Wiring, and Insulation
During a foundation underpinning project, it’s the perfect time to go through your electrical wiring, insulation, and plumbing systems to make sure what you have works well and is adequate for the task. These systems are, by necessity, exposed, and contractors will have easy access to remove obsolete equipment and replace it with something more appropriate. These updates help increase the value of your house and make your property more attractive to potential buyers.
Taller Ceilings + Improved Lighting = Better Living Space
In the process of lowering your foundation, you’ll end up with taller ceilings and room for better lighting solutions. Increased wall space means you have the option to install more windows or replace existing ones with larger models that let in more natural light. That increased headroom also allows you to put in better overhead lighting. Consider ceiling fans with integrated light fixtures. Fans help control moisture levels and circulate heat more effectively in the winter while keeping you cool in the summer.
The Permit Process Can Be Less Expensive and Complicated Than Building an Addition
Traditional additions require permits and approvals that are much more expensive than a similar basement lowering project. Both give you extra livable space, but the permit fees and time until approval differ vastly. You can expect to pay around $2,500 for an average underpinning job, while the same size addition could cost between $4,000 to $10,000 and take a lot longer to process your permit application.
Do you have any question?
Feel free to contact us anytime.
Basement Underpinning Process
Hire an Experienced Oakville Underpinning Contractor
MAGCOR has built its reputation on a history of reliability, integrity, and transparency. We’re with you every step of the way. Our award-winning team is trusted by homeowners, business owners, and contractors. We make sure our crews are friendly and well-trained. At MAGCOR, we look at your project as a partnership, putting the focus on solutions that work for your situation.
- Award-winning Demolition and Underpinning Contractors
- Only High-Quality Materials
- Modern Technology and High Tech Equipment
- Competitive and Fair Prices
- We Always Give Unbiased Advice
- We’ll Warranty Our Work
- Industry Best Practices Are Our Practice
- Licensed and Fully Insured
About Oakville
Oakville is part of Greater Toronto, located between Toronto and Hamilton. In 2021, Oakville had a population of about 214,000 residents living in just over 76,000 private dwellings. Oakville is the largest town in Ontario, and consists of thirteen individual communities.
Like other towns and cities in Southern Ontario, Oakville’s climate is considered humid continental. Oakville’s location on the shores of Lake Ontario helps moderate its climate compared to the rest of Canada.
The year-round average temperature in Oakville is about 8.1 Celsius, with an average snowfall of nearly 32 inches. On average, some type of precipitation falls on Oakville for nearly 118 days every year. Underpinning services can be performed almost year-round in Oakville.
Building permits are required for any construction projects that involve more than 10 square meters in Oakville. Any project, regardless of size, will require a permit if the project will involve the removal or installation of any plumbing.
To apply for a building permit in Oakville, you’ll need some documentation, including:
- Cost to perform the work
- Duration of the project
- Drawings
- Site or scale drawing
How Much Does It Cost to Underpin Your Basement in Oakville?
Typical underpinning projects in Oakville will cost about $80.00- $350.00 per square foot on average. Most underpinning projects will cost between $15,000 and $30,000.
Underpinning a basement in Oakville can be done using several methods, and factors such as size, soil conditions, and quantity of materials will also be major factors in your total cost.
Underpinning projects consist of a few key stages, although not all will be required for each project. Some of these stages include:
- Submitting your building permit drawings and application either in-person or electronically by emailing your application to: buildingrequests@oakville.ca.
- Having your soil inspected
- Ensuring access to the site is available
- Performing wall underpinning
- Adjusting your basement slab as needed
- Demolition
- Repairing cracks and other defects
- Remediation and site cleanup
All project plans must follow the Ontario Building Code, and will require a non-refundable pre-screening fee of $60.00 when you apply. Your building permit fees are based on the size, use, and type of the structure.
What Variables Affect the Cost of Underpinning in Oakville?
Some of the most common variables that may affect the total cost of your underpinning project in Oakville include:
- Which company you choose for your underpinning
- The location of your site, as well as the transport of heavy equipment
- Soil type
- Basement length and width
- Materials and quantities
In most underpinning projects, these variables will affect the cost and duration of your project. Regardless of which method your project needs, you’ll want an underpinning company with the experience, resources, and training to perform the job up to your standards.
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