If you enjoy the downtown lifestyle and do not want to move anywhere else, but have run out of space – it is time to think of expanding your basement and converting it into extra living space. What is it going to be? A family room? An extra bedroom? Or a guest suite for so often visiting relatives or a live-in nanny? Or you are opting for that extra income from an in-law apartment – which is also a very smart idea – within only a few years you will pay back the credit line for its renovation and will be able to start reducing your mortgage payments considerably, or simply enjoy extra cash. If you think your basement is too low and it cannot be done, get a professional basement lowering contractor to look at it with professional eye.
There is a complex of construction measures such as basement underpinning or benching and basement lowering performed by experienced contractor that will help you to regain that much needed space and reinforce your existing foundation at the same time.
Experienced contractor can work with as little as 6 foot clearance under the house converting it into fully functional space.
It is important to understand from the very beginning what the entire project will entail so that you can plan the resources, budget and project timeframe right. An important part of the project is to get the project drawings and calculations done by a structural engineer or an architect, who determine the load carried by footings of the house. While performing calculations for this procedure the number of floors, the perimeter of the house and the type of soil are all taken into consideration. As any major alteration to your house structure, it has to be approved and you have to get the building permit. Just remember that during this procedure you are responsible if anything happens to your neighbor’s foundation as well. And here there are key factors the initial calculations and plans by engineer, and expertise of the underpinning and lowering contractor. And of course, the contractor has to have the insurance for this type of a project
Once the project contractor sees the calculations & and approved drawings by your engineer or architect, you will be able to get a detailed quote, and timeframe of the project. For basement lowering there are to ways to reinforce the foundation:
- Underpinning – the concrete is poured through the series of strategically placed holes underneath existing foundation to extend it further into the ground. This procedure also helps to reinforce the existing foundation and fix any cracks or problems along the way.
- Benching – allows to leave the existing foundation untouched and building the concrete extension inside the perimeter of the existing foundation. This procedure is much less expensive and less time consuming, but it is important to understand that it also reduces the square footage of the potential basement space and does nothing to reinforce or fix the existing foundation. It is still a viable option when you share the foundation with the neighbor who doesn’t want to give you consent to make any changes to the shared foundation, or when there is a serious concern that an adjacent building might be affected, as happens often downtown Toronto.
If you have decided to lower your basement to create that much needed extra space in your Toronto house, you do need to choose the underpinning contractor that you can fully trust to do it right.
Information provided by https://www.zuccoconstruction.com
