Is Underpinning the Same as Foundation Repair?

It’s not uncommon for people to feel lost in the maze-like world of foundation repair. You may feel lost when confronted with unfamiliar concepts and jargon unique to your field, such as maximum practical recovery or push piers.

This is why we want you to make inquiries and seek clarification. Whether underpinning and foundation repair are interchangeable is a question we get frequently.

All sorts of foundation work fall under the general heading of “foundation repair.” To repair a foundation, underpinning is used, which entails primarily supporting it with piers (push, helical, concrete, and so on).

Piers are like underground stilts that are driven into bedrock or competent, load-bearing soil to provide stability for a building.

Knowing the distinction between foundation repair and underpinning will help you make an informed decision about the best course of action for your specific needs.

Each attempt to fix a foundation is different. Dalinghaus Construction has been servicing thousands of foundations throughout Southern California and Arizona for over 100 years. We hope that this article helps shed some light on how to go about fixing a foundation.

After reading this post, you will have a better understanding of underpinning and will know that “foundation repair” is a catch-all term for a variety of different approaches to fixing a building’s underlying structure.

The topics discussed in this article are:

The Big Picture of Basement Crack Repair
In other words, what is underpinning?

Overview of Basement Crack Repair

Expansive soil, seismic events, spalling, and severe heat/cold can all cause damage to a building’s foundation. To put it simply, your foundation is your home’s primary source of structural support, making any damage to it a major cause for alarm. Your home is in jeopardy if the foundation is in danger.

Cracks in drywall, stucco and the fireplace are just the beginning of the problems that can result from foundation damage. Floors can become uneven and doors and windows can become stuck as a result. The figurative backbone of your house is crooked.

Any sort of foundational fix, upgrade, or restoration can be referred to as “foundation repair.” As an added bonus, any type of foundation can be fixed if it’s under your house.

Objects that can benefit from foundation repair work are:

Buildings with a slab on grade
Floors with post-tensioned slabs
Cripple walls and post-and-pad raised basements post-and-pad raised slabs
Foundations must be tailored to the local climate, soil, and utility requirements. In terms of pros, cons, and fixes, there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to foundations.

Read our article 5 Types of Residential Foundations Popular in America: A Brief Foundational Overview to learn more about the different foundations and how they grew in popularity in America.

Now that we’ve covered all the bases by cataloging the different kinds of foundations, we can get into some of the finer points of foundation repair.

Patching a Split in a Slab
Correcting a foundation crack
Repairing a post and resetting its pad
Injection of deep polyurethane
Mudjacking
To mend a stem wall
Underpinning (push piers, helical piers, concrete piers, etc.)
These examples of foundation repair help illustrate the breadth of the term. The big picture of foundation repair has been covered, so now we can get into the nitty-gritty of underpinning.

In other words, what is underpinning?
Simply put, underpinning is the process of fortifying a building’s current foundation by increasing its size in depth and width.

In order to prevent foundation settlement, push piers or helical piers are typically driven down to load-bearing competent soil and used as underground stilts. Like needles in sewing, they help secure things in place. A helical pier or push pier can be thought of as a giant, permanent needle.

Should You Get Underpinning?
Underpinning is the best method for repairing foundation settlement if your home is experiencing it. The next inquiry is whether or not to use push piers or helical piers for underpinning.

Your foundation repair expert can tell you for sure. Availability, soil type, and home weight all play a role. Each repair job is different, and so are the strategies devised for completing them.

We’ve worked in the field of foundation repair for some time, so we understand how intimidating it can be to learn a new vocabulary. We hope this helps to clarify some of the terms that have been used interchangeably.

RLM Retrofit Foundation is the company to call if you haven’t had your Foundation Inspection Big Bear Lake yet.

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