Much like a home, a business can also be built on a foundation. In many urban areas, commercial buildings are built right onto concrete or pavement that has been poured by the city, however, those still often have the same considerations as a foundation. They are solid fixtures built on unstable ground. Even the driest and most packed soil can shift over time. When it shifts, the foundation does not always stay put. In those cases, you’ll need your foundation repaired, meaning it will need to be leveled and shored up. To determine if you need repair, you first need a commercial foundation inspection.
Inspecting the Foundation
The foundation can be inspected for damage as well as tilting. Inspecting for damage means looking at the foundation itself to see if the concrete has split anywhere. If there is a serious problem, the concrete will likely be cracking vertically. This can be discovered fairly quickly during a commercial foundation inspection in Houston, TX. If the foundation is not cracking, however, it could still be slanted. A slanted foundation still need commercial foundation repair in Houston, TX. You can often diagnose a slanted foundation by placing a level on different places in the business. Windowsills, the floor, and ledges are good places to inspect.
Repair
After the commercial foundation inspection, if there is a problem, you’ll need to have it fixed. Fixing it usually means repairing or replacing any damaged concrete, then the engineer will install vertical pilings. Vertical pilings are sturdy poles that run underneath the foundation and into the earth. They will act as an anchor against any lateral or vertical movement of your foundation. They are typically made from concrete with a steel rod running through the middle.
The first step is to have your business’s foundation inspected by a team of talented professionals.
