Do Slab Foundations On New Homes Settle?

Eventually, any homeowner in Florida will face the settlement of their base. Most homes and multi-story buildings in Florida are built on a concrete slab. This is due to the groundwater table, which is the water beneath the land. Setting is the product of the downward force of gravity on physical objects. A certain amount of movement and settlement is normal; however, if there is too much, severe fundamental problems which arise.

What is Foundation Settling?

As you can see, the warning signs listed above suggest that your concrete slab is experiencing something more than a normal settlement. While it’s necessary to keep up with minor cracks and home repairs due to normal sedation, if these symptoms start to get worse over time, it’s time to call a professional and have them access to your foundation damage.

The best solution to the problems of foundation in the State of Florida is a soil remediation business. Soil remediation companies are specialized in the strengthening of the soil and in the repair of concrete slabs in secure and stable environments. The longer you wait to rebuild your base, the more issues you’re going to have, and there’s no doubt that it will cost you more in the end.

Foundation Settlement is a term used to describe how the foundation naturally evolves over time. Climate and time are the two primary causes of settlement. If the year passes, new homes and multi-story buildings in Florida will slowly fall into the earth. How far a slab settles depends on the environment and the nature of the soil on which it is constructed.

An engineer or concrete contractor familiar with local soil in different parts of Florida will reliably predict how much a concrete slab may settle in that specific area over time. Compensation ratios can then be applied to the slab construction. If some soil conditions require structural support before construction starts, the soil remediation company will be called upon to restore and improve the soil.

In the other hand, if a new building is constructed in improper soil or under extreme weather conditions, a new house may be subject to significant settlement within five years or less. This usually happens when a new house is constructed during a drought, and heavy rainfall happens after the building has been constructed. When this happens, the clay soil will grow, and the buildings built on the slab will undergo some sort of settlement. If another drought soon occurs, the clay will recede; thus, it will trigger a few inches of settlement within weeks or months.

It’s very natural to see some kind of settlement within a few years of building a home. A slab which settles a few inches is common as long as the settlement is evenly distributed. The reality is that soil contraction and expansion can not be controlled; however, the consistency of soil construction can be preserved in normal variations. Initial settlement is common, but continuing settlement can trigger problems with the base.

What You Need to Know About Buying a House on a Concrete Slab?

Some houses don’t have a basement or crawl space beneath them, instead they’re simply constructed on a concrete slab – either because the house sits on a bedrock or on a high water table. At one time, all the concrete is poured on the ground. Some foundations have post-tension cables or are strengthened with steel rods called rebars so that the slab can support the weight of the building. The house is then designed on top of this concrete foundation. Slab foundations are more common in southern states with warm climates, where the soil is less likely to freeze and the foundation cracks. Here’s a peek at the pros and cons that come with the base of the slab.

Is Foundation Settling a Major Problem?

For the average Florida homeowner, deciding if structural problems and fractures are a direct product of a foundation settlement or a foundation problem can be a lot harder than the untrained eye might seem. There are some circumstances where there is no need to be alarmed; however, there are circumstances where urgent action is required.

In most cases , the average homeowner would not be able to notice the foundation’s settlement. Chances are, they’ll find tiny cracks that don’t expand over time and can be quickly fixed. If this is the case, there is no need to worry; however, if any of the following warning signs are present, you should contact the soil remediation company immediately to fix and strengthen your slab before major problems arise, such as total collapse of the base.