Featured Job: Restoring History
This week, ECP is featuring a job from Pro Foundation Technology, Inc., which serves Missouri and Northeastern Kansas with foundation repair, waterproofing, concrete leveling, and crawl space repair, among other services. Prof Foundation Technoloy, Inc. is a family-owned and operated business that has been serving the Kansas City area since 1978. All of their work comes with a “no hassle” transferable warranty, and they are licensed and insured in Kansas and Missouri.
Taking Care Restoring a Historic Building’s Foundation
Pro Foundation Technology, Inc. has been hired to work on restoration projects for buildings such as the historic Memorial Union at the University of Missouri and the 200-year-old Belle Meade Mansion in Nashville, Tennessee.
Special care must be taken when working with any building’s foundation, but even more so when dealing with a historic structure. Because of its age, the building may be more fragile and have restrictions on what can be done to preserve its historical value. The contractor must have experience working with historic buildings.
Steps to Take When Hiring a Contractor for Historical Buildings
The first thing you should do when hiring a contractor for repairs to a historic building is to hire a structural engineer. Some contractors have an engineer on staff, but other times you may need to hire one on your own.
The next step is to document how the foundation looks before any work is done. The repaired foundation must look remarkably similar to the original walls. Take many photos and videos from different angles and write down any details you may see. By having these documents for the contractor, they will be better able to match the original foundation’s appearance.
You are now ready for the next step: hiring the foundation contractor. Make sure that they have experience working with historic structures. For example, Pro Foundation Technology has been restoring foundations for over thirty years. The structural engineer will also ensure that the contractor’s plans are sound, helping prevent any collapse or damage to the foundation.
Once your contractor is hired, you must choose your building materials. You will want to do your best to match the new foundation to the original one. If the contractor has to remove any old materials, save them if you need to use them for future projects.
Other Considerations for Historical Projects
Pro Foundation Technology, Inc. has other suggestions to remember when working on historic buildings.
If you are building a new foundation, you may consider having the contractor dig a new basement, making it deeper. Pro Foundation Technology, Inc. would use helical piers to lift and stabilize the foundation, allowing them to dig a deeper basement. If the basement is a living space, you must install egress windows to follow most public codes.
If a new basement is being created, you can have the contractor waterproof it during this time. This will protect your structure and any belongings in the basement. It is easier to waterproof at this time than when furniture or other items are in the area.
Some other things you can have done now include repairing an old staircase or installing a new one and replacing outdated plumbing, electrical, or gas systems. You can also ensure that the soil around the foundation is graded correctly, helping with drainage.
Use the Right Tools and Experts for Historical Projects
Every foundation job is important, so make sure your contractor uses ECP tools and equipment, like the professionals at Pro Foundation Technology. We are proud to have been involved in many foundation repair projects nationwide.