How to make a foundation for an extension to the house with your own hands?

Starting the construction of a country house or cottage, the owners rarely think about the fact that over time there will be a need to expand the living space or additional buildings. But now the family has grown, grandchildren have appeared, and an extra room will be quite useful. It is expensive to build a separate building, and there is no need. But to attach to an existing house is not financially burdensome, and it will take less time. Having decided to complete the premises, it is very important to know how to make the foundation for an extension to the house.

Any technically literate person knows that the foundation is the most important part of the structure. Its function is to evenly distribute the efforts of the object under construction, as well as to compensate for the reaction of the soil. The durability of the building depends on the reliability of the foundation. It is not difficult to form a common base for a building under construction. But how to fill the foundation for an extension, which subsequently will not cause trouble?

Studying the experience of building extensions on various grounds, the builders came to the conclusion that it is desirable to work on the same type of foundations. This is explained by varying degrees of shrinkage and the perception of soil reactions. Differing physical, mechanical and operational characteristics can lead to a violation of the integrity of the structure, entail additional costs.

The following options for connecting foundations are used:

Hard. The connection is made using reinforcing bars, which are hammered into the existing base and laid when pouring into a new one. By welding the reinforcement into a single structure, a monolith is obtained. The option of such a bundle guarantees the integrity of the building, especially when erected under one roof. Please note that a rigid connection is unacceptable on heaving, warp-prone soils.
Flexible. Relative mobility is achieved due to the expansion joint between the bases. The gap filled with heat-insulating materials makes it possible to dampen the forces from heaving soils and reduce the likelihood of integrity damage in case of shrinkage of different sizes.

Initial stage, tool preparation

Having decided on the type of foundation being built, we proceed to the implementation of the project. For these purposes, you will need tools and devices:

pegs, cord for marking;

If you cannot do without the help of a specialist to determine the type of future foundation, then you can easily do the calculation of the area and markings with your own hands

building level;
shovels or excavator to form a ditch;
crochet hook for tying reinforcement;
construction vibrator;
concrete mixer.

The preparatory stage of work includes:

A study of the soil at the site of future construction in order to determine the type of foundation suitable for these conditions.
Determining the type and depth of the foundation of an existing building. In the presence of a screw base, the diameter and depth of piles are determined.

How to make a foundation for an extension to a house using reinforcement

After completing the soil study and assessing the shrinkage of the existing structure, a decision can be made on the possibility of combining the two bases with a rigid method. Reinforcement allows you to create a single structure that is not subject to deformation. Remember that other structural elements are possible only on hard soils that are not prone to seasonal heaving. We will consider the procedure for carrying out work using the example of a strip base, as the most used in small-sized construction.

To complete the addition to the existing wooden building of a new foundation, you should wait for the final hardening of the poured concrete, which must be periodically moistened and covered with plastic wrap. The base formed according to the above technology makes it possible to combine buildings erected from various materials into a common structure.

Results

If you want to increase the area of suburban real estate or summer cottages, you need to responsibly approach the performance of work, analyze all factors in order to avoid mistakes associated with shrinkage of the building. Remember that the implementation of such a serious project as the completion of the foundation requires a well-developed action plan, correct calculations and special construction preparation. Guided by the above recommendations, you can independently perform the work, which will save financial resources. However, in the absence of self-confidence, use the services of professional builders. Good luck!