The foundation is arguably the most important aspect of your home’s structure. It must support the structure and transfer its weight to the underlying soil. The foundation also protects the structure from insects and moisture.

The first step in building a good foundation is installing the footing. The footing distributes the structure’s weight evenly to the soil below. At Jim Beard Homes, we excavate a trench 24 inches wide and 12 inches deep to undisturbed soil. Any stump holes or other soft spots are prepared and compacted. Two rows of re-bar (steel rods) are then installed in the trench. The re-bar is bent around corners and to follow the grade elevation. The trench is then filled and leveled with 3000 psi concrete. The re-bar is placed on metal supports to position it in the middle of the concrete, thus adding strength to the entire footing system.

Other builders may state that they also use rebar. Those that do often use it only horizontally, and not bent around the corners and through grade steps. We take the extra step in order to give the footing maximum, equal strength.

We then construct a continuous outer foundation wall. If we are building a single story structure, we use 8"x8"x16" continuous concrete block on the exterior walls and doubled 8"x 8"x16" (16"x16" solid) interior piers.

In most cases we construct our basements using poured concrete walls. This is accomplished by erecting forms, installing re-bar both laterally and horizontally within the forms and connecting the entire concrete wall to the footing. The form is then filled with concrete and allowed to cure. The forms are removed after a couple of days. Poured concrete walls provide superior strength and water resistance.

Other builders may try to talk you into concrete block foundations with water proof paint. This method is just asking for trouble down the road. Water is the single greatest threat to foundations. It is imperative to resolve moisture problems during construction, as shortcuts on moisture control will plague a homeowner for years.

The first step in moisture control is to properly establish the grade at the base of the foundation. It must slope gently away from the structure. Gutters must be diverted several yards away from the structure. We allow for french drains on most of the homes we build and waterproof all of our basements using a rubberized membrane and patented drain board. The system is wrapped around the wall and footing. A french drain is then placed at footing level to drain excess moisture away from the structure.

On a single level home, the ground is leveled and prepared and a vapor barrier is applied under the structure.

We at Jim Beard Homes would appreciate the opportunity to further explain our superior construction methods. When you get ready to construct your dream home, call us.