Our latest project’s foundations are officially set, and while the house won’t be delivered for a few months, we’re really excited to complete this first step in building this incredible home.
A drone's view of our latest project's foundations
As many of you know, we are a modular housing company, which means all of our homes are built off-site in a factory, rather than on-site like most traditional houses. Our houses’ foundations are built in a similar way - off-site in a factory and delivered via truck. We think this is a really interesting process, so we answered some questions about the process of creating prefab foundations.
Where are the foundations built?
Module’s foundations are created in a factory called Superior Walls, based in Carnegie, PA - about a 30-minute drive from our offices. Because the foundations are created in a factory and under a roof they tend to be higher quality, being protected from the elements. The factory also allows for precise manufacturing tools to provide concise specifications and dimensional accuracy to each project.
Once the foundations are finished in the factory, they are delivered to the job site via truck and installed with a crane and a set crew in a matter of hours.
Inside Superior Walls - the insulation before it is covered with concrete.
What is the process for creating these foundations?
At Superior Walls, each project is designed to fit its future site’s specifications exactly and is custom-designed. To create the foundation, concrete is poured and formed into panels that harden and will be placed together to create the foundations’ walls. The concrete is poured over insulation, instantly giving them the added benefit of an insulated foundation.
The foundation is formed into precast concrete wall panels and is designed to custom-fit the project. The foundation's walls can be complete with window and door openings as well. All of the joints are then sealed tightly with a special adhesive sealant.
Video of the concrete being poured over the insulation.
How are foundations typically built?
On-site foundation construction techniques can vary from site to site. A typical foundation usually takes days to complete and is extremely dependent on weather conditions, especially if it’s being made with concrete. In the winter months, it can be challenging to find days to build a concrete foundation when the weather is typically wet and cold. If insulation and waterproofing are to be added, the foundation needs to be extra dry, which can also be challenging in the winter as well.
Why is the prefab process better?
Superior Walls products and prefab foundations are created in a controlled factory environment to ensure that your new home’s foundation will be built to the industry’s highest standards. The concrete is reinforced with steel rebar, which provides maximum stability. Prefab foundations can also be customized to nearly any architectural style, providing you with complete design flexibility, something you can’t guarantee with on-site built foundations.
Trained crews install the foundations in less than one day, in virtually any weather.
On our latest project, we used Superior Walls for both the house’s foundation and the 2-car garage. The whole foundation setting took a mere 3-4 hours to complete! Seeing the foundation set always makes a project feel more real, and we can’t wait to set the complete house!
Comments