| Adding a Foundation |
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Houses are heavy. They need something to hold up the house, the people and stuff in it, and be safe in a wind storm or other outside pressures. They need a good foundation. Most modern residences have well-engineered foundations of reinforced concrete or concrete blocks. Foundations even have their own foundations, called footings, that are wider to disperse the heavy load. Remodeling Words A foundation is the supporting portion of a structure below the first-floor construction or below grade, including the footings. On top of the foundation of most homes are lumber pieces called sill plates that attach the wood flooring system to the foundation. The sill plates are actually bolted on to the foundation so a strong wind won’t literally knock the house off its foundation. On top of the sill plate are joists, the floor’s frame system that absorbs all of the house’s weight and delivers it to the foundation. The flooring system is topped by wood or plywood called the subfloor.
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