When it comes to the overall quality of any given home, the foundation will play a big role. For one thing, very nearly 15% of the building costs will likely be diverted to the foundation and the foundation alone. And this is not a bad thing. After all, the more money you invest into your foundation, the better the end result is likely to be. Fortunately, there are a number of ways that you can ensure your foundation is created to the highest possible standard and will last you a great many years without issue.

For one thing, choosing the right kind of foundation will make or break the overall state of your foundation once you have been living in the home for awhile. There are actually three main types of foundation that you can choose from. Basement foundations and crawlspace foundations are both popular, as is split level foundation. All three foundations, however, cannot be used interchangeably. For instance, a home that is being built in a state such as Florida, where the soil is not the most stable and can be prone to erosion, should not utilize a basement or crawlspace basement. But in areas of the Midwest, where tornadoes are common, having a basement or even a crawlspace can be an important safety measure and not something to be overlooked. Therefore, weighing the pros and cons of each type of foundation is an absolute must when you’re in this process.

Certain steps can be taken to prevent damage to your foundation over the course of living in the home in question as well. For instance, proper gutter placement can end up making a world of difference. Ideally, you’ll be sure to place gutters in a way that diverts any water that goes through them to at least ten feet away from the foundation. In addition to this, gardening carefully will also play a role, as planting your garden at least two feet away from your foundation will help to keep everything in good shape. You want to make sure that you don’t plant anything too deeply as well, as this can also help to avoid any root interference with the foundation in question.

Waterproofing your basement space, should this be the type of foundation you have chosen, can also play a key and critical role in reducing the likelihood of any damage. After all, recent statistics show that more than 95% of all homes with basements are likely to suffer water damage at some point in time if such measures are not readily taken. This means that, without such measures, up to 14,000 different people in the United States alone will deal with some type of emergency related to water damage on a daily basis. In addition to this, more than 35% of this country’s population has had to contend with the water damage of their possessions at some point in time. So it should come as no surprise that exterior waterproofing services and interior waterproofing services alike can come with a return on investment that is as high as 30%, which is quite the impressive amount indeed.

But what happens if damage does occur or if the foundation simply suffers from wear and tear over time? Fortunately, foundation repair is commonplace and can be conducted on all different types of foundations. For instance, house leveling is a common way to bring foundation back to its former glory. House leveling will bring the house back up if the foundation has sunken a little, making house leveling an ideal process if you are looking to avoid damages to your foundation. House leveling is something that can be ideal to invest in if you are looking to sell your home as well, as house leveling is likely to raise the overall value of your home a good deal. And house leveling can get your home ready for a home foundation inspection, something that you’ll need to have conducted when you decide that you want to sell your home – especially if the home is older than 20 years. And the process of house leveling will be more than worth it.