The Importance of a Strong Foundation in Construction

The strength of a building lies in it's foundation. The main purpose of any foundation is to hold the structure above it and keep it standing. On the contrary, a poorly constructed foundation can be highly dangerous to its occupants and the neighborhood for obvious reasons. With high-rise buildings climbing higher and higher, it has become even more crucial to have powerful foundations in large cities.

At Maloney Construction, we are proud of our track record for quality and cost-effective foundation work. We owe this record to our commitment to a team concept of project management, and by working closely with builders, contractors, architects, engineers and owners to achieve big things. From our closely monitored projects, both big and small, all the way to our first-class equipment and an outstanding crew, no detail ever goes unnoticed at Maloney Construction.

If you live in the Bay Area, you’re probably familiar with the problems and litigation surrounding the now notorious Millennial Tower in San Francisco. Because it's foundation wasn’t constructed properly, this building is sinking and it's tenants (including former Hall of Fame QB Joe Montana) and suing the owners in a huge civil case that will likely last for years.

So, what is the purpose of having a solid foundation?

In short, a foundation plays three major vital roles in the construction of a structure:

1. Its primary purpose is to support the load of the entire building
2. A well-designed and strong foundation keeps the building standing while the forces of nature wreak havoc. Well-built foundations keep the occupants of the building safe during calamities such as an earthquake, floods, strong winds etc.

The foundation must be built so that it keeps the ground moisture from seeping in and weakening the structure.

According to the construction experts and engineers, the foundation must be able to withstand the “dead” load and “live” loads. The dead load is the weight or the load of the basic structure itself. This is called dead load as it remains constant. On the other hand, the live load is the weight of the people and other objects that they bring with them. The foundation must be firm and must be able to channel the weight of the entire building to the ground. If the building is being constructed on sloping regions or moist ground, the foundation has to be customized and durable.

When you are looking to fix or build a foundation for either a residence or a commercial building, always seek out a reputable construction company like Maloney Construction, because we assure quality and will always meet the standards of construction mandated for safety and durability by using our 20-plus years of knowledge and experience.