How does a basement digout affect my home's foundation walls?

A properly engineered and executed basement digout should not weaken your foundation walls. The staged excavation process is specifically designed to ensure that foundation walls and footings are never left without bearing support for more than a short, controlled period.

During the digout, the existing perimeter footings are extended or underpinned as the floor level is lowered, maintaining the structural integrity of the walls throughout. The structural engineer's drawings specify the maximum section that can be open at any one time and the required footing dimensions for the new depth.

If your foundation walls already have damage, such as bowing, horizontal cracking, or water infiltration, those conditions are evaluated and addressed before or during the digout. Completing a digout without addressing existing wall damage is not a practice Scaldino Basement Solutions follows.

After the project is complete, the new lower floor and perimeter drainage system often improve overall basement conditions. Contact Scaldino Basement Solutions to assess your foundation walls as part of your free digout evaluation.