At Rostrinium, we know that the safety and stability of your home are essential, and the structure of your home plays a crucial role in this. If you’ve ever wondered when and how to reinforce a home’s structure, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we guide you through the warning signs that indicate the need for structural reinforcement, the most effective methods, and the factors that will influence costs. Join us to discover how to ensure your home remains solid and safe over time.
What is the structure of a house and why is it key to safety?
The structure of a house includes the foundation, floors, beams, pillars, and load-bearing walls, which work together to transmit loads to the ground. Their function is to ensure stability against wind, seismic activity, and the dead weight of the materials. When any of these components fail, the safety of the occupants and property is compromised; hence the importance of designing, inspecting, and, if necessary, reinforcing the structure of the house in accordance with technical and regulatory criteria (CTE, Eurocodes).
When should you reinforce the structure of a house?
A professional should schedule an intervention if any of the following signs are observed:
- Diagonal or stair-shaped cracks in load-bearing walls, especially over openings.
- Visible differential settlements in the floor and door jambs (loss of squareness).
- Excessive vibrations or creaking in wooden or metal floors.
- Corrosion of exposed reinforcement due to peeling of the coating.
- Deformations (deflections) greater than those permitted by the standard.
These signs warn of a lack of resilient capacity or rigidity. Early intervention prevents progressive damage and reduces repair costs.
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Methods to reinforce the structure of an old house
Reinforcement of load-bearing walls with metal beams and pillars
When load-bearing walls lose strength—due to the replacement of openings, moisture, or calculation errors—metal frames are used. Steel beams and columns are installed to redistribute loads to sound elements. The procedure includes:
- Controlled opening of grooves for embedding sheets or profiles.
- Shrink-free mortar injection to achieve a monolithic bond.
- Anti-corrosion protection and, indoors, plasterboard enclosure.
This system increases overall ductility and allows for immediate capacity gains.
How to reinforce the foundations of an already built house?
Reinforcing the foundation of an existing home depends on the condition of the land and the available space. The most common techniques are:
- Reinforced concrete fins: Footings attached with drilled rods are concreted to the original foundation.
- Pilings and strut beams: These distribute the load from the pillars using horizontal tie blocks.
- Perimeter truss: Recommended when excavating a basement and needing to contain pressure surges.
These solutions compensate for capacity loss due to erosion, leaks, or overloads added during renovations.
Micropiles and resin injections: solutions for reinforcing foundations
If the footings cannot be widened laterally, micropiles (90–200 mm diameter) transfer the weight to more capable strata. Dry drilling minimizes vibrations and is ideal for adjacent homes. Another option is the injection of expansive resins, which improves the ground’s bearing capacity; the resin polymerizes, slightly raising the slab and sealing washout gaps. This option is clean and quick, but requires a prior geotechnical study to avoid unwanted overpressure.
Costs: How much does it cost to build a house frame and how much does it cost to reinforce it?
Price for reinforcing the structure of an old house
The price of reinforcing the structure of an old house varies depending on:
Accessibility: Work in historic centers can increase in cost by 20% due to the use of special support equipment.
- Degree of impact: Completely replacing wooden floors is more expensive than adding specific reinforcements.
- Technique chosen: Rolled steel versus carbon fiber composites (the latter double the material cost).
A guideline range in Spain is between $180 and $350/m² of affected surface.
How much does it cost to build a house structure from scratch?
For a 150 m² single-family home, the cost of constructing the structure ranges between $220 and $260 per m² of built area, including foundations, plumbing, beams, and reinforced concrete slabs. This figure can increase by up to 15% in poor-quality soils that require piling.
Reinforcing the foundations: price per linear meter and usual items
The price of reinforcing the foundation starts at $150/m2 for concrete fins on a single continuous footing and reaches $450/m2 with micropiles and a tie beam. The basic items are:
- Geotechnical testing ($1,500 – $2,000).
- Excavation and shoring (25 – 40 $/m³).
- Concrete and reinforcements (95 – 150 $/ml).
- Injection or drilling of micropiles (280 – 320 $/ml).
These figures serve as a guide; a structural study will provide the final breakdown.
Steps to hire a structural reinforcement service
- Structural diagnosis : commission a report from an engineer or architect specializing in house structures.
- Technical project : defines the calculations, plans, and specifications; it is essential for licensing and project management.
- Comparison of offers : Request at least three quotes that include auxiliary equipment, deadlines, and welding or concreting certifications.
- Construction plan : coordinate reinforcements with installers to avoid drilling into newly constructed elements.
- Quality control and monitoring : Tensile testing on anchors, ultrasonic testing, and topographical inspections ensure that the reinforcement meets specifications.
- Reception and maintenance : Incorporate reinforcement into the housing documentation and schedule periodic inspections, especially in corrosive or seismic environments.
In short, having a professional structural inspection of your home is key to detecting potential problems early and implementing the best solution, whether with metal beams or micropiles. Although costs will vary depending on the technique and scale of the work, investing now can prevent costly repairs in the future. Don’t ignore warning signs, analyze the terrain, and always trust experts to ensure the safety and durability of the structure. If you’re thinking about renovating or building a home, at Rostrinium we can help you with comprehensive renovations in Murcia and home construction .
