Office Building Foundations
Commercial office building foundations in Allen, TX
As a general contractor working directly with developers and property owners, we deliver office building foundations services for commercial and industrial properties throughout Allen, TX and the DFW metroplex. No subcontracting, just our experienced crews, your project, and clear accountability.
Service Overview
Office building foundations support the concentrated loads of multi-story construction on North Texas expansive clay soils. These foundations must resist soil movement while maintaining the stability that protects building structure and occupant safety.
Most commercial office buildings in North Texas use post-tension foundation systems that resist soil movement through pre-compression of the slab. Post-tension foundations perform better than conventionally reinforced foundations on expansive clay, reducing the cracking and movement that can affect building performance.
Foundation construction for office buildings requires coordination with the structural engineer throughout the process. We review drawings, install post-tension tendons per specification, place concrete, and stress cables at the proper time. Documentation supports engineering inspection and approval.
Building pad preparation is equally important. We coordinate grading, moisture conditioning, and compaction to prepare the building pad per geotechnical recommendations. This preparation work prevents settlement and provides proper support for the foundation system.
What's Included
Scope inclusions for commercial office building foundations
- Building pad preparation
- Excavation and grade beam forming
- Post-tension tendon installation
- Below-slab utility coordination
- Vapor barrier installation
- Concrete placement
- Slab finishing
- Cable stressing
- Documentation and inspection coordination
Common Project Situations
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about office building foundations
Why are post-tension foundations preferred for office buildings?
Post-tension foundations resist soil movement better than conventionally reinforced foundations in North Texas clay. The pre-compression from tensioned cables creates a slab that acts as a rigid unit, reducing cracking and differential movement.
How do you coordinate with the structural engineer?
We maintain ongoing communication throughout foundation construction. We review drawings in advance, notify the engineer of field conditions, coordinate inspections, and document the construction process for engineering approval.
What site preparation is required before foundation construction?
Site preparation includes rough grading to design elevation, moisture conditioning of subgrade, compaction to specified density, and fine grading to foundation dimensions. Geotechnical testing verifies preparation quality.
How long does office building foundation construction take?
Timeline depends on building size and foundation complexity. A typical 20,000 SF office building foundation might take 2-4 weeks from excavation to stressing completion. Larger or more complex buildings take longer.
What documentation do you provide?
We provide tendon layout verification, concrete placement records, test results, stressing records, and inspection documentation. This complete record supports engineering approval and becomes part of the permanent building file.
Example Project Capability
Representative project scope
Situation
Corporate tenant needed owner-occupied office building with foundation performing reliably on challenging soil
Scope
38,000 SF post-tension foundation for three-story office building
Our Approach
Coordinated enhanced post-tension design with structural engineer, achieved precise tendon placement, documented complete construction process
Expected Outcome
Building completed and occupied for 5 years with no foundation issues, supporting corporate operations as planned
Contact us to discuss your office building foundation project in North Texas.
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