House foundation ideas

[jayinwww]

I want to get a house and put it on a foundation. The problem is that everyone suggests to build a basement, but costs to build a basement is retarded expensive.

A concrete slab will move around because it's above the frost line.

A concrete crawl space is almost as expensive as a full basement from that quotes I got so far.

So my only option seems to be piles. So then I'm stuck with a mobile home on piles and the house depreciates a lot over time.

Would a concrete slab work with piles and be inexpensive?

[blacknorthernjk]

Permanent wood foundation perhaps?
If built correctly I have full faith in them.
We own an old farm house with one that was built wrong but still performs its function well

[lund17]

I agree with you that a concrete basement is a waste of money.

My parents have done it twice and just finished a building a house with a concrete slab on piles and it turned out great. A person only needs basement if land/lot size is limiting. If land is not a issue do not dig a basement.

If you are looking a hiring a builder to do the project, keep in mind that most residential builders do not know how to plan a build when they do not have access to a basement to run all the plumbing/electrical/water/gas lines.

Look at getting a commercial builder as they do this type of work every day. They have the experience at making sure everything is in the set in place before the concrete is poured.

[Grizzly Adams]

I agree with you that a concrete basement is a waste of money.

Houses services you'll have to relocate to the main floor, costing space, not to mention storage basements provide and potential future living space. Be a hard sell in the future as well. Poor economy.

Grizz

[Sundancefisher]

How much is a 9 foot ceiling concrete basement with steal truss egress windows and an exit door? Say 1000 sqft bungalo.

[jayinwww]

Originally Posted by lund17

I agree with you that a concrete basement is a waste of money.

My parents have done it twice and just finished a building a house with a concrete slab on piles and it turned out great. A person only needs basement if land/lot size is limiting. If land is not a issue do not dig a basement.

If you are looking a hiring a builder to do the project, keep in mind that most residential builders do not know how to plan a build when they do not have access to a basement to run all the plumbing/electrical/water/gas lines.

Look at getting a commercial builder as they do this type of work every day. They have the experience at making sure everything is in the set in place before the concrete is poured.

Yes I believe a concrete slab on piles is also the answer. Did they build this in alberta? You have a contact for me? lol

[Dewey Cox]

When you say you "want to get a house and put it on a foundation" what are you talking about? New, rtm? Old house moved in? Trailer?

[sikwhiskey]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

How much is a 9 foot ceiling concrete basement with steal truss egress windows and an exit door? Say 1000 sqft bungalo.

With icf which I can recommend, 35-45k for footings and walls. Another 4-8k for floor. I just did a 2 story with basement with 9’ ceilings to the roof. a 38x8.5 icf bunker/cold storage, with concrete roof that is the front deck. $120k to the roof line all icf. Basement is only 5ft below ground level, a lot of back fill.
That price also include footings and 5’ icf frost wall on a 38x36 attached garage.

[jayinwww]

Originally Posted by sikwhiskey

With icf which I can recommend, 35-45k for footings and walls. Another 4-8k for floor. I just did a 2 story with basement with 9’ ceilings to the roof. a 38x8.5 icf bunker/cold storage, with concrete roof that is the front deck. $120k to the roof line all icf. Basement is only 5ft below ground level, a lot of back fill.
That price also include footings and 5’ icf frost wall on a 38x36 attached garage.

How much did your full build cost?

[ronkaren]

another thing you might want to consider, if the trailer is on a foundation, or secured by piles, mortgage company will finance it, slab not likely.

[Ken07AOVette]

I love my basement. I would have half the house without it. My house would be a 3 bedroom 1 bath 1 living room, kitchen without, with is a 6 bedroom 2 family rooms, 2 bath, 1 huge movie room, big office, big furnace room. Does it make the house worth twice as much? I would have too say nearly, I guarantee I wouldn't buy a house without one. Mine is 4' concrete with 4' pony walls so I have huge windows downstairs.
The market is soft people are hungry you may find a reasonable contractor depending on where you want to build.

[Trochu]

Originally Posted by jayinwww

I want to get a house and put it on a foundation. The problem is that everyone suggests to build a basement, but costs to build a basement is retarded expensive.

A concrete slab will move around because it's above the frost line.

A concrete crawl space is almost as expensive as a full basement from that quotes I got so far.

So my only option seems to be piles. So then I'm stuck with a mobile home on piles and the house depreciates a lot over time.

Would a concrete slab work with piles and be inexpensive?

You can essentially do whatever you want, depending on your location and needs. Shallow foundation (pad & pier, footings, thickened edge slab), screw piles, driven piles, concrete piles, house, modular, mobile..... take your pick.

[sikwhiskey]

Originally Posted by jayinwww

How much did your full build cost?

Around 550k, a big chunk of that was getting utilities, 8k for power, 10k gas, 12.3k water, and 35k for cistern /septic. 12k for road in, 35k for the county subdivision extortion fee, and another 10-12k for the code extortionists to make their cut. Just the house alone with garage and framed drywalled basement around 350k. Acreages are$$$$
Love the house, warm, quiet. Thermostat on each floor, in floor heat, insulated sound proofed floors, walk out basement suit for when the in-laws visit.
I wanted to build a small home......I would absolutely go with icf again and definitely have a basement. My original plan was a 1200sqf bungalow plain and simple, 3 baths and huge garbage..... wife had other plans lol
Icf goes up quick and your insulation/ vapour barrier are done as soon as the cement drys

[sikwhiskey]

A friend of mine built a modular home just after I started mine. Bought the house built the basement and a double garage did a lot of the work himself as did I, he’s at 350k without lot and his resale value on the house is about 400k. Something to ponder.

[Redneck 7]

I would go two routes, permanent wood foundation, 6’ deep leaving you 2’ above the ground, or a 4’ tall grade beam on piles 2’ above the ground. ( could go permanent wood foundation the same as the grade beam route ) I recommend the grade beam over slab on grade with a thickening and piles because seems like you want to put a house on it so no point having a concrete floor under a wood framed floor. If you don’t have a main floor, I’d go slab on grade with in floor heating.

[Map Maker]

What does “get a house” mean?

The reason why people put in basements is because you have to get below the frost line so there is no settlement.
You have to dig 8’ down might as well dig it out and double your floor space.
One day for a backhoe to dig. The walls and thin slab won’t be much more concrete than piles and grade beam
I really don’t see what your trying to do.

[Sneeze]

Lots of ways to skin a cat. Even more ways to pay an engineer.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Kens basement is by far most economic and functional. A 4' concrete wall then 2x6 pony wall saves half concrete and better insulation. You can also have 9' walls and very functional walkout basement area.

[klondiker]

Excavation and foundation pics for the house I just built in the Yukon. You can definitely do a slab on grade, you just have to make sure you have everything in order.

Excavate to remove organics, approx 4-5 feet where we are, and then we brought in lots of pit run, which was wetted and compacted in 8-12 inch lifts. Then we brought in 12 inches of gravel, which was wetted and compacted in two 6 inch lifts. After that it was time for the Terrafoam, R-20, so a 4 inch thick piece, under the foundation, and up the sides of the foundation. We did a mono-pour slab, so the footings and slab are done in one continuous pour. Once the slab was cured, we put more Terrafoam extending out from the edge of the footings for 6 feet, that way the frost can't get anywhere near the foundation and cause it to heave or shift.

It's only the two of us in the house, so 1300 square feet with in-floor heat supplied by an outdoor wood boiler.

You just have to take the time to plan it out and get the correct people involved.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

I love my basement. I would have half the house without it. My house would be a 3 bedroom 1 bath 1 living room, kitchen without, with is a 6 bedroom 2 family rooms, 2 bath, 1 huge movie room, big office, big furnace room. Does it make the house worth twice as much? I would have too say nearly, I guarantee I wouldn't buy a house without one. Mine is 4' concrete with 4' pony walls so I have huge windows downstairs.
The market is soft people are hungry you may find a reasonable contractor depending on where you want to build.

Then, there's the Micro house movement. Slums of the future.

Grizz

[klondiker]

She just moved in this past week while I was away in Alberta for work.

[Kim473]

At the very least, I would go with a crawl space with concrete floor. Place to run plumbing and heating. For the few extra $ go with a full basement as you can have laundry and furnace there thus increasing usable space on main floor for living area. Can develop basement in years to come.

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Then, there's the Micro house movement. Slums of the future.

Grizz

have you seen the prices of some of those garden sheds??? $100,000 for 120 sq ft????

[Dewey Cox]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

have you seen the prices of some of those garden sheds??? $100,000 for 120 sq ft????

Dont get me started on the tiny house movement.
They all insist on building them on a trailer, but say they are going to leave them in place.
If you want to have a house on a trailer, buy an RV. If you want your house to be more permanent, build it on skids.
They are all built on whatever flat deck trailer they can get for cheapest, and suffer greatly for it.
There are so many better options (cost wise and function wise) out there than what the common tiny house is.
I'm not saying that downsizing or living more simply is a bad idea, just that most tiny houses are designed, built, and bought by people who have their heads in the clouds.

Sorry for the rant...

[sikwhiskey]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Dont get me started on the tiny house movement.
They all insist on building them on a trailer, but say they are going to leave them in place.
If you want to have a house on a trailer, buy an RV. If you want your house to be more permanent, build it on skids.
They are all built on whatever flat deck trailer they can get for cheapest, and suffer greatly for it.
There are so many better options (cost wise and function wise) out there than what the common tiny house is.
I'm not saying that downsizing or living more simply is a bad idea, just that most tiny houses are designed, built, and bought by people who have their heads in the clouds.

Sorry for the rant...

Only good thing about a mobile home is low property tax to the county thieves

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Dont get me started on the tiny house movement.
They all insist on building them on a trailer, but say they are going to leave them in place.
If you want to have a house on a trailer, buy an RV. If you want your house to be more permanent, build it on skids.
They are all built on whatever flat deck trailer they can get for cheapest, and suffer greatly for it.
There are so many better options (cost wise and function wise) out there than what the common tiny house is.
I'm not saying that downsizing or living more simply is a bad idea, just that most tiny houses are designed, built, and bought by people who have their heads in the clouds.

Sorry for the rant...

In the clouds or up their exhaust, something is off.

I saw a train wreck on a forum where someone was trying to sell a 'custom tiny house' which was a cross between a garage package/storage shed/out house for come crazy amount because it had hardwood floors! Something like $85,000.00 for this piece of trash, it was absolutely hilarious. Massive pigpile on the guy, he may have left the province lol.

[cloudyjessy]

Originally Posted by sikwhiskey

Around 550k, a big chunk of that was getting utilities, 8k for power, 10k gas, 12.3k water, and 35k for cistern /septic. 12k for road in, 35k for the county subdivision extortion fee, and another 10-12k for the code extortionists to make their cut. Just the house alone with garage and framed drywalled basement around 350k. Acreages are$$$$
Love the house, warm, quiet. Thermostat on each floor, in floor heat, insulated sound proofed floors, walk out basement suit for when the in-laws visit.
I wanted to build a small home......I would absolutely go with icf again and definitely have a basement. My original plan was a 1200sqf bungalow plain and simple, 3 baths and huge garbage..... wife had other plans lol
Icf goes up quick and your insulation/ vapour barrier are done as soon as the cement drys

Sounds like my original idea of no basement for a house on our property needs to be adjusted a bit. I'm not sure of my water table as I have tamaracks to the North and a long slope to a creek on the South. The bungalow with no stairs might be a bi level. Is there a test for finding out where the water table is prior to digging?

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Dont get me started on the tiny house movement.
They all insist on building them on a trailer, but say they are going to leave them in place.
If you want to have a house on a trailer, buy an RV. If you want your house to be more permanent, build it on skids.
They are all built on whatever flat deck trailer they can get for cheapest, and suffer greatly for it.
There are so many better options (cost wise and function wise) out there than what the common tiny house is.
I'm not saying that downsizing or living more simply is a bad idea, just that most tiny houses are designed, built, and bought by people who have their heads in the clouds.

Sorry for the rant...

The logical choice would be the park model of a mobile home. Lots of RV parks built on them , practical and attractive. Some people just seem to love Ugly.

Grizz

[Big Grey Wolf]

Cloudy, just dig a quick hole with backhoe to check for water table, but obviously do it during high rainfall year. You could also drill hole with hand or power auger.

[cloudyjessy]

Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf

Cloudy, just dig a quick hole with backhoe to check for water table, but obviously do it during high rainfall year. You could also drill hole with hand or power auger.

Thanks. I'll use the power auger a d try to get to 4 ft., cover it and watch it for a few months.