Economical foundation

As is known, the foundation - the foundation of the house, his support and pledge of strength. On how to choose the type of foundation on the area for a future home, depends very much - the strength and durability of buildings, nerves and wallet owner. After correction of errors is difficult and expensive, it is much better to try to avoid them, giving the issue of laying the foundation emphasized.

Typically, the cost of the foundation is about 15-20% of the total value of the house. Is it possible to somehow reduce those numbers and find the option cost base, which would allow to reduce costs without compromising the future of the house and its strength.

In the journal "Home" I found a very interesting article. It proposes a non-standard option, which combines a shallow-buried and the pile foundation at the same time.



This diagram shows the monolithic pillars of reinforced concrete filled to a depth of 1.7 m in increments of approximately 2,5 m and the combined upper grillage, buried at 0,3 m grillage rests on a sand cushion thickness of 0,3 m and raised above the ground by 0,7 m.

In this foundation, poles, buried at 1,7 meters play the role of piles and submerged into the ground at a depth below the depth of soil freezing. Wide "skirt" prevents expulsion of the pillars of the soil. A small recessed tape, foundation, provides connectivity throughout the design and makes the stakes "walk" with respect to each other.

According to the method described by the foundation was laid for the two-story home from a bar of size 9x9. According to the author, this foundation was enough to provide reliable support large house. No complaints to the foundation there, the house stands firmly in their place.

By cons of this method include high labor costs. We must have a certain persistence and patience to pull up "skirt" for each column. But if you have your hands ready for it to take, then you can save significantly on the amount of costly concrete. For the erection of such a foundation it will require many times less than the construction of "ribbon" of the foundation.

Also, you must be very careful when pouring concrete on site for future posts - all of deepening should be densely filled with concrete so that no voids. Quite difficult to pack the concrete in the expansion of the pit, where it merges with the car. Of course you can use the mixer and mix the concrete yourself, but then the foundation will not be as monolithic as when filling once a large number of concrete.

Of course this method is not suitable for any terrain. Must take into account the soil and the groundwater level. Inspired by this example, we decided to do a foundation under the house by the described method. Began to prepare rebar for the pillars. But when we started to do the fence, dig holes for posts, we found that in August, the groundwater level rose very high and no longer went. There were doubts whether we will approach such an option. First pit with an extended bottom harder to pour concrete, if they are filled with water, and secondly, water may create additional pressure on the foundation, and it is unclear whether such a stand design.

Now, we regret to reject that option and more inclined to favor ribbon. But our case - is not an indicator. If conditions allow, it may, a foundation built on this principle will become a reliable pillar of your home.