Foundation on house: 3 Most Popular House Foundations

3 Most Popular House Foundations

By definition, a home foundation is the load-bearing portion of the structure, typically built below ground.

At a minimum, any house foundation must do three things well:

Support the structure above
Keep out groundwater
Act as a barrier to water and soil vapor

That’s pretty much it. But, like everything in homebuilding, you have choices.

Luckily, those choices are pretty straightforward, and their relative advantages and disadvantages are crystal clear.

And while deciding what type of house foundation is right for you isn’t the most exciting part of planning your build, it’s undoubtedly one of the most important (and earliest) steps.

For the sake of keeping this article organized, we’ll discuss the three types of home foundations you’re most likely to encounter in this market, starting with the least expensive, a concrete slab foundation.

1. Concrete Slab Foundation

A concrete slab is one of the most common types of house foundations, requiring the least amount of lot prep to begin building.

Installation is simple compared to other house foundation types, making slab foundations popular among homeowners for their relatively low price tag.

Like all foundations, the slab starts with concrete footing poured 24 inches below projected finish grade. After the footers are poured, a minimum of two layers of concrete block are laid on top of the footers. After the blocks are laid all internal piping is installed. Then a rock filler is added, followed by four inches of concrete poured on top.

Pictured: The same home, with a slab foundation, after the footers have been poured and block laid. At this stage, it is ready for the plumbing to be run, full rock added and then the concrete poured.

Advantages of a Concrete Slab Foundation

Price: Generally, slab foundations are your cheapest option when it comes to foundations, an excellent choice if budget is front-of-mind.
Low Maintenance: Of all foundation-types, slabs require the least amount of maintenance, adding to their pricing value.
Speed: Slabs are easier and faster to build, which translates to lower costs (for you) and potentially earlier completion-times for your home.

Disadvantages of a Concrete Slab Foundation

Potentially Expensive Repairs: Plumbing systems are buried BELOW the slab, making foundation repair costly as you’ll have to first break through the concrete slab to reach the piping. However, with the new technology, like pex plumbing systems, increasingly used by builders, the eventual need to access below your slab is far less likely than in the past.
Bad Weather: Slabs offer minimal protection to your home from storms and other inclement weather events.

One more thing to consider:

As with all house foundations, builders should always ensure proper drainage away from the structure to ensure protection from moisture and runoff damage.

2. Crawl Space Foundation

Homes with a crawl space foundation are elevated a few feet off the ground. Like a slab, a footing is poured, then blocks are laid to create the foundation to support the walls of the structure.

Building a crawl space foundation will save on cost compared to a basement, but not necessarily time, as they take about as much time to build as a full basement foundation.

Advantages of a Crawl Space Foundation

Accessible Utilities: Resolving the slab’s biggest drawback, a crawl space facilitates easier access to your home’s wiring, piping, and ductwork, making for easy repairs and future upgrades.
Warmer Floors: Unlike a slab foundation, the first floor of a home built on a crawl space won’t feel like it’s built on concrete. In fact, the floors tend to be warmer because crawl space is conditioned.

Disadvantages of a Crawl Space Foundation

Prone to Moisture: Even with the installation of cutting-edge vapor barriers, it is still possible for crawl spaces to support the growth of mold and fungi. You’ll want to keep an eye on your crawl space for this reason. In the case of Reinbrecht Homes, our conditioned crawl spaces further help to moisture problems at bay.
Little Protection from Storms: Like slab foundations, crawl spaces offer the structure of your home little-to-no protection from inclement weather.

One more thing to consider:

It’s imperative to insulate the exterior walls of your crawl space.
To see if a crawl space is the right house foundation for your new home, download our guide to foundations.

3. Basement Foundation

A basement, in literal terms, is an eight-foot (or deeper) hole that ends in a concrete slab.

For a long time, basement walls were built with cinder blocks. As a result, they were prone to structural failures and leaks as they aged.

These days, and specifically at Reinbrecht Homes, all are built with poured concrete walls, which have virtually eliminated most house foundation problems related to structural integrity and moisture permeation.

Basements are excellent for anchoring a property to the ground while extending the foundation below the area’s frost line, which helps maintain the integrity of the foundation over time.

Advantages of a Basement Foundation

- More, Cheap Square Footage: Arguably the greatest advantage to a basement foundation is the additional square-footage gained — and at a much lower cost per square foot than other parts of the home.
- Seasonal Living Space: Great for smaller-footprint homes, the addition of a finished basement creates energy-efficient living spaces that pair well with changing seasons, staying warm in winter and cool in summer.
- Easy-Access for Repairs: It goes without saying that it’s easier (and cheaper) for technicians to make repairs to your home’s utilities standing up rather than crawling in a crawl space or digging into a slab.
- Storm Protection: For both you, the residents, as well as your home. Basements make great shelters from the worst mother nature can throw at you, while still providing a solid anchor for your home.

Disadvantages of a Basement Foundation

- Increased Foundation Cost: A basement is understandably the most expensive foundation-type of the three mentioned here — more so if you choose to finish that space. Even then, that finished basement square footage will most likely be the least expensive in your entire home.
- Potential Flooding: Without a sump pump, you may end up with a flooded basement. To combat (and virtually eliminate the threat of) flooding, we recommend battery backup, generators or water-flow backups. In all cases, though, the best scenario to prevent potential flooding is ensuring a natural path for drainage.
- Lack of Natural Light: If you’re converting your basement into a living space, and it’s NOT a walkout, you might have to find creative ways of bringing some light into the space. Again, this isn’t an issue with walkout basements.

Pictured: A walkout basement just after the floor was poured.

What’s a Raised Slab Foundation?

Raised slab foundations are resistant to moisture, resilient in harsh weather conditions, and ideal for coastal properties. A cross between a crawl space and a slab foundation, raised slab foundations have a base structure complete with a perimeter of footings. The interior is filled with rocks, and then the structure capped with concrete.

What type of house foundation gets you the home you want at a price that makes sense?

It’s worth noting that, if they’re built correctly, there is no house foundation type that should “hold up” better than the others in terms of longevity. There is technically no “strongest” type of foundation.

Similarly, besides the topography of your lot, there really isn’t a major reason to choose one over another based on geography or soil-type.

Your decision on which house foundation to use in your new house boils down to personal preference and budget.

To learn more, read our in-depth, illustrated guide to house foundations.

Learn about all of the features that come standard with a semi-custom home in our standards guide. housm

House Foundations | Types, Costs and FAQs

House Foundations | Types, Costs and FAQs | Square One

Updated August 31, 2022

Your foundation is the unsung hero of your home. Often overlooked, it supports the entire frame of your property, prevents groundwater from entering your home, and can provide additional storage or living space. But did you know that the type of foundation your home uses can affect your home insurance premium? Here’s everything you need to know about the most common types of foundation.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE – 6:02

Topics

What is a foundation?

A foundation is simply the lowest load bearing part of your home. It serves three main purposes.

Firstly, the foundation bears the weight of the entire house, transferring the force through to the ground beneath. For this reason, most (though not all) foundations are made of concrete and dug into the earth for added stability.

Secondly, your foundation essentially holds your house in place, acting as an anchor between the frame (the walls, ceilings, etc.) and the ground below. In the event of natural disasters (such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis) or more routine adverse weather conditions (such as floods, wind, and frost-heave) your foundation stops your home from being washed or blown away.

Finally, a well-laid foundation can help waterproof your property and prevent groundwater from rising into the lower reaches of your home.

Types of foundation

There are three types of foundation commonly used in homes across North America; the type used depends on the climate, soil and groundwater levels in your area.

Basement foundation

Basements are a common feature of many homes, yet some people may not be aware that a basement is actually a type of foundation. Modern basements are usually constructed of concrete that’s poured to form a hollow, below grade structure. But what does that actually mean?

‘Below grade’ simply means below the ground. So, before the concrete is poured, contractors will excavate and treat a hole in the earth. Basements are usually between 6 and 8 feet deep, depending on soil conditions. When the base of the foundation is laid, it forms both the bottom-most load bearing element of your home, and the floor of the basement.

Basements can be both fully and partially below-grade. Some owners prefer the latter option as it often allows more natural light into the property, which has advantages when the space is used for residential purposes.

This brings us onto the second element of basement construction. The term ‘hollow’ refers to the fact that basements must be large enough for an adult to stand in. Chances are, if you can’t stand in the lowest floor of your home, your foundation is either a crawl space or a basement built before the current basement-height regulations were put into effect.

Common terms you may hear when researching homes with basements are ‘finished’, ‘unfinished’, ‘full’, and ‘partial’. Unfinished basements are not designed to be lived in. Often the walls and floor are the bare concrete of the foundation. The basement may contain electrical wiring systems, plumbing pipes and your hot water heater. A ‘finished’ basement is one that’s fit for habitation, usually with drywall, flooring, a finished ceiling, and other comfortable features similar to what you’d find on the main level of the home.

The term ‘finished’ basement is often considered synonymous with a ‘full’ basement, but this is actually a misnomer. A full basement is simply one that’s big enough to stand in- so your basement can be full, but still unfinished. A partial basement is one where only a portion of the space is big enough to stand in. The rest might be similar to a crawl space.

As mentioned above, modern basements are usually constructed of poured concrete, though older homes, and those located in drier regions, may use concrete blocks or bricks. While this method of construction is reasonably solid, it does present an increased risk of water intrusion and can make it more difficult to determine the cause of a loss.

Crawl Spaces

Source

A crawl space foundation raises your home 1 to 3 feet off the ground; enough space to crawl, but not to stand- hence the name. This type of foundation is often preferred in moist climates, as the home is elevated from the damp ground.

Crawl spaces are fully enclosed and can’t be used as living space. Some serve as a location for plumbing pipes and other utilities. Some homeowners use their crawl space for storage, but this is not recommended, as moisture from the damp ground can enter the crawl space and cause damage to property, especially organic items (such as paper records) or items stored in cardboard boxes.

For the same reason, crawl spaces are prone to mould and bacteria growth which can cause damage to wood floors and surfaces, drywall, and some types of insulation. If you’re considering a crawl space foundation, be sure to take the proper steps when sealing and venting the area. You can learn more about how to waterproof your basement here.

Slab foundation

A slab (or slab-on-grade) foundation, as the name suggests, is a slab of concrete that sits on the final grade of your property. It’s usually a few inches thick, and is poured thicker at the edges to form a footing. Reinforcing steel rods then strengthen the footing and the frame of your home is attached. This type of foundation is the simplest and cheapest to manufacture, requiring very little on-site preparation. From a structural perspective, concrete slab foundations provide a durable, level surface for floors; homes built on slabs rarely experience problems with creaking fixtures as the home settles over time.

The downside of a slab foundation relates to its strength in extreme conditions. As it’s not dug into the earth, a slab foundation doesn’t provide as stable a base for your home as a basement or crawl space.

Foundations and insurance

If you can, do some research on your foundation before getting a quote, as you’ll need to answer a few questions during the application. The type of foundation used in your home’s construction can impact your insurance premium, and in some cases determine whether coverage is available at all. For example, Square One will ask you what form of foundation supports your home, and what kind of waterproofing has been undertaken in your crawlspace. We’ll also ask if the foundation shows any visible signs of erosion or cracking, as this may compromise its structural rigidity.

An important consideration when choosing a home insurance provider is the degree to which they will rebuild your home. Will you receive actual cash value or replacement cost? Square One goes one step further by offering Guaranteed Building Replacement Coverage to customers who agree to insure to the replacement cost of their home.

This means that, in the event of a total loss (a fire, say), we’ll rebuild your home even if it costs more than your limit of insurance. Even better, if there have been changes in the bylaws relating to the construction of basements since your home was built, we’ll rebuild to meet the current requirements at no additional cost to you.

It only takes 5 minutes

ready for an online quote? Policies start at $12/month if you rent your home and $40/month if you own your home. To see how much you can save with Square One, get a personalized online quote now.

Policy Exclusions

All of Square One’s policies are comprehensive (or ‘all risk’). This means they insure against everything except for a list of exclusions. When insuring your home, consider how these exclusions relate to your foundation. For example, damage caused by the following perils is not covered under your policy:

Wear and tear

Mould

Condensation

Contamination

When considering the state of your foundation, the primary concern for an insurance provider is waterproofing. Rising groundwater, freeze/thaw cycles and tree roots can all compromise the integrity of your foundation, and once moisture gets in, it can be difficult to treat, often leading to further damage.

In some climates, it can be almost impossible to stop water from penetrating the earth that surrounds your foundation, so it’s vital that such foundations feature adequate drainage. It’s also a good idea to install a sump pump in your basement or crawl space. This pump sits in the lowest part of your home and activates once water is detected, moving it away from your foundation through a network of pipes.

Sump pumps are useful not only for homes in wetter climates, but also for any home that may experience storms or flooding. When properly installed with a back-up power system (such as a battery or generator), Square One may apply a discount to your premium, as a sump pump can significantly reduce the chance of water damage at your property.

Your policy also excludes damage caused by settling, sinking, buckling or cracking of the structure. This exclusion highlights the importance of selecting the right type of foundation for your location, and selecting a reputable contractor to undertake the work.

For a more complete list of exclusions, check your Square One policy, or check out common exclusions in home insurance, where we break down excluded losses you should be aware of.

Commonly asked questions

What is the strongest type of foundation?

While this depends on the property and type of soil under discussion, the strongest foundations are generally those dug into the earth to provide a stable base for the property above. While high-rise buildings like apartment blocks may excavate a pit of 30 metres or more for a foundation, 6-8 feet is usually sufficient for residential properties. Of the three types of foundations discussed in this article, basements provide the strongest platform for your home- hence why their inclusion has been so widely adopted. If you’re thinking about building a home, be sure to discuss foundation types with your contractor and determine which will be the best type for your exact ground and climate conditions.

When buying a home insurance policy, the most significant cost item will be the Building limit of coverage. Your foundation is part of that cost, but on average, the type of foundation is less likely to have an effect on your premium than other factors that you can control, like the type of roof, presence of a sump pump, and whether you have a claims-free history.

How do I make sure my foundation is waterproof?

Many waterproofing issues can be fixed through two simple solutions; adding or repairing gutters and downspouts so that water is able to drain away from your foundation, and grading your soil to slope away from your foundation so that water isn’t encouraged to settle. You might also consider installing a French Drain at your property and installing a sump pump. Other internal measures, like applying sealant to the foundation, can also be of value if professionally performed.

How much does a foundation cost?

The cost of a foundation depends on many factors including the size of your home and the type of foundation you choose. As a general guide, expect to pay around $5 per square foot for a slab foundation, $8 per square foot for a crawl space, and $20 per square foot for a basement, according to Home Advisor.

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What is a House Foundation? | House Foundation Types

The foundation of a house is by far one of the most important aspects of any structure. Without a strong house foundation, your dream home would come crumbling down to the ground with the first gust of wind, or at the slightest shift of the earth. Not all home foundations are created equal, as different demands on a home require different types of foundations. For example, a home in the flatlands of North Dakota that must endure frigid winter temperatures may require a different house foundation than a home in Florida that must endure 150 mile per hour winds during a hurricane. Come with us as we explore what a home foundation is, why home foundations are so important and the different types of foundations.

Why do Houses Have Foundations?

Home foundations serve as the essential floor that a house rests on. The ground beneath us moves often and can stretch a home beyond its limits due to the fact that the ground does not move uniformly and at the same time. A home foundation not only works to keep the house level and still, but also insulate the home – keeping the moisture out, and the warmth in. Another important reason for a house foundation is to keep it level. For example, if a house is on a hill, or uneven terrain, a perfectly flat house foundation will allow the home to sit level, and not have you roll out of bed at night because your house sits at a 45º angle. The foundation of a house ensures that your stays where it is and maintains it’s structure.

What House Foundation Types are There?

Since each home is unique in terms of the ground that it is built on and the situations it might face, there are many different house foundation types, each which have their own benefits and drawbacks. Here are the most common types of house foundations:

1. Concrete Slab Foundation:

A concrete slab house foundation is one of the most commonly used house foundation types. Most commonly set between four to eight inches thick, these house foundations are made up of poured concrete reinforced with steel rods, along with drainage pipes. These types of foundations are often low-cost and reliable but can become troublesome if a drain line is damaged. In addition, these types of foundations may not be suitable in places prone to hurricanes and flooding.

2. Basement Foundation:

Basement foundations are built using a perimeter of concrete pillars to support the home’s structure above ground. This house foundation type can be greatly beneficial due to the fact that it provides additional square footage to the home and can provide a multitude of options on how the space is utilized. However, basement foundations come with drawbacks of their own. Basement foundations are the costliest option of all the home foundation types and is prone to issues like moisture, mold, and flooding. When choosing this type of foundation, be sure to evaluate the costs and the area it will be situated.

3. Crawl Space Foundation:

Crawl space foundations are constructed of reinforced concrete pillars that stand only three to four feet high, effectively supporting the home above the ground. Not only does this house foundation type provide excellent ventilation, but it also provides a level of protection against minor flooding, making it a common option for areas that experience mild floods during the rainy season. This house foundation also provides handy storage options but can become a problem if not sealed properly. Not only would a wet crawlspace result in damage of stored items, but can also be an issue if standing water begins to jeopardize the stillness of the ground the house foundation sits on.

What is a Raised Foundation of a House?

Quite simply, a raised foundation is a house foundation that sits above the ground. This is accomplished by building reinforced pillars that allow the house to sit above the ground. These pillars are often two to three feet off the ground which provides excellent ventilation and also provides protection against flooding. These raised foundations are also beneficial because they provide storage space for owners and prevents the typical warming that flat concrete foundations experience in the summer.

How Deep is The Foundation of a House?

House foundation depths vary depending on the dynamics of the house. Typically, a house with 8-foot walls will require a 4-inch thick concrete slab foundation. These 4-inch slabs are often poured to form two to four-foot-deep pillars. Often, gravel is poured between the beams and underneath the slab to allow proper ventilation and drainage. For homes with raised foundations, a concrete slab or durable foam is often used on the ground along with reinforced concrete pillars that plunge two to four feet in the ground that allows the house to set above ground.

Pulte Homes has over 65 years of experience and builds homes with the homeowner in mind. Not only will your Pulte home be built with you in mind, but our homes feature flexible and customizable floor plans, which allows your home to flex to your needs. Our homes are built of the highest quality and come complete with a 10-year limited structural warranty. We build homes with the most secure foundations to ensure that your home is built to last, rain or shine.

Contributed to Your Home blog by Joshlin Grayson

Looking for more tips, ideas or inspiration? Return Home here.

Published 3.13.19

Foundation

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Strong House Foundations: Materials, Weight, and Process

A house foundation is forever, so it makes sense to pay attention to the details that ensure it will remain dry and crack-free for as long as it has a house to hold up.

What is the Main Purpose of a Foundation?

A proper foundation does more than just hold a house above ground. Building foundations also keep out moisture, insulates against the cold, and resists movement of the earth around it. Oh, and one more thing: It should last forever. No wonder builders like This Old House general contractor Tom Silva take foundations seriously. “Without a good one,” he says, “you’re sunk.”

What Makes a Good Building Foundation?

For Tom, “good” means steel-reinforced foundation walls and footings made of poured concrete. By comparison, all the laboriously assembled foundations of stone, brick, and mortar that have supported buildings for centuries—even the walls of concrete block that most builders were using when This Old House was launched 25 years ago—are just crack- and leak-prone dinosaurs.

How Are Building Foundations Made?

Building a good foundation requires a lot more than digging a hole and pouring some concrete into forms. It must be tailored to its site like a custom suit, taking into account soil conditions, water tables, even the quality of the backfill.

And as with a custom suit, every detail must be perfect: the base properly compacted, the formwork set up right, the concrete free of voids. Neglect even one of these, and the most carefully poured foundation can fail.

Until a better method comes along, here’s how Tom builds a foundation that lasts.

Foundation Facts

The weight of an average house: 50 tons
The weight of an average foundation: 7 ½ tons
Percentage of total project cost: 8-15%
Foundations by material: 81% poured, 16% block, 3% other
Foundations by region: Northeast 89% full basement; Midwest 75% full basement; South 66% slab; West 63% slab

Plumb and Level Foundation Walls

Ian Worpole

When Tom Silva is building a house, he wants foundation walls that are plumb and level and free of the discolorations that are the signs of weak concrete. The illustration shows how he wants a foundation to look before he starts framing.

Slab Foundation Requirements

The requirements for a slab foundation are similar: a sturdy footing and a vapor-proofed, reinforced-concrete pad sitting on a bed of compacted crushed stone. The major difference between these house foundation types is in the way the slab is insulated to protect against frost heav

Why House Foundations Fail

Nonporous backfill. Soils loaded with clay or organic matter hold water like a sponge, increasing the risk of foundation cracks when the soil freezes and expands.
Rushing the cure. Concrete must cure slowly to reach proper strength (usually 3,000 psi). Keep it damp for at least three days by wrapping it in plastic, misting with water, and other techniques.
Insufficient compacting. If the slab is poured over crushed stone that hasn’t been firmly tamped, it will likely settle or crack.
Interrupting the pour. A concrete form should be filled in one go. If you stop and come back the next day to finish the work, there will be a “cold joint” between the fresh concrete and yesterday’s work, which is likely to crack and leak.

As Seen on TV

PreCast Foundation

At the Acton, Mass., project, Tom Silva shaved days off his tight schedule by using precast foundation panels for the addition. When they arrived at the job site, a crane simply lowered them onto compacted stone, where they were glued together with a polyurethane adhesive.

There were no footings, forms, or form ties to deal with, and no damp-proofing to apply; the panels’ 5,000-psi concrete and integral foam board insulation stop moisture migration. Installed, panels generally cost about 10 percent more than a poured foundation. “We liked them a lot,” Tom says. “I’m sure we’ll be using them again. “

Slab Heat

Say “basement slab” and most people think “cold and damp.” Not so at the Billerica, Mass., project, where Richard Trethewey, TOH plumbing and heating expert, had a few hundred feet of PEX tubing (the same stuff used to heat radiant floors) looped on top of 1-inch foamboard and buried it in 6 inches of concrete.

Once the tubing was hooked up to the boiler, the basement floor warmed up to a comfortable 68 degrees. At left, plumbing contractor Brian Bilo uses the same system to heat a walkway.

One-Step Piers

While decks and small outbuildings may not need full foundations, they still require solid support from piers resting on well-buried footings. Typically, piers and footings are poured on separate days to allow time for the concrete to cure. Now Tom does it in one shot using funnel-shaped plastic footing forms fitted with cylindrical pier forms. “As far as I’m concerned, there’s no better way to make a concrete pier,” he says.

New Technologies For the Foundations of the Future

Self-Leveling Concrete

A new chemical called a “super-super” plasticizer makes it possible to pour a mix that flows almost like water but retains structural integrity. (Normally, a too-thin mix allows the aggregate to settle to the bottom before the concrete cures, resulting in a weaker wall.)

“You can back a truck up to one corner and pour the whole foundation,” says Ed Sauter, executive director of the Concrete Foundations Association. “It just spreads everywhere.” That beats having to pump or shovel the concrete where it’s needed. And like water on the surface of a lake, the top of “super-super” plasticized concrete automatically sets level, a good start for framing.

Fabric-Formed Footings

Rather than laboriously building footing forms out of boards, some foundation contractors are using lightweight forms made of high-density polyethylene fabric. These flexible fabric systems conform easily to sloping and uneven sites, which simplifies excavation, and the fabric stays in place as a built-in damp-proofing membrane. The bulging sides of the finished footings also help to divert water away from the foundation.

Where to Find It

Precast foundation:

Superior Walls of America Ltd.
Ephrata, PA
800-452-9255

Fabric footing:

Fastfoot by Fab-Form Industries Ltd.
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
888-303-3278

Plastic footing forms:

Bigfoot Systems
F&S Manufacturing Inc.
800-934-0393
www.bigfootsystems.com

Our Thanks to:

Concrete Foundations Association
Mount Vernon, IA
866-232-9255
www.cfawalls.org

House Foundations: Types and Common Problems

It does not matter which type of house each of the Three Little Pigs had. Without a stable foundation, the Big Bad Wolf would have blown all of them down. A house built on an unstable foundation can have a number of serious problems, including cracks in drywall, sticking and poorly operating doors and windows, sloping floors, water intrusion, and moisture damage such as wood rot and mold. Foundation problems can be some of the most difficult and costly problems to repair.

The purpose of all foundations is to transmit the load (weight) of the house, the occupants, and their belongings, to the soil under the foundation. Foundations with walls, such as basements and crawlspaces, must resist the lateral (horizontal) loads imposed by soil that is placed against the walls. Foundations must also resist environmental loads, such as snow, wind and earthquakes. Foundations must perform these tasks without moving, cracking, deteriorating, and admitting water over the entire life of the house.

Soil Can Help or Hurt a Foundation

The material under the foundation (usually soil) is the actual load-bearing system that supports the house. Some types of soil, such as sand and gravel, can be good for supporting a house. Loose fill can’t support heavy loads, for example. And clay-rich soil can expand and contract with changes in moisture levels, causing a foundation to settle or walls to crack from inward pressure. Bad unstable soil can occur just about anywhere, but this soil is more common in the Midwest and Western parts of the United States.

Ideally, the soil under a foundation is undisturbed, and permeable to encourage good drainage, with the stability and strength to provide proper support. Sometimes, soil must be brought in to create a level area for the foundation, or to replace bad soil. If fill soil is required, the fill should be properly compacted so that it acts like undisturbed soil. Compacting fill should be supervised by a geotechnical engineer.

House Foundation Types

The most common types of foundation are:

Concrete slab
Crawlspace
Basement
Pile (raised)

No type of foundation is better than another. Each type has advantages and disadvantages. In many cases, the type of foundation used in residential construction depends on regional preferences, which in turn depend on important factors like climate, geography, and even the construction methods passed down from one generation of builders to another.

Concrete Slab

Slab foundations can be found just about everywhere, and are the predominant foundation in some markets. These foundations are most appropriate for level ground, or ground with a minimal slope. The primary advantage of concrete slab foundations is that they are usually the least expensive to build. Disadvantages include difficult access to plumbing and electrical components that are installed in or under the concrete. This can make remodeling and repair disruptive and expensive. Another disadvantage is the lack of additional storage space that a basement foundation affords.

Basement

Houses built in the Northeast are very likely to have basement foundations. Basements are not appropriate for areas where the water table is high, and they’re expensive to build where bedrock must be removed by blasting or excavation.

Basement foundations are more expensive to build than concrete slab and crawlspace foundations, and they can be prone to water intrusion. But it’s important to consider some significant advantages. A basement provides a large amount of bonus space—to store possessions and locate large items like the furnace and, water heater. If you want to expand your living space, finishing off part of the basement will be less expensive than building an addition. And if you want to remodel the main level of the house, a basement offers easy access to plumbing, wiring, and ductwork for remodeling-related alterations.

Crawlspace

These foundations can be found just about everywhere, and are the predominant foundation in some markets. A crawl space can be the main foundation for the entire house. It can also be easily added to an existing basement foundation –a popular option when adding on to a house with a basement.

Like a basement foundation, a crawl space provides access to structural, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC components for easier remodeling and repair. The primary disadvantage of crawlspace foundations is that they are prone to water intrusion and condensation, and the mold and wood rot that results from excess moisture.

Pile

Also referred to as pier, or pole foundations, this construction option is a smart choice where weak or unstable soil conditions might cause problems for other foundation types. Of course, you’ll also find plenty of these foundations in coastal areas, where houses need to be raised above storm surges.

Piles used for house foundations are usually preservative-treated wood poles that are driven into the ground until they hit load-bearing soil.

Components of Foundations

A foundation may consist of several components. Component selection and installation depend on the foundation type and the loads that the foundation will need to bear. Cost and material availability are also selection factors.

Footings transmit the vertical loads to the soil. In modern houses, footings are made from poured concrete. In very old houses, footings may have been made using stones. Footings are installed around the perimeter of the house, and may be installed at load-bearing locations inside the house perimeter. Footing size depends on the load-bearing capacity of the soil, and on the anticipated vertical loads. The minimum footing size is usually twelve inches wide by six inches thick. The bottom of the footing should be below the frost line (the depth where the ground freezes during the winter). This depth can be a few inches in warm climates to a few feet in very cold climates.

Some house foundations, especially crawlspace foundations, may have load-bearing components inside the perimeter of the house –piers or columns. Piers are usually made with concrete masonry units (commonly called concrete blocks or cinder blocks). Columns are usually wood or steel. Piers and columns should be placed on a footing that is wide enough and thick enough to bear the vertical load.

Crawlspace and basement foundations have walls around the foundation perimeter. These walls are usually constructed with concrete masonry units or by erecting wall forms that will be filled with poured concrete. Walls in older houses were made using bricks, and walls in very old houses may have been made using stone.

Many foundations have at least one large horizontal concrete slab. The concrete slab foundation is an obvious example. The basement floor and the floor in an attached garage are other examples. Except for the footings around the perimeter and at load-bearing interior points, these concrete slabs are usually non-structural. This means that they are often only about 3 ½ inches thick, and are not intended to bear any loads other than those imposed by the occupants and their belongings.

Common Foundation Problems

Water damage

Water causes more damage to foundations and houses than any other issue. Keeping water, including both liquid water and moisture in the air, out of the house is the best thing you can do to avoid foundation problems, and problems elsewhere in the house.

Keeping water away from other components can cure up to ninety percent of foundation water problems. As a general rule, soil should slope away from the foundation at least six inches vertically within the first ten feet horizontally. Hard surfaces, such as driveways, should slope away from the foundation at least ¼ inch per foot. Roof runoff should be channeled away from the foundation by a system of gutters and downspouts. As a general rule, downspouts should discharge at least five feet from the foundation.

Hairline cracks in a foundation

Hairline cracks in any kind of concrete foundation slab or wall don’t usually require repair. But more severe cracks can indicate a problem that requires attention, preferably from a contractor who specializes in foundation or masonry work.

Consider calling in a pro when a crack is non-uniform width (one part of the crack is wider than another part). Or, when it:

Presents out-of-plane displacement (one part of the crack sticks out beyond the adjacent part of the crack)
Is admitting water
Is more than about ¼ inch wide
Runs through a concrete block or brick (instead of just running through the mortar between the blocks or bricks)

Most of us do not think about the foundation of our house. That is as it should be. If you keep water away from well-built foundations, most will keep the Big Bad Wolf, and other problems, away for decades.

5 Types of House Foundations: Basement, Slab & More

One of the most important decisions you’ll make when building a house is determining the kind of foundation it will rest on. After all, the foundation serves the essential functions of keeping your home in place even as the ground beneath it might shift, insulating it, keeping the moisture out, and keeping it level—even if your house is built on a hill with a 45-degree angle. Builders choose foundations based on the home’s location and climate, soil conditions and area humidity, and of course, the budget.

There are five main foundation types and a handful of important variations.

1. Basement Foundation

A full basement foundation begins with a hole of at least eight feet deep to accommodate an underground living space whose floor space matches most or all of the home’s ground level. You’ll place structural foundation walls on concrete footings that run the perimeter of the basement. Those footings need to be placed at least 12 inches below previously undisturbed soil and at least 12 inches below the frost line. You’ll then pour beams, erect foundation walls, and pour a cement slab inside the walls.

The obvious advantage of a basement foundation is the extra living space it can provide; in fact, it can double the home’s square footage if homeowners decide to finish it. Basement foundations are durable and resistant to fire and extreme weather.

You’ll often find them in cold climates, such as in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, because the home’s foundation must be placed below the frost line regardless, to prevent the home from shifting during freeze and thaw cycles. They can be heated or air-conditioned with the rest of the house.

A basement is the most expensive foundation type, and unless you’re building a daylight basement—a basement built on a hillside that opens to the daylight on at least one side—this the space created by this type of foundation can feel cave-like, as it lacks natural light. It’s not advisable to build a basement if you live in an area with flooding risks. And even in an area that’s not prone to flooding, experts recommend installing special equipment, like a sump pump.

For homes built on a slope, the daylight basement, which has at least one side embedded in the ground from floor to ceiling, can be a nice alternative to a full basement foundation, even allowing a separate entrance to the home.

2. Crawlspace Stem Walls

Short foundation walls on concrete footings, or stem walls, form the foundations of houses with crawlspaces. They form a space that’s exactly as it sounds: a slightly elevated space below a house through which you can crawl, and often provides enough room for storage, a furnace, and other equipment.

A major advantage of crawlspace foundations is protection of the home. By lifting the base of the house, its walls are protected from flooding and other environmental hazards. The space allows easy access to plumbing, wiring and other mechanical systems. And raising the base of a house elevates the entire home, which can result in a more aesthetically pleasing house. It’s also a less expensive option than digging a full basement.

These types of foundations are especially common in warmer climates such as California, Texas, the Northwest, and the South. They’re also a popular choice among architects designing homes where earthquakes occur frequently.

While crawlspace foundations are more resistant to termites because of their elevation from the ground, they are prone to mold and mildew because of the moisture that can accumulate below them. While they’re a less expensive option than a basement, crawlspace foundations require maintenance: homeowners will need to make sure below-ground walls are free from cracks, check for leaks around plumbing components, and instal vapor barriers to keep it dry.

3. Concrete Slab Foundations

A slab foundation, sometimes called a monolithic or monoslab foundation, is a flat concrete slab that rests on the ground and is poured in one single piece. The main advantage of a monolithic foundation is that they’re less expensive and quicker to construct.

In fact, the installation is a simple process. A concrete-embedded beam runs about two feet deep around the perimeter of the slab, and wire mesh and steel reinforcing bars are embedded in the concrete. Since buildings that sit on a slab don’t have crawl spaces, homeowners won’t have to worry about the maintenance issues a crawlspace can present.

A property poured concrete slab won’t have weak points that could crumble over time and cause costly foundation repair issues. But you won’t usually find them in cold climates: As the ground freezes and thaws, cracks can form in the concrete and it can shift.

One notable downside of the slab construction is that sewer and drainage pipes are put in place before the concrete is poured. In case of a sewage or plumbing problem, you’ll have to cut into the slab to access the pipes.

4. Wood Foundations

Wood might seem like an unusual choice for a foundation, but it became a popular choice in the 1960s. Builders will use preservative-treated wood that is resistant to decay and easy to install. Because they don’t require concrete pouring or labor-intensive masonry work, wood foundations are faster and less expensive to install.

Builders can also insulate these foundations and create a warmer crawlspace—and a less drafty house. Fun fact for those who doubt the durability of wood construction in the right climate: Archaeologists have found beams made of Cyprus wood in Egyptian pyramids that are over 6000 years old.

Certain woods, such as cypress, redwood, and cedar are impervious to insects and mold, but since they’re costly, the lumber industry has created ways of treating other lumber to give it similar characteristics. Still, they may not last as long as concrete foundations and can only be used in completely dry soil.

5. Pier and Beam Foundations

In coastal areas, the best way to anchor a home above soil that’s constantly shifting, flooding, or eroding is to build a pier and beam foundation (also known as “piers and pile” or “pier and post” foundations). You’ll often find them in areas prone to hurricane conditions or major flooding. They need to support the home and protect it from moisture, so they require serious planning.

They work in the same way an ocean pier does by fixing long pillars—often over 15 yards long to reach solid ground—into the deepest layers of stone and soil. Builders use them with heavier homes because the pillars displace the weight of the house over a large area, preventing the home from sinking.

You’ll need to bring a structural engineer on board to oversee a project since they’ll need to do a soil analysis to make sure you’re building the structure in the right conditions. Driving concrete piers requires heavy equipment, so you’ll need to prepare for the added time and expense.

MT Copeland offers video-based online classes that give you a foundation in construction fundamentals with real-world applications. Classes include professionally produced videos taught by practicing craftspeople, and supplementary downloads like quizzes, blueprints, and other materials to help you master the skills.

How to pour a foundation for a house – tips, schemes and ways to save money

The process of laying any foundation involves several stages:

Site preparation and foundation marking
Earthwork, trenching, post drilling
Foundation pad preparation
Installation of reinforcement cage and formwork
Concrete pouring and leveling

In this article I will describe in detail and step by step the pouring of the most popular today – the strip foundation and the distinctive features of the pouring stages of other types.

Do-it-yourself foundation pouring

There are several types of strip foundations, but do-it-yourself pouring technology is almost the same for everyone.

You can read about pouring a shallow strip foundation, as well as about a strip foundation that is not buried, in my previous articles.

Site preparation and strip foundation marking

The process of site preparation is not difficult. First of all, you need to clear the site, or at least the place where you are going to build a house, from excess vegetation, debris, large roots, etc.

When the site is clean, we mark the future foundation tape according to the project.

If you don’t have a level or other special tools, don’t despair, all we need for good markings is a tape measure, pegs, cord, and possibly a piece of paper.

We mark all the outer walls by placing pegs in the corners of the future house. After installing the pegs, we measure the diagonals of each rectangle. You should get so that the opposite sides of the rectangle and its diagonals are equal. If this did not happen, then we draw a sketch of the house on paper, put down the resulting dimensions and think about where and which peg needs to be moved. After corrections, be sure to repeat the measurements. And so on until all sizes match.

Try to make the layout of the future structure as accurately as possible, this will later help to avoid some difficulties with aligning the corners when building the walls of the house. And for those who want to learn more about laying out the foundation for a house, read my article about it, which describes in detail the weighting process with examples.

Digging a trench for a monolithic strip foundation

Digging a trench for a strip foundation can be done manually or mechanically.

Digging with an excavator is fast and cheap, but it does not really adhere to the dimensions, somewhere it can turn out a little wider, somewhere a little deeper, which will subsequently affect the volume of poured concrete. Savings in this case is very doubtful.

If you do not want to dig yourself, it is better to hire workers and make sure that all dimensions are observed, this will subsequently help you save on the volume of ordered concrete.

You can easily calculate the depth of the strip foundation by studying one of my articles. It describes in detail all types of strip foundations, the depth of their laying and on what factors it depends.

We build a sand cushion for the foundation under the house

The foundation cushion is laid from washed sand, without various clay impurities, etc.

Sand, unlike the soil in which the foundation is laid, is much less prone to heaving and will evenly distribute water under the foundation, which will eliminate uneven shrinkage of the foundation.

Sand is poured into the trench and compacted. The layer of such a sand cushion should be at least 20 cm.

If you don’t have special tools for compacting sand, you should at least spill it well with water before pouring.

Reinforcing the future foundation strip and constructing formwork

For the reinforcing cage, reinforcement with a diameter of 8-14 mm is used, and in order to more accurately determine the diameter and number of reinforcement, you can use the calculation of reinforcement for strip foundation. With it, you will select the correct diameter and amount of reinforcement for your foundation.

As a rule, vertically laid rods with a diameter of 8-10mm, and horizontal longitudinal 12-14mm. The rods along the trench are always thicker, because they will be under a greater load, and they, in turn, must cope with it.

How to knit the reinforcing cage, in a trench or next to the trench, and then lower the finished frame into it, you must decide for yourself how it will be more convenient for you. The disadvantage of knitting rebar in a trench is that if the trench is not wide enough, you will sprinkle it with your body.

It is desirable to build the reinforcement cage with a binding wire, and not with a welding machine, because weak points appear at the welding points of the reinforcing bar.

Formwork for the foundation, if necessary, is constructed using boards 10-20 cm wide and 2.5-4.0 cm thick. Opposite formwork panels must be tied together with studs, thus preventing the formwork from bursting when pouring concrete.

The corners of the formwork must also be rigidly fixed, because these are the weakest points.

How to pour concrete for a foundation

The pouring of concrete for any type of foundation is the same. As a rule, with large volumes, purchased concrete is poured, since it is possible to achieve a monolithic reinforced concrete tape only if the foundation is poured at a time.

And so, all the preparatory work has been done, now it is necessary to pour concrete into the future foundation for the house.

Concrete grade M200 – M400 is used for pouring, which depends on the composition of the concrete.

The pouring of concrete into a trench always starts from the corners, and then the rest of the voids are already filled.

The ideal conditions for pouring the foundation under the house is that the automixer has access to all corners of the house.

The mixer drives up to the corner and the pouring process starts. At this time, one person should hold the chute, guiding it, and the other (preferably two) should help the concrete to be evenly distributed along the trench with a shovel, for example.

In order to expel air from concrete, it is necessary to use a deep vibrator, if this is not available, then it is necessary to vibrate using improvised methods. You can vibrate with a bayonet shovel, such vibration is called the bayonet method. A good result can be obtained by tapping with a hammer on the reinforcement frame, or on the formwork (not much!).

After the trench is filled with concrete, it is necessary to trim the concrete in the right places before the concrete has “set”. After the concrete began to “crumble” – it is not advisable to touch it.

As I said that it will not be difficult to pour the foundation for house , at this stage we have examined in detail the pouring of the strip foundation, the stages of which in most cases are suitable for pouring any type of foundation.

Features of pouring a columnar foundation for a house

A distinctive feature of the column foundation is that the foundation does not consist of a monolithic tape, but of pillars that are connected by a monolithic tape.

In this regard, after marking, the poles are drilled using an autodrill or a hand drill, the poles are reinforced with reinforcement with a diameter of 10-12mm, with the release of reinforcement 15-20 cm above the level of the pole.

After the pillars are poured, a grillage formwork is constructed to connect all the posts, a reinforcing cage is created and concrete is poured into the formwork.

It should be remembered that the column foundation is built for light buildings and in “good” soil.

Peculiarities of slab foundation pouring

A distinctive feature of a monolithic slab is that such a slab is located under the entire building, and not just under the walls of the house.

In general, building a slab foundation with your own hands is not a difficult process, but it requires a responsible approach, and I believe that it can be moved to a separate article.

One of the types of a monolithic slab is a slab foundation with stiffeners, the technology for pouring this type of foundation is not much different from the usual one.

Marking is done along the perimeter of the house, then soil is removed under the future house, to the depth of the future slab + the thickness of the sand cushion.

Then it is necessary to build a sand or sand and gravel pad, followed by tamping.

Reinforcing cage knitted in two rows in the form of a grid.

Filling is done in much the same way as with any other type of foundation.

Methods of pouring and methods of saving the foundation of a house

Depending on the use of one’s own labor, there are three ways to pour the foundation:

Lay the foundation yourself, using only your own labor. This, of course, is a laborious process, but not so much that you cannot cope with it yourself. Ideally, 2-3 people can handle all the steps without much effort.
Use partly someone else’s labor for some stages of pouring the foundation. This method is most common in the construction of houses on their own, it involves the use of hired workers in particularly difficult stages of work. This will save on your own labor, but financially it will be a little more expensive.
Entrust the pouring of the foundation for the house to professional workers. This is the most expensive way to fill, but in this case, you do not have to do anything except come to the site and supervise the process of laying the foundation, because even professionals sometimes do not adhere to strict technology for their own benefit.

Foundation Savings Tips

If you are hiring workers to complete the individual steps of pouring the foundation for your house, keep in mind that the most expensive step is digging and pouring concrete. If we talk about digging, then it’s up to you, this is a laborious process and whether it is worth saving on it. Well, you can save a decent amount on pouring the foundation if you invite a friend to help. In fact, pouring concrete is a dirty, but not very complicated process, which can be easily done by two or three people in half a day, saving about 500 rubles on this. from a cube of concrete.
On a strip foundation, you can save on deepening, if you do not have a heavy and small house (for example, a wooden one), then you can make a shallow strip foundation instead of a deep one.
On a slab foundation, you can save money by making it thinner, but with stiffeners. I talked about the slab foundation with stiffeners in my previous articles.
When laying a columnar foundation, you can save only on labor, because it is already the least stable compared to its counterparts.
In some cases, fiberglass reinforcement and its use will save a little on the foundation.

how to do it yourself

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SikaSeal®-210 Migrating

Cement based penetrating sealant

SikaTop® Seal-107

Cement-based two-component waterproofing for swimming pools, basements and foundations

Published:

24-08-2021

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Content:

What to look for when choosing the type of foundation for a particular project
Varieties of foundations
How to fill the foundation: stages of work
Stage 1 – Site preparation and excavation
Stage 2 – Sand and gravel pad
Stage 3 – Formwork installation
Stage 4 – Reinforcement
Stage 5 – Pouring concrete
Stage 6 – Waterproofing works

When building a country house, pouring the foundation is one of the first and main stages of work. A properly designed and arranged base will protect the house from subsidence, prevent the appearance of groundwater in the basement, and ensure a long service life of the facility in various operating conditions. Let’s take a closer look at how to choose the right design and how to pour a foundation that will stand for many decades.

What to look for when choosing the type of foundation for a particular project

A suitable base design is selected at the stage of drawing up a project for a future home. In order to make the right choice, you need to consider many factors:

type of soil on the site, its stability, bearing capacity, tendency to shed;
materials from which the house will be built and their total mass, exerting pressure on the foundation;
the height of the location of groundwater, the possibility of their rise and flooding of the territories adjacent to the house;
depth of soil freezing in winter in a particular region of construction;
economic feasibility, the cost of the design, the complexity of its implementation on its own or with the involvement of specialists.

The main purpose of the calculations is the selection of a compromise solution that can satisfy all relevant construction, operational and budgetary requirements.

Types of foundations

The main task of the foundation of a residential building is to evenly distribute the load from the constructed structure to the ground, eliminating its subsidence. The appearance of subsidence can lead to the most negative consequences: from the appearance of cracks in the walls to the partial or complete collapse of the building structure.

How to pour the foundation under the house with your own hands

In order to avoid such problems, the following types of foundations have been developed and are widely used:

slab. A monolithic slab is poured over the entire area of the object. This solution is suitable for heaving, sandy, clay soils, which are characterized by an unstable structure and are prone to uneven subsidence when excessive pressure on the surface occurs;
tape. A monolithic concrete base is poured only under the walls and partitions of the object, providing the necessary load-bearing properties in areas of the greatest load. It is used in areas with stable soil, where there is no risk of rising groundwater and other negative external factors;
pile-tape. It consists of piles driven deep into the ground, and a tape connecting them together. This design has both advantages, including installation speed and reliability, and disadvantages, for example, restrictions on the weight of the building and the inability to use it for arranging a basement or basement.

In modern private construction, strip and slab foundations are used, which have the necessary reliability and resistance to external influences. In addition, they have a fairly simple design that allows you to perform most of the work yourself.

How to pour the foundation: work steps

Despite the serious differences in the design of monolithic and strip foundations, most of the work during their construction coincides and is carried out in the same sequence. The differences come down to the volume of ground work when digging a pit, formwork format, waterproofing methods and the volume of consumable materials. Let us consider in more detail what needs to be done to fill the foundation for the house.

Stage 1 – Site preparation and excavation

Before carrying out land works, the relief of the site, the state of the soil on it, is assessed. If the relief is varied, then it is necessary to carry out work to level it, eliminate height differences. If the area of the site is large and there are significant differences in height, then you need to build on a hill, thereby protecting the object from the effects of groundwater. Depending on the type of foundation, earthworks are reduced to the following:

for a monolithic slab – digging a pit that exceeds the dimensions of the slab by 1 meter on each side. Soil excavation is carried out over the entire area of the future filling. The depth of penetration depends on the characteristics of the project, but usually it is 50–60 cm, which classifies such structures as shallow;
for a strip foundation with a basement – soil sampling is also carried out over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe object. The depth corresponds to the height of the interior of the basement, plus a margin for creating a screed and strengthening the bottom to reduce the likelihood of flooding the object;
for a strip foundation without a basement – trenches are dug to fill the mortar, corresponding to the width of the strip. The depth is determined by the characteristics of the bearing capacity of the soil, ranging from 50 cm to 1 meter or more and the depth of freezing in the area.

Excess soil formed during the work can be used to level the landscape if there are significant differences in height. Also, the surplus can be partially removed from the object, taking into account the fact that some part will be required to fill the voids after the concreting is completed.

Stage 2 – Sand and Gravel Pad

After excavation of the areas where concrete will be poured, a pad is formed consisting of 10-20 cm of sand and the same layer of gravel laid on top. Each of the layers is well leveled and compacted in order to prevent subsidence during concreting. Backfilling of the pillow is necessary to protect the base from the effects of water and moisture. It performs the functions of a drainage layer, and also allows you to evenly distribute the resulting loads. In some cases, the base under the pillow is concreted using thin mortars based on lean concrete. They are necessary to give additional strength to the foundation.

Stage 3 – Placement of formwork

The foundation formwork is a panel structure from which the concrete casting mold is formed. For its manufacture, flat boards, waterproof plywood or fiberboard, metal sheets and other materials that can keep their shape well can be used. When pouring the slab, one layer of shields is built around its perimeter. For pouring strip foundations, a two-layer form is created, inside which a solution is poured. To strengthen the formwork structure, wooden and metal support structures are used, mounted on the back side of the panels and excluding their displacement under the influence of internal pressure. For tape systems, tightening bars are also installed to regulate the distance between the shields. At each stage of installation, adjustment is made using a level and other devices that allow you to measure the height, the correct ratio of angles and other geometric characteristics of the formwork.

Stage 4 – Reinforcing

Reinforcing bars are recommended for reinforcement. The diameter of the rods depends on the load on the foundation; reinforcement from 5 to 12 mm is usually used. When installing a monolithic slab, a frame is made covering the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe foundation, a lattice is created. To increase the strength, a three-dimensional frame consisting of two layers of reinforcement can be used. For the strip base, three-dimensional frame structures are used, consisting of long longitudinal rods interconnected by rectangular parts made of smaller rods.

Stage 5 – Pouring concrete

To pour the foundation under the house, it is recommended to use concrete with a strength class of at least B22. 5 (M300). Given the large amount of work performed, the right decision would be to purchase ready-mixed concrete. This will affect the cost of installation, but will significantly speed up the work, eliminate uneven solidification due to the slow laying of the mixture due to the fact that it is prepared on the spot. Concreting is carried out as follows:

if a massive slab is being mounted or if it is not possible to pour the entire volume of concrete at once, the area is divided into separate assembly sections for staged concreting;
when applying, the mixture must immediately be distributed over the surface and compacted using a special tool. You can use a vibrating plate, or a deep vibrator;
after pouring and setting, the foundation is covered with a layer of polyethylene to protect it from rain and slow down the processes of moisture evaporation, which can lead to the formation of cracks in the monolith array.

The design capacity is set in 28 days, depending on the air temperature and other parameters. To prevent cracking of the surface, it is recommended to periodically water it with water in small quantities.

Stage 6 – Waterproofing work

Foundation waterproofing is necessary to protect it from moisture in the air, as well as from water contained in the soil and appearing during precipitation. Moisture is the main factor in the destructive effect on monolithic concrete structures. It is capable of breaking bonds between mineral components over time. This will lead to the formation of cracks. Waterproofing is carried out as follows:

at the initial stage, with the help of rolled materials, a pillow formed from sand and crushed stone is covered in order to exclude possible contact of concrete with groundwater;
after solidification of the monolith, the vertical parts are covered with liquid waterproofing solutions based on bitumen, bitumen-polymer mixture, cement, cement-polymer mortar. It is applied with a brush, roller, spatula, spraying;
the horizontal part of the slab foundation is also covered with mastics or coating waterproofing. For a strip foundation, roll or coating coatings can be used to protect subsequent masonry from moisture.

Author: Andrey Dmitriev
Sika Technician

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Two-component cementitious coating waterproofing for swimming pools, basements and foundations

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The right foundation for a house

When deciding to build a house, you need to choose the right foundation for it. After all, it depends on the foundation how strong the building will be. There are several types of foundation, and you need to choose based on the characteristics of the soil, the weight of the house and your financial capabilities.

Such a foundation is easy to build and does not require large expenditures. Construct a shallow strip foundation when the weight of the structure is small. This may be a small household. building or one-story house without a basement. Work on the construction of a shallow strip foundation consists of the following items:

Marking is done with ropes. They need to be tied to pegs, marking the places where the foundation will be built.

The depth of a shallow strip foundation is 50 cm for outbuildings and up to 1 meter for a residential building. At the bottom you need to pour crushed stone and sand. First, crushed stone is poured, which must be well compacted. Then you need to compact the sand.

The formwork is then built. If a residential building is being built, then it is better to reinforce the foundation. For this, a grate is mounted from reinforcement rods with a thickness of 10-12 mm. The distance between the rods is 25-30 cm. They are fastened together with a knitting wire. The grid is placed inside the formwork. The walls of the formwork must be laid with polyethylene or roofing material. If this is not done, then moisture during the solidification of concrete will go into the soil, which will affect the strength of the foundation.

For the preparation of concrete, 1 part of cement, 3 parts of sand and 5 parts of crushed stone are taken. For self-preparation of the solution, it is recommended to take cement of grade not lower than M400. The sand used is coarse. It must be washed so that there is no clay.

It is best to use a concrete mixer for mixing. If there is no concrete mixer, you can make concrete in a large metal container, but so much that the foundation is poured at a time.

When pouring concrete, it is recommended to use a vibrator to distribute the concrete evenly between the rebars. If there is no vibrator, you can use a bayonet shovel, repeatedly piercing the solution with it.

Now concrete should dry and gain its strength within 4-6 weeks . All this time, the foundation must be looked after. If it rains, it must be covered with polyethylene, and in hot weather, it is necessary to cover the concrete tape with wet rags.

As we wrote above, buildings that are light in weight can be erected on a shallow foundation. For example, country frame-panel houses or frame garden houses can be built on such a foundation. Read about the construction of frame garden houses in this article. Such houses can be both for permanent residence and for seasonal.

A recessed strip foundation is built when they want to make a basement under the house, or if the house is large and above 1 floor. This foundation will cost significantly more than a shallow strip foundation, so it should only be done when it is really needed.

In order to build a buried strip foundation, perform the following work:

At the selected site, they dig a pit a little more than one and a half meters deep. 1.5 meters is the freezing depth in the central regions of Russia. In the northern regions, you need to dig even deeper.

After the pit has been dug, a cushion of rubble and sand is poured on its bottom. Each layer is well compacted. Then the formwork is built in those places where the walls of the future house will pass. Reinforcement is made inside the formwork, and then concrete is poured.

Precast concrete blocks can also be used, but this requires lifting equipment. With blocks, construction goes much faster.

The reinforced concrete strip will serve as the walls of the basement, so waterproofing is carried out. To do this, concrete is coated with bitumen or other waterproofing material, such as liquid rubber. In the place where the basement will be located, the bottom of the pit is concreted. This will be the basement floor. For reinforcement, you can put a grid. After drying, waterproofing is performed.

The described foundations are the most common in low-rise construction, but there are others.

Slab foundation.

Waterproofing of the slab foundation for the house.

A slab foundation is a concrete slab on which a house is built. For the construction of such a foundation, the following work will be required:

Select and clear a place for the house
Dig a small hole in the ground according to the size of the foundation
Make a pillow of gravel and sand
Lay roofing material for waterproofing
Mount the load-bearing frame
Place the formwork
Pour the concrete

An excavation in the ground can be 20 centimeters deep. A pillow is poured at the bottom and each layer is compacted. Then you need to make waterproofing. For this, roofing material is usually used, overlapping the sheets. The seams are processed with a blowtorch.

Slab foundation for the house.

Roofing material should be positioned in such a way that it is bent on the sides of the future concrete slab. After that, it is necessary to connect the power frame from the reinforcement in place of the future foundation. After that, the formwork is installed and the concrete solution is poured. The recommended thickness of the foundation is 25 cm.

After the concrete has hardened, the top of the slab must also be waterproofed. Roofing material is also used for this. Then, the top of the foundation is insulated.

Slab foundation allows you to build houses when the ground is heaving.

Pile foundation.

Pile foundation for the house.

This foundation is also used in low-rise construction. To make it you need:

Choose a place for the future house
Mark it
Drill or dig wells
Lower pipes made of roofing material into them
Pour concrete
grillage Install the formwork0006
Pour the grillage

If it is possible to use screw piles under the house. there is no need to dig wells. Piles are simply screwed into the ground according to the markup.

When constructing concrete pillars, a pipe made of roofing material is lowered into the well, then a reinforcement frame. Then a solution is mixed from 1 part of cement, 3 parts of sand and 5 parts of crushed stone and poured into the well.

After the concrete in each well hardens, they are all connected with jumpers, which are called grillages. To do this, formwork is installed between the piles, reinforcement is performed and concrete is poured.

Base with welded ends.

In the case of screw piles, the grillage is also made of metal.

The pile foundation is good because it allows you to build houses where the ground does not allow you to make another type of foundation. For example, where the upper part of the soil is loose or soaked with water. Piles transfer the load to the lower, dense layers of soil. On such a foundation, you can build a house even where the soil is rocky, which makes it difficult to dig trenches or a foundation pit.

Screw foundation for home reviews.

Judging by the reviews of the screw foundation. it has an incredibly high construction speed. The erection of walls can be started immediately after the completion of the foundation without any waiting periods. Such a foundation can be built on almost any type of soil.

On a pile-screw foundation, you can build light houses, such as frame or Canadian ones. Read about the construction of a frame house with your own hands in this article. and about the Canadian technology of building houses – here. Canadian houses are gaining more and more popularity in our country, as they perfectly retain heat.

Drainage around the foundation.

The story of foundations would be incomplete without mentioning drainage. With proper construction of the house, drainage is necessary, because it diverts water from the foundation during autumn and spring rains and snowmelt. It is especially needed if the house has a basement.

To make drainage, a trench is dug around the foundation, into which the drainage pipe is laid at an angle. You can use a special pipe for drainage, or you can make it yourself. For this, a PVC pipe is taken and small holes are drilled in it.

The pipe is wrapped in a special cloth and covered with gravel and sand. Cloth and powder will not allow the holes to silt, and such drainage lasts a long time. Drainage pipes must be brought to a special well.

Blind area production.

Making a blind area for the house.

A blind area is a concrete tape that is laid close to the foundation along its entire perimeter. Concrete is poured on a cushion of rubble and sand with a slight slope from the house. The blind area perfectly performs its functions in tandem with the drainage system.

When choosing a foundation for a house, carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

As already mentioned, there is no need to build an expensive and time-consuming buried foundation for a one-story house without a basement.

Slab foundation will allow you to build a house on heaving soil.

A pile foundation can save even in cases where the top layer of soil, it would seem, is completely unsuitable for construction.

Having built the right foundation in accordance with all the rules, you will build a solid and reliable foundation for your future home. And he will stand on it for many years.

The most important thing in the foundation is to make a frame, for a large volume of reinforcement, and for small volumes you can weave thick wire. There were such unique ones – who built a one-story house from a shell and did not make a frame into the foundation, they say that the foundation is already thick, there is a lot of concrete, it will withstand an earthquake. And as a result, after a couple of years, cracks began to appear ….

How to make a foundation for a house: foundation requirements, features of tape, block and screw structures.

The question of how to make the foundation for the house yourself is of interest to many beginner builders. And all because construction is not a cheap event, and the desire to minimize overhead costs as much as possible looks quite natural.

Modern technologies give us such an opportunity, and therefore in this article we will describe several ways to independently arrange the base.

How to make the foundation for the house.

Every home needs a solid foundation

Foundation requirements.

Before we talk about how to properly make a foundation for a house, let’s try to understand the requirements that we put forward for it.

So, what should be taken into account when building a foundation for a residential building?

The first is, of course, the bearing capacity. The foundation, regardless of its design features, must withstand the load from the structure erected on it without destruction and deformation, and preferably with a margin of safety.

Tip! When calculating the bearing capacity, one should take into account not only the mass of the structure, but also the weight loads from furniture, communications, decoration, etc.

A very important factor is also the environmental friendliness and safety of the foundation. Since the foundation is laid under a residential building, the use of materials containing volatile, toxic or radioactive substances should be avoided.
The thermal and waterproof characteristics of the supporting structure largely determine the comfort in the room. The arrangement of additional waterproofing circuits, external and internal insulation will ensure an acceptable microclimate.

Proper waterproofing of the foundation for the house.

Extra heat and waterproofing won’t hurt!

Also, when choosing the design features of the foundation, you should pay attention to its manufacturability and ease of installation. Since we are going to do all the construction work with our own hands, preference should be given to the simplest technologies.

And finally, when we decide on the methodology, it is worth calculating how much it costs to make a foundation for a house of the planned area. In this case, one should take into account not only the price of materials, but also the costs of related work, such as excavation, delivery of concrete, etc.

Tape technology.

Design.

When choosing the best foundation for your home, there are a few different options to consider. This is exactly what we will do, and first of all we will analyze tape technology – one of the simplest and most accessible.

The strip foundation for the house is a strip of reinforced concrete, which is placed under all the bearing elements. First of all, these are, of course, external walls, as well as internal capital partitions.

How to make a strip foundation for a house.

The design of the strip base includes the determination of two main parameters – the depth of embedding in the ground and the width of the supporting part.

According to the embedment depth, strip structures are divided into:

Shallow – up to 60-70 cm. one and a half meters and deeper.

In most cases, it is sufficient to equip a shallow base, since the installation of the supporting part at the level of soil freezing is required only in the most difficult climatic and soil conditions, and also when you plan to equip the basement or heated basement.

Recessed foundation base for a house.

As for the width of the concrete strip, 50-60 cm is enough for most private houses, and light structures like a panel house can be placed on a forty-centimeter base.

Tip! It is worth paying attention to this technology if you are looking for how to make a foundation under a finished house from a bar or a wooden shield. Of course, you will have to tinker with excavation, installing jacks and pouring tapes, but you don’t have to disassemble and reassemble the structure.

In the following sections, we will tell you how to properly make the foundation of a house using tape technology.

Earthworks.

The beginning of the construction of any foundation is associated with the marking of the site. On the surface, with the help of cords, we mark the contours of our future foundation.

Please note! The marking for the trenches must be made at least 200 mm wider than the planned base – 100 mm on each side will go to the installation of the formwork.

According to the markup, we begin excavation:

We dig trenches either by hand or with an excavator.
We lower the bottom of the trench 40-50 cm below the design level and carefully level it.
Then we carry out the backfilling: first we lay and compact 30 cm of gravel, and then 20 cm of sand.
Either thick polyethylene or roofing material is laid on top of the bedding. These materials will play the role of a moisture-protective circuit.

Foundation construction.

We make formwork boards from planed boards with a thickness of at least 30 mm or plywood boards 15-18 mm.

Tip! To minimize mortar leakage, as well as provide additional waterproofing, in some cases the entire formwork is lined with polyethylene or a waterproof membrane.

The height of the sides must be at least 10 cm greater than the planned dimensions of the foundation.
We install spacers inside the formwork, as well as pipe sections filled with sand. Subsequently, in place of these pipes, technological holes will be laid for the establishment of communications through the foundation.

Fitting configuration for home.

A mandatory requirement for a tape-type base is its internal reinforcement:

We use steel ribbed bars with a diameter of 12 mm as reinforcement.
The minimum acceptable is the arrangement of the upper and lower chords of two rods connected by transverse elements.
Both tie wire and spot welding can be used for rebar assembly.

Tip! We install the metal frame on bricks placed at the bottom of the trench. This will allow us to avoid contact of the reinforcement with soil moisture and reduce the risk of corrosion.

Photo of formwork with reinforcement before pouring.

We fill the formwork with reinforcement with concrete of a grade of at least 300. To equip the foundation, we need several cubic meters of mortar, therefore it is worth either renting a concrete mixer or ordering ready-made concrete from the manufacturer.

It is advisable to fill in at one time to avoid thermal bridges. Immediately after pouring, we bayonet the concrete (pierce it with a metal bar) or treat it with a vibrating compactor to remove air.

Pouring concrete foundation for the house.

Pouring mortar from a concrete mixer

Strip foundations require at least 30 days to dry completely. All this time, it is desirable to cover the concrete surface with polyethylene to slow down evaporation and more effective curing. When the surface under the polyethylene begins to crack, it should be additionally moistened.

Block foundation.

Preparation for laying.

If you don’t want to bother with the formwork and its subsequent pouring, you can build a prefabricated foundation from building blocks. Today, several varieties of structural elements are available, ranging from traditional reinforced concrete products to reinforced panels and slabs.

Block foundation for the house.

Pay attention! When choosing how to make a foundation for a house from foam blocks, it is quite often suggested to use the same foam blocks as a base. This is not worth doing, since foamed concrete is hygroscopic and vapor-permeable, and therefore such a foundation will eventually become entangled with moisture and will be deformed when it freezes.

It is worth remembering that the construction of a block foundation necessarily requires the involvement of construction equipment, since the mass of the elements does not imply their carrying by hand

Installation instructions for the block base suggest the following sequence of actions:

We dig a trench under all the supporting elements – as in the previous case.
Lay a gravel-sand cushion at least 40 cm thick on the bottom of the trench. Carefully level and compact the base.
For greater strength, the cushion can be replaced with concrete footing or even reinforced concrete slabs.

How to properly pour the foundation for the house.

Pit with concrete footing

After completing the preparations, you can begin to assemble the base itself.

Mounting the base.

Concrete blocks are laid in a trench according to the principle of brickwork:

First, a layer of building cement mortar is applied to the base.
Then, using a crane, lay the first corner block, accurately positioning it and aligning it in a plane and vertically.
We continue laying along the entire perimeter, carefully controlling the geometry of our foundation.

Laying foundation blocks for a house.

After laying all the elements and setting the mortar, we perform waterproofing. To protect against moisture, you can use bituminous mastics, roll materials, etc.
Also at this stage, thermal insulation can be carried out by pasting the outer surface of the blocks with foam boards based on polystyrene.

After completion of waterproofing and thermal insulation works, we backfill trenches or pits. The denser the soil is compacted, the more reliably the foundation will be protected from leaks.

Screw foundation.

Circuit diagram.

The technologies described above have one fairly serious drawback – a large amount of excavation. That is why it is quite difficult to implement such projects alone, or even with several assistants – you need to involve a team of workers.

However, if you are looking for what to make a foundation for a house with minimal labor, then you should consider arranging a screw pile foundation.

Metal screw piles are the key element of this support structure. They are buried in the ground under the main load-bearing walls and partitions.
The pile consists of two elements – a shaft and a tip. The barrel is a hollow tube with a wall thickness of up to 5 mm, in the upper part of which holes are made for attaching the handles.

Ground support scheme for a house.

Ground support pattern

Most support tips are made from hardened steel. The conical nozzle is equipped with a helical blade that provides penetration into the ground during rotation.
The cavities of the installed piles are poured with concrete, after which a head with a metal platform is put on the upper part of each support.
All heads are aligned on the plane, and a horizontal frame of bars or metal beams is trampled on them – the so-called grillage.

Screw foundations are indispensable when you are looking for how to make a foundation for a house from foam blocks or other lightweight materials, or when you are trying to place a structure on a site with a slope.

An important factor in favor of this design is its affordable price: yes, the piles themselves are not cheap, but their installation does not provide for laying trenches and large-scale pits.

Burying piles.

The screw-type foundation is assembled quite quickly – in less than a day.

The sequence of work is as follows:

Using a hole drill, we make shallow starting holes in the places of the planned installation of pores.
Insert the tip of the pile into the hole, align it vertically, and then insert it into the grooves on the handle shaft.

Deepening the support into the ground with the help of crowbar and ingenuity two piles.

Burying a pole into the ground with a crowbar and ingenuity: two piles act as levers

To facilitate the work, you can use a machine to screw the poles. It will also help to quickly deepen the pile using a capstan – pipes with special lugs for long handles.
We begin to rotate the handles, gradually deepening the tip of the support into the ground.

Tip! If you have to screw the support into dense clay soil, you should first make a well in it, the diameter of which will be less than the diameter of the trunk. This will somewhat weaken the structure, but will allow the pile to be lowered to the design depth.

We cut all screwed supports to the level with a metal saw, after which we fill them with poured concrete to the level of the cut.
We put heads on the sections and weld them, making sure that the platforms are in the same plane.

Base with welded ends.

We treat the above-ground part of the pile foundation with a composition that protects the metal from corrosion. We pay special attention to welded seams.

On recessed supports, we mount a horizontal grillage made of beams, rails or channels.

As can be seen from the description, the main advantage is the highest speed of work: no need to wait until the poured concrete dries, but you can immediately proceed to the next stage of construction.

We hope that after studying this article, you have understood for yourself how to make the foundation for the house in your situation. As you can see, there are several options, and each of them has its own unique features. That is why it is worth carefully studying all the initial data, deciding on priorities – and only then get to work. In the presented video in this article you will find additional information on this topic.

Do-it-yourself foundation for a house.

Building a house from scratch on your own is a difficult task, but doable. Careful calculations, competent selection of building materials and high-quality implementation of each process will help to cope without the involvement of specialists. The most important stage is laying the foundation, because the durability and reliability of any building depends on the strength of the foundation. It will take about 2-3 months to make a foundation for a house with your own hands.

The right foundation for an aerated concrete house.

Foundation design.

For the construction of residential buildings, strip foundations are most often used. It can be shallow, if the house is one-story and small area, or standard – laid at a depth of 1. 8-2 m. The width of the base tape is usually 40 cm, but can be increased depending on the specific load of the building. When designing a house, you should immediately take into account possible extensions and arrangement of basements and semi-basements. The presence of a common base will greatly simplify the installation of a veranda or other structures that may be needed later.

Designing the right foundation for the house.

In order not to be mistaken with the parameters of the base, you need to carefully calculate the total load per square meter of soil and compare it with the allowable values.

How to properly build a foundation for a house.

When calculating the load, the following factors are taken into account:

wall material;
type of thermal insulation;
type of roofing;
number of floors of the house;
type of soil on the site;
groundwater level;
region;
snow and wind loads.

Cross section of a strip foundation for a house.

Calculations are made using special tables, for each factor separately. After that, all loads are summed up, which determines the depth of the foundation in this area and the allowable width of the base sole.

Marking the base.

How to properly mark the foundation for the house.

To mark the area for the foundation, you will need pegs, a strong thin rope and a tape measure. First, everything that can interfere with the marking is removed – stones, bushes, dry stumps, and so on. They determine the line of the facade of the house relative to the site and mark it with a rope stretched between the pegs. The distance from one beacon to another should be 30-40 cm more than the width of the facade. The location of the corners of the house is marked on the rope, and 2 perpendicular lines are drawn through these points, slightly longer than the length of the side walls.

Correct marking of the foundation area for the house.

Now measure the distance from the corner of the facade to the corner of the back wall and mark the points on both lines, and then pull another rope parallel to the first. The intersections of the ropes form the corners of the building, and it is from these points that you need to measure the diagonals of the resulting rectangle. If the diagonals are equal, the markup is correct. After that, the internal borders of the foundation tape are marked, stepping back from the marking lines 40 cm inside the perimeter. The pegs should be located outside the perimeter – this will allow you to more accurately indicate the corners of the base. The last to outline the internal load-bearing walls, the base for the veranda or porch.

Trench preparation.

When the markings are ready, they begin to dig trenches for the foundation. This can be done with shovels or with the help of special equipment, which will be many times faster and more convenient. For a shallow foundation, the depth of the trenches is 60-70 cm, for a conventional foundation – from 1. 8 m, depending on the level of soil freezing. The bottom of the trench should be at least 20 cm below this level. Depth is measured from the lowest marking point.

Preparing foundation trenches for a house.

The walls of the trenches must be leveled vertically, if the soil crumbles, props are installed. After excavation, the bottom must be checked relative to the horizontal, all irregularities are cut off with a shovel, excess soil is removed. The location and width of the trenches must be fully consistent with the project. The next stage is the installation of a sand and gravel pad, designed to reduce the load from the building on the soil base.

The arrangement of the sand and gravel layer has the following order:

the bottom of the trenches along the perimeter is covered with a thin layer of coarse-grained river sand;
sand is spilled with water and carefully compacted;
add another layer of sand and compact again;
fine gravel is poured and leveled with a layer of 15 cm;
tamp the surface.

For shallow foundations, the inner surface of the trenches is lined with geotextile before filling with sand. This material protects the sand cushion from erosion by groundwater and siltation.

Formwork assembly.

The foundation of a residential building should rise above the ground by at least 15 cm. In flooded areas, the height of the above-ground part of the base can reach 50-70 cm. The formwork is assembled taking into account the required height, using improvised materials. When installing the formwork, you will need:

edged boards with a thickness of 2 cm or plywood sheets;
polyethylene film;
tape measure;
self-tapping screws or nails;
hammer and screwdriver;
spacer bars.

Strip foundation formwork for the house.

Boards are fastened into rectangular panels, secured with transverse bars from the outside. Self-tapping screws are screwed in from the inside to make it easier to dismantle the formwork. For the same reason, it is recommended to use self-tapping screws, not nails. When assembling, you should consider the location of the sewer holes and make cutouts of the appropriate diameter in the boards. In conclusion, the shields are upholstered with a film that will not allow the tree to absorb water from the solution.

Formwork is installed in parts on both sides of the trenches, and then reinforced with transverse bars every half a meter. The shields are set strictly vertically, maintaining the same distance between opposite sides along the entire length of the perimeter. Outside, the formwork is supported with struts from a bar. There should be no gaps between the lower edge of the shields and the upper edge of the trenches, otherwise the solution will flow out.

Reinforcing cage installation.

How to calculate the foundation for the house.

Installing a reinforcing frame

The presence of a reinforcing frame in the thickness of the foundation allows you to strengthen the base and extend its service life several times. For the manufacture of the frame, steel reinforcement with a cross section of 10-16 mm is usually used. It is very important to properly tie the rods in order to distribute the load evenly over the entire area.

Reinforcement of the strip foundation for the house.

For work additionally needed:

tie wire;
building level;
Bulgarian;
plastic pipe cuttings;
tape measure.

The rebar is cut with a grinder along the length and width of the trenches, after which a lattice with cells of 30 cm or more is knitted from it. To do this, 4-5 longitudinal rods are fastened with transverse segments every 30 cm.

It is categorically not recommended to use welding for connection, since it weakens the attachment points, contributes to the corrosion of the rods. The frame must be voluminous, so horizontal gratings are placed at 3-4 levels, tied with vertical bars.

Foundation frame for a house.

Additional fastenings should be made at each corner of the foundation and at the intersections of load-bearing internal walls. You can lower the frame into the trenches in parts, and already inside tie them together. To avoid corrosion as much as possible, the reinforcement cannot be laid directly on the sand: they take an old plastic pipe, cut it into rings 4-5 cm wide and put it under the grate in the corners and every 50-60 cm along the trenches. Between the side walls and the edges of the frame, you need to leave about 5 cm, the same applies to the upper edge of the reinforcement.

Reinforcement of the foundation for the house.

Reinforcing cage installation

When the grid is fixed inside the formwork, the concrete pour level is marked on the inside of the boards. You can do this with the help of a fishing line: small carnations are stuffed at the ends of the formwork and a fishing line stretched strictly horizontally is fixed on them. It should be located 5 cm above the edges of the reinforcement grid and run along the entire perimeter at the same horizontal level.

Pouring concrete.

The right foundation for the house.

Pouring concrete mortar

It is recommended to pour the mortar at a time, but not in a total mass, but in layers. Each layer should be no thicker than 20 cm; this will evenly distribute it between the cells of the reinforcement and reduce the number of air voids. For the manufacture of the mixture, cement M400 or M500, fine crushed stone and coarse-grained river sand are taken.

The right strip foundation for the house.

It is very important to observe the correct proportions when mixing, otherwise the quality of the solution will be below normal. For 1 bucket of cement, 3 buckets of sifted sand and 5 buckets of crushed stone are required. Water should be taken about half of the total volume, add it in portions so as not to overdo it. The solution should not be too liquid or too thick: high-quality concrete has a uniform consistency, when the shovel is turned over, it slowly slides off with a total mass.

After pouring the first portion, the concrete is leveled with a shovel and pierced along the entire length of the trenches with a piece of reinforcement to release the air that has accumulated in the mortar during mixing. It is very effective to compact concrete with a vibrator, it increases the strength of the monolith several times. In the same way, the remaining layers are poured until the surface of the concrete is level with the stretched fishing line. The formwork is tapped with a hammer, after which the top of the solution is leveled with a rule or trowel.

How to make the foundation for the house.

It takes about a month to strengthen the foundation.

It takes about a month to strengthen the foundation. To prevent the surface from cracking, it is constantly moistened and covered with polyethylene from rain. In hot weather, concrete should also be covered from direct sunlight to avoid cracking. Formwork can be dismantled 10-15 days after pouring, and construction work can be continued after 28-30 days.

Recommendation: Informative article. Reveals the moments of the correct foundation for the house, opens the reader’s eyes to the general concepts of foundations. The article will be useful to all developers, get knowledge and do not fall into the main traps of construction. Do not forget to make the correct calculation of the foundation.

Which foundation for the house is better to choose 🏡: tiled, tape or pile-screw?

The question that every buyer of a house made of SIP panels will face is what kind of foundation is better to choose for a house. Many, until they are faced with the prospect of a choice, do not even imagine how many foundations a house can be built on. But the problem is that if you make the wrong choice, then the building can stand for a very short time. Indeed, many types of foundations are designed for the fact that the house will correlate with its weight with it, and as a result, many problems simply will not arise.

And houses made of SIP panels are distinguished by their lightness and, therefore, such an effect as frost heaving can occur. When the weight of the building is not large enough, then in the very first frosts, under the influence of cold, the foundation will be unevenly pushed out of the ground, which can lead to partial destruction of the house. But in order to correct the mistakes made when choosing the base and correcting them, it is necessary to disassemble the entire house and start all over again.

And so that you do not have such problems, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the types of foundation for a house made of SIP panels.

Types of foundations

In addition to choosing the foundation for a house based on its weight, you should also pay attention to the condition of the soil on the site. Some types of foundations cannot be installed on soft ground.

Tiled

When the happy owners of a land plot face the question of which foundation to choose for a house from SIP panels, then first of all everyone remembers a monolithic or flooded, and in other words, a reinforced concrete slab. Of course, it may seem that the stronger the foundation of the house is, the longer the house will stand idle and there will be no problems. But remembering the frost heaving, one can doubt the appropriateness of such an approach. The more monolithic the structure looks, the more weight should fall on it. And besides, we must not forget about the cost and time costs.

To create this type of foundation you will need:

sand,
concrete,
fittings,
tree.

The main problem is that it will take a lot of material, as well as time. So all the advantages of construction technology from SIP panels, and this, including the speed of construction, are reduced to zero.

Strip foundation

Another popular type of foundation for a private house is a strip foundation. It is a shallow/deeply buried reinforced concrete strip. As with the previous case, it should be understood that this option is suitable for heavy buildings and for those projects that provide for a basement. Such a basis, as well as the previous version, greatly increases the construction time. To create a strip foundation you will need:

dig a trench;
to fill the trench with sand and gravel, in order to correlate possible soil imperfections;
make formwork, and after the concrete reaches the required strength, dismantle it;
assemble the frame from the reinforcement and install it;
pour concrete mixture into the formwork;
Wait for the concrete to dry.

The problems that people who choose this type of foundation may face are manifold. Firstly, it is too bulky and in order to build it, it is necessary to call a crane to the site. Secondly, the choice of such an option means an extension of the construction site for one or two months. And, thirdly, the final cost of construction increases and in the future there may be problems from additional extensions, since such a design is not intended to increase the area of \u200b\u200bthe house. Also, the underground space will be rather poorly ventilated, which is also not very good for life. But for houses of a large area, for example, a two-story house, such a foundation is the best fit.

Ground floor

Another not the worst solution for the foundation is the construction of a basement floor. Although it will not be the cheapest option, it will be able to greatly expand the area of \u200b\u200bthe house, organize technical rooms there, and, if desired, workshops, a bathhouse, a sauna, a gym and much more. Such a foundation for a one-story house is just salvation. This option, of course, does not save the budget, since in fact it is a monolithic base, the manufacture of which requires a lot of concrete mix and reinforcement, but there is a strong saving in the useful area of \u200b\u200bthe house. That is, the living space is not reduced due to the necessary technical premises.

Screw pile

This type of foundation is a hollow steel tube with a headband on one side and blades on the other. Unlike other types of foundations, piles do not require additional clearing of the soil and the importation of heavy equipment to the site. Piles can be twisted both manually and with the help of an excavator.

Such a foundation for a SIP-house can be placed on almost any site. At the same time, it is absolutely not important whether there are strong elevation differences on the site – more precisely, for such an option, only such a base is suitable, since during the installation process all differences can be leveled. The only thing that can become an obstacle to such a foundation is rocky, silty soils and peat bogs. Although if the pile blades are quite strong and allow you to “cut” stones or even drown the pile to the bearing soil in marshy areas, then even in seemingly difficult areas you can put such a foundation.

The huge advantage of this type of base is the price. Installing such a foundation is many times cheaper than all the above options, and there is nothing to say about time costs – all work will take no more than two days. Another advantage of this foundation over the rest is that at any time without any problems you can make an extension to the house.

Which foundation to choose?

Of all the above foundations for SIP-panel houses, pile-screw is best suited. It is light and easy to install, but at the same time it effectively resists frost heaving and withstands heavy loads. On such a basis, you can put both a one-story and two-story house without any problems. Also, at any time, you can expand the house by simply purchasing the required number of piles and in a day get a solid foundation for additional space.

This base is not only easy to install, but also easy to dismantle. Piles do not spoil the soil and can be used several times. They are specially coated with a substance that allows the metal not to rust and serve for a long time – more than a hundred years.

We at CitySip have chosen this type of foundation and almost all of our completed projects have been placed on it.

120 photos of the basic construction technologies of the base element

When planning to build a house or an outbuilding, it is necessary to correctly calculate and build the foundation. Depending on the characteristics of the soil and the total load, experts calculate the dimensions and type of the required foundation. It is a properly made foundation project that will protect your future building from destruction and subsidence.

Types of foundation for a house

A reliable, strong and durable foundation can be of several varieties: strip, slab, pile or column. In some cases, it is possible to manufacture a combined type.

Strip view

A huge concrete strip without beginning or end, that’s what you can see in the photo of the strip foundation for the house. It can be monolithic or made of separate blocks. One or another type of structure evenly distributes the load from the building located on it, and transfers it to the soil.

It is made along the perimeter of the building and in the places where load-bearing walls are installed. The rest of the area can be used as cellars and cellars.

Such a foundation is common for the installation of fences, outbuildings and private or country houses.

The pouring of this type of foundation can be done by hand, with a properly designed foundation project, and with the involvement of construction equipment. This type of base is easy to manufacture, durable and strong.

Column view

This is the most inexpensive foundation option available to every builder. It is designed for relatively small loads and is used to build small one or two-story buildings, including wooden houses. An important condition for laying such a base is its use in soil resistant to various temperature extremes.

Posts are installed in the ground or in a pre-drilled well, connected at the top with reinforced concrete beams.

As well as tape, this type of foundation is classified into prefabricated and monolithic. In the first case, pillars of blocks are laid, in the second, concrete is poured into the wells.

Slab view

It is a monolithic reinforced concrete slab, laid to a sufficient depth, of a certain thickness (from 30 to 100 centimeters). The thicker the foundation, the thicker the reinforcement used. The standard range is 12 to 25 millimeters.

This is one of the most expensive and reliable types of foundation used in the construction of large buildings, or any structure on unstable, “floating” ground. The monolith can withstand both vertical and horizontal deformations and heavy loads.

Depending on the intended construction, the slab foundation is divided into: monolithic, coffered and Swedish wall.

Pile type

Two or more piles are connected by a reinforced concrete slab or beam.

The foundation on piles is used on poor soil that cannot withstand heavy loads, with a close location of groundwater or a layer of sand and clay hidden at a depth that contributes to the “shift” of the soil. And also for large multi-storey buildings.

It uses wooden, reinforced, metal or combined concrete and metal piles.

For the manufacture of this type of foundation, a large number of construction equipment and significant financial investments will be required.

What is the best foundation for a house?

To answer this question, it is necessary to take into account several determining factors:

The presence of groundwater and how deep it is.
Soil type.
Type of building and what load it will give to the foundation.
The presence of a cellar or cellar.
How deep does the soil freeze during the cold season and are there any communications on the site?
For what time period is the building calculated?

What materials will the house be built of?

Some of this data may be held by the site provider. Otherwise, you will have to study these issues on your own with the involvement of additional equipment and third-party organizations.

This information will help you choose the best foundation option with the recommended depth and other parameters. All this will avoid early destruction of the building and its cracking.

Based on the data received, the design engineer will prepare a building project with recommendations for the foundation and its installation. The given instructions must be carefully followed.

Specific features of different types of foundations

It should be taken into account that the columnar and strip type of foundations are not used on soil with silt content or with a high heaving coefficient. In this case, piles will be the best solution.

The next important step is the insulation of the house foundation. You should not save on this type of work, since the house is not protected from the outside, it can easily become moldy, damp and even crack.

For insulation, you can build a fixed formwork with a layer of expanded clay, cotton wool or foam plastic laid on top, or use slab-type heaters. When choosing the method that is optimal for a given structure, it is necessary to take into account the level of resistance to deformation and the hygroscopic properties of materials.

Finishing the foundation for the house

This is not only a beautiful decoration of the building, but also additional protection from bad weather, wind and dirt, as well as an additional layer of thermal insulation.

Depending on financial capabilities and preferences, various decoration options can be used: beacon and decorative plaster, siding, corrugated board or tiles. The modern construction market offers a wide variety of options. Everyone will choose something to their liking.

Also recommended:

Foundation base
Slab foundation
Pile foundation
Foundation reinforcement
Foundation types
Formwork for foundation
Foundation installation
Monolithic foundation
Foundation insulation
Foundation pouring
Foundation depth
Foundation waterproofing
Foundation height
Screw foundation
Concrete foundation
Block foundation
Types and stages of foundation pouring
Do-it-yourself foundation
Which foundation is better
Bath foundation
Foundation calculation
Strip foundation
Brick foundation
Wrought iron gates
Fence foundation

Do-it-yourself foundation for a house: work sequence

Contents:
Do-it-yourself foundation for a house: stage one – marking
Stage two: excavation
Stage three: installation of formwork for the foundation
Stage four: reinforcement of the foundation
Stage five: concreting of the foundation

Like all other construction works, the technology of pouring the foundation has its own characteristics, without knowledge of which it is almost impossible to do. Every little thing is important here – incorrect calculations, a saved bag of cement or a missing rebar can play a decisive role and fully affect the strength of the foundation of the house. Of course, we will not consider complex and massive foundations for high-rise buildings – in this article, together with the stroisovety.org website, we will consider the issue of private construction and learn how to pour the foundation for a house with our own hands. You will learn about the correct sequence of work and the most significant subtleties, without which it is impossible to get a solid foundation.

Do-it-yourself foundation pouring nuances

Do-it-yourself foundation for a house: stage one – marking

In principle, this stage of work is not difficult, but not a single do-it-yourself foundation pouring can do without it. All you need at this stage of construction is to mark future concreting grooves with the help of pegs and thick threads (this is if we are talking about a small one-story building without a basement). If you plan to build a full-fledged house with a basement and several floors, then you will have to opt for a foundation pit. In any case, both when pouring a shallow strip foundation and when building the foundation of a house with a basement, markings will have to be done taking into account future access to the side parts of the foundation. It should be remembered that high-quality waterproofing of the foundation is indispensable.

It is very important to keep the correct geometry of the future construction in the process of laying out the foundation of the house, since everything must correspond to the project. If the angle between adjacent walls is supposed to be 90˚, then it should be so.

How to make a foundation for a house photo

Second stage: earthworks

At the second stage of work, the question of how to make a foundation for a house involves earthworks. Everything that you have marked out, you will now have to dig up. If we are talking about a shallow foundation for a small house, then you can get by with shovels. But if you have to dig a pit, then you can’t do without special equipment.

In the process of performing these works, one should take into account the depth of pouring the foundation – depending on the soil, the depth of the foundation for the house can vary from 500mm to 1200mm. Accurate information on this matter should be in the project documentation. In addition to the strength of the soil, the weight of the future structure also affects the depth. The heavier the material is used, the more massive and deeper the foundation will have to be poured. In some situations, even piles may be needed.

How to make a foundation with your own hands photo

Step Three: Installing the Formwork for the Foundation

This step is quite important – the formwork must be solid and level. For a shallow foundation, building a formwork is as easy as shelling pears – in fact, the walls of the trench are the formwork for such a foundation of a house. The only thing that will have to be added is its upper part, which can simply be put together from boards and, for strength, supported with stones or reinforcement hammered into the ground.

If we talk about a real foundation installed in a pit, then here you will need a serious (maybe even metal) formwork, the rent of which is not cheap. It is worth considering the acquisition of foundation blocks. In such a situation, the solution to the question of how to make a foundation with your own hands involves pouring a concrete base up to 1.2 m deep and installing foundation blocks on it. In principle, independent casting of the foundation is cheaper, but the need for serious formwork negates this advantage, providing an opportunity to use ready-made blocks. It’s both faster and more reliable.

Do-it-yourself foundation for a house: formwork

Fourth stage: foundation reinforcement

The most reliable and durable foundation is a foundation poured with concrete and reinforcement. It is for this reason that the stage of reinforcing the foundation should be given special attention. It will be necessary to build a three-dimensional frame from reinforcement, the dimensions of which depend on the size of the inner part of the formwork – as a rule, the frame should be 150-200mm smaller and fit in the middle of the concrete.

Do-it-yourself foundation pouring photo

There are a few subtleties here.

The frame must not be assembled by welding – the reinforcement must be tied with wire. It should be understood that the rigid connection of the reinforcement gives the concrete structure excessive strength – such a foundation will not be able to adequately respond to the movement of the soil and will crack.
Fittings used. It is necessary to tie the frame from rods of various diameters – both 16-mm reinforcement and 10-mm reinforcement are used for the foundation. Thick rods are tied along the length of the frame, and thin rods along the height and width.

After the frame elements are tied, they are placed in the formwork and connected to each other with wire.

How to pour the foundation correctly photo

Stage five: concreting the foundation

At this stage of the work, the question of how to pour the foundation correctly involves two solutions. If we are talking about a small foundation, then concrete for it can be prepared directly on site using a concrete mixer. If we are talking about global construction, then it is better to order ready-made concrete for the foundation – in this case, you only need to accept it and tamp it well with a deep vibrator.

In all respects, it is better to give preference to the second option – here you will not lose. Not only will you get rid of hard work, but you will also be sure of the quality of concrete and the fidelity of its proportions. In principle, it is not difficult to prepare the desired mixture on your own, but at the factory it will be done faster, and in some situations even cheaper. You can calculate how much concrete is needed for the foundation and the amount of its ingredients using our calculator.

Building a foundation for a house photo

And in conclusion, a few words about how to get a really high-quality foundation – building a foundation for a house also includes such a stage of work as controlling the solidification of the mixture.

3 Most Popular House Foundations

By definition, a home foundation is the load-bearing portion of the structure, typically built below ground.

1. Concrete Slab Foundation

Advantages of a Concrete Slab Foundation

Disadvantages of a Concrete Slab Foundation

2. Crawl Space Foundation

Advantages of a Crawl Space Foundation

Disadvantages of a Crawl Space Foundation

3. Basement Foundation

Advantages of a Basement Foundation

Disadvantages of a Basement Foundation

What’s a Raised Slab Foundation?

What type of house foundation gets you the home you want at a price that makes sense?

House Foundations | Types, Costs and FAQs

What is a foundation?

Types of foundation

Basement foundation

Crawl Spaces

Slab foundation

Foundations and insurance

Policy Exclusions

Commonly asked questions

What is the strongest type of foundation?

How do I make sure my foundation is waterproof?

How much does a foundation cost?

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What is a House Foundation? | House Foundation Types

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What House Foundation Types are There?

1. Concrete Slab Foundation:

2. Basement Foundation:

3. Crawl Space Foundation:

What is a Raised Foundation of a House?

How Deep is The Foundation of a House?

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Reinforcing the future foundation strip and constructing formwork

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Methods of pouring and methods of saving the foundation of a house

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How to pour the foundation: work steps