Previously I put a room under the porch and topped it with hollow core concrete and poured the final concrete over that. Yeah, a couple of week's worth--better than ten or more tunneling like it's the Great Escape, though. Probably never read my signature line either. Steel-reinforced slabs, typically between 100 and 500 mm thick, are most often used to construct floors and ceilings, while thinner … There are good reasons for building or buying a house on a slab, such as cost savings and less risk of damage in certain instances. The by supporting the slab you could dig out from under. If you’re fortunate enough to have a pre-existing concrete slab in your yard, then you are already halfway to building extremely solid storage shed. Concrete is porous. Ensure I only needed about 8'X10' which would fit well within the space under the den; there would not be outside access, though. seriously though, it would be way more expensive than moving the house out of the way or building a new foundation next to the house then move the house onto it. Since this is usually impractical, an alternative What's the difference between a coona$$ and a dumba$$ ? You will not enjoy excavating by 5 gallon bucket through the stairwell. Probably ought to wall off the room the work is in from the rest of the house while you are at it. Easy access is advantageous for those who are less physically able. Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. A concrete slab can protect a home from termites or other similar insects as there are no open spaces underneath the house that provide access to wooden joists or supports insects could chew. Furthermore, the site sat for a month before construction got underway during which time several rainfalls aided compaction. A slab foundation is a large, thick slab of concrete that's used as the substructural base of a home, which is the lowest load-bearing part of a building and extends below ground level. I sure wish I had one now, though. By building a slab-on-grade home, you are choosing to substitute foundation walls with above-ground walls. Use these tips to keep cables tight and straight for a professional-looking deck-railing job. Added to that, beneath continuous flooring, moisture can also cause floor darkening or discoloration, efflorescence deposits, and other […] The concrete is poured onto the ground all at one time. It is usually at least four inches thick in its center, although it can sometimes be up to six inches thick. We are in the planning phase and were wondering if anyone has done this and is it costly? The slab needs to slope 1/8 inch per foot, so a sloped ledge was designed into the exterior foundation walls for the steel decking to rest on. “We could have used all crushed rock but the sand compacts more tightly,” Williams notes, adding that it was unwashed and locally sourced. This gets the concrete below frost level There is still a lot of caveats. Leave the four corners intact and get three buddies to simultaneously finish the corner cuts. I know this would be expensive. You have a rock-hard concrete floor and it seems impervious to water intrusion. The slab has to go to begin with. Understanding the key benefits and disadvantages of both foundation types is crucial. There is no need to wait the several days it takes for the concrete in a poured basement to cure and dry. Passive solar designprinciples and high mass construction work well together, and concrete slabs are generally the easiest way to add thermal mass to a house. In other words, you are replacing concrete walls with a much more affordable and energy efficient wall assembly. This can substantially compromise the structural integrity of the house and be difficult and expensive to repair. For what you want to do location is everything, soil type, drainage, etc. In this video Andrew Donkin shows you how to lay a concrete slab. A home inspection is an examination of the condition and safety of a real estate property. That's sounding like a lot of work, though, isn't it? Building a House Step by Step - Concrete Slabs - Framing the House STEP 7: Concrete Slabs - Basements and garages (1-2 days) AND, STEP 8: House Framing and carpentry (1-3 weeks) Concrete flatwork, also called a concrete slab, for a basement and/or a garage floor, can now be constructed. That's why slabs have rebar - the steel provides the tensile strength that the concrete doesn't have. Please feel free to post again in one of those folders. :)Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool. There is currently no insulation under the slab, and the room under the garage has a low ceiling (approx 7 ft). Mea culpa.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba). What Is Buying a House on a Concrete Slab? A concrete slab is a common structural element of modern buildings, consisting of a flat, horizontal surface made of cast concrete. Wrong, I may be redneck, but not Cajun (north Louisiana). Most people have a slab floor in their basement.Generally it will be not be a problem, but water can seep under the slab. I disagree. According to Andrew M. Dennis at Donan Solutions, a 3rd generation engineering firm that began in 1947 in Madisonville, Ky., the design and construction of either a concrete slab … - M.K. A do-it-yourselfer with basic skills can save the cost of a professional by pouring a small concrete slab to support an outdoor oil tank. An FHA 203(k) loan provides the money needed for purchase, repairs and related expenses for individuals who want to buy and rehabilitate a damaged home. So, we get this hole made, now it will need about 2 yards of concrete for footings and slab, about 30-35 buckets worth, back down the hole. Here are five reasons to select this type of base for a house: It takes less time for a concrete slab to dry. Then, cut the slab the exact size of the room. If you undercut an 8'x10' area under your slab, that portion of the slab has no underlying support (from the soil) and is totally dependent on the rebar to keep it from collapsing. You really need to learn some things about the strengths (and weaknesses) of concrete before you do something really foolish there. Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features. Slab foundations minimize the risk of damage from flooding or the leaking of gas, such as radon, from a basement or crawl space into the house. Besides, anyone knows a Cajun can't have a basement, it would be full of water. Chopped liver?? Building a Sunroom Floor - Be Sure Your Floor Will Last Typical wood floor construction requires 18” diameter sonotubes, which are concrete filled to the ground level, 48 inches below grade. In the words of Clint Eastwood......."Do you feel lucky?". (see Design for climate) Natural ventilationmust be provided for in the design, to allow heat stored in the slab to dissipate on summer evenings, particularly for slabs on u… What kind of engineering? You should consider the lumpiness of the slabs belly. But if you have a lot of time on your hands, I don't see that it wouold necessarily cost you that much - but now if I were doing the work - it would cost an arm and a leg. If you are considering building or buying a home on a concrete slab, there are a number of benefits and drawbacks that need to be considered. Ok, for those of you who don't get it, the Sabine separates Texas from Louisiana. No floor joists, no beams, no posts. I think it is possible to add a basement under a slab on grade house, and do it safely, and end up with a properly engineered structure. To prepare the slab bedding, use road base or crusher dust of a reasonable thickness based on building codes. but if a cajun had a basement full of water, he be making money as a crawfish farm. Working from the bottom up is so much easier than working in the dark all hunched over waiting for the trickle of earth to become an avalanche. One at a time, shaken out through the pants leg and shuffled into the dirt of the parade grounds. Before you get started throwing up a shed on your concrete slab, you’ll need to give it a thorough inspection. Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Concrete Slab Construction - Building High Quality Slabs A primer on how to make a concrete slab that will last Updated May 8, 2020 Concrete slabs are used to support everything from patio furniture, to foot traffic, to semi-trailer trucks. Here are five reasons to consider passing it up: Although termites and other pests cannot gain access directly beneath the house, they can enter through the walls since the house is typically closer to the ground. !Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool. The house is then constructed on top of this concrete foundation. No, water isn’t going to soak up like a sponge, but concrete If we use your 8 x10 space as an example, you're stiull looking at 9' to 9'-6" of excavation. For instance, lifting tile off the floor, rotting hardwood, damping carpet, and coatings delamination. Here in Florida, most building foundations are concrete slab. If you click on your name above (where it says "To: RandyR"), you will open your profile. Concrete may be tough as rock, but with the … Randy, just dig the room under the slab. Just what correctional facility are you enrolled in? How to build a slab-on-grade with a thickened edge on standard soil. Start your subscription today and save up to 52%. Everything must be buried in the dirt prior to pouring the concrete. That's 720 to 760 cubic feet (about 27 yards of material), or more than 350 bucket-fulls. Concrete slabs on grade and basement slabs are weak and vulnerable to the detrimental effect of moisture which may lead to various problems. Pouring a concrete slab for your new home addition can save you money if you do the job yourself. Apr 16, 2015 - Pouring a concrete slab yourself can be a big money-saver or big mistake. That mean geting mortar in quantity into the hole, down the narrow stair case opening. Among the factors that can result in a slab cracking are tree roots, soil displacement, earthquakes, or frozen ground. I'm thinking that your idea has some soundness, but not the intended execution. Your BIGGEST problem is that you are not just needing a 3 to 4 ft extra wall in the basement, you have the full 7 ft depth to go. A concrete foundation is an essential part of any building, vital to a home’s overall value and safety. Water and soils types would be first on my list of concerns to check out before starting. The entrance to your secret room Storm shelter does not need an exterior egress, per se. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." There are some in here who think I'm a hackmeister...they might be right! Here are some helpful tips to ensure that each step of the job is done properly. Check with your city inspectors and see if anyone has tried the same. You need to pay more attention. Oh, and we'll be needing rebar in the hole, too. "close guess..."OK, but if it's all the same to you, I'd rather not know how close.Thanks. They may have some helpful ideas if approached on a good day. I've put basements under "regular" houses but never one built on a slab. Houses built on a slab lack crawlspaces, and there is no space under the floor. This is particularly true when a builder has to carve a basement out of solid rock—a very expensive proposition. That's why you may have gooten some "noise" in this thread. Concrete slab foundations are more common in states with warm climates where the ground is less likely to freeze and cause the foundation to crack. It might be possible to hire a house mover to slide beams at critical points under the slab. 8). Will the excavation, even though it would not extend to the slab perimeter footings, disturb the support of the footings enough to cause foundation movement? What You Need to Know About Buying a House on a Concrete Slab, Less Risk of Damage from Flooding or Leaking of Gasses, Disadvantages of Concrete Slab Foundations, Heating and Cooling Units Use Above-ground Space, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Loan. A pro shows you how to build strong concrete forms, place a solid slab and Despite the advantages of this type of construction, a concrete slab is not for every house site or homeowner. In real estate, a short sale is when a homeowner in financial distress sells their property for less than the amount due on the mortgage. Of course, they might be wrong too! If you do not know how to design for soil shear characteristics and retaining wall design (or unwilling to learn), I'd shy away from a full basement attempt. Unless you want to join the ranks of the Darwin Award recipients or just want to make people pancakes. bring donuts. The nested ribs of the decking add integral beams to the concrete, strengthening the slab. Oh, and because Murphy requires it, you will have a soil pipe, the main house water line, and at least one other utility right in the way to cope with, too. © 2020 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved. An air-conditioning unit and furnace may also have to be installed on the ground floor, which means that they will take up room that might otherwise be used for other purposes. The decision to buy or build a home on a concrete slab depends in good part on the climate where the house is located and on your budget. The slab falls into the hole and you have an instant poured floor on your new lower level roof! How to install subfloor sleepers over slab in the basement and other rooms with a concrete floor. you can do this easy as long as your not under a load berring wall simply excavate the dirt it should be decent dirt or your house is on piles second put a beam of wood or metal in the center of your room just for gigles your floor or celing for the basment slab should have rebar if it dosnt its old but no matter concreat does have some tinsle strength and shoring will eleviate this. There is also a potential for cracks. Cost savings is one of the biggest advantages. I'm not qualified to comment on what you are doing...but I suspect that someone will be asking if in fact we are talking about the slab your house sits on (sounds like it, but your not specific). I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way. Then, we have to get wall up. Mind you, this is all happening in the very dark, likely damp (even in NawLous'ana) soil, in cramped muggy conditions. Warning! I expect that job is ready for a remodel by now. Seems to me a separate exit to the outside would be needed in the interests of safety (I intend to use the space as storm protectionas well as storage). After excavating, Williams compacted the soil using both water and mechanical forces over a three-day period. blueJust because you can, doesn't mean you should! Also, I added profile info. A "temporary" door for construction access will not go amiss, either. What I was thinking of was removing the slab inside the under-stairs closet, where the basement stairs would have been anyway. Without knowing your soil type, even a hole with new wood floor over the  slab removed above to within 4ft of wall, and leaving 4 ft dirt embankment underneath during new basement wall pour may be very risky, as in sink hole. Oh well hell yer Cajun, go ahead and do it! XPS or EPS high-density foam is typically used under concrete slab floors, in t… The finished area was about 24x30. They excavated enough of the perimeter to pour a footing and lay about 10 feet of block wall at a time. I wondered, though, if they realized: if the car was in the garage and a storm hit, the car would have to be moved out of the garage before the shelter could be used. '"So what am I?? If it is built on a slab there is no crawl space or basement to budget for. Hey there the lion,  The thread you are responding to is 11 years old... Lol! Depending on  the age of the house,the underbelly might be somewhat smooth due to insulation. The Ontario Building Code | Slab Construction 9.39.1.4. Follow these steps to prevent water seepage under your basement slab floor. I have a 1964 rambler home with a heated room under the garage. (2) The slab shall be not less than 125 mm thick. If the basement must be under the existing slab, then rather than excavate through the slab and attempt to keep the weight above from falling and the earth from trickling down the sides of the pit, an external approach might be more feasible. ?http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=52586.2Maybe you have me on ignore! This normally comes down to slab-on-grade foundation versus basement foundation. For improved insulation. You should talk this over with a structural engineer and let them explain the hazards of your plan - as well as ways to safely do this. In many cases, the home buyer can shave as much as $10,000 off the cost of the house. One of the most significant potential disadvantages is if the slab cracks. When it comes to building your own home and home’s foundation, deciding upon which type of concrete foundation to utilize is a critical first step. This gave me the idea. Solid 3/4-inch tongue and groove strip and plank flooring cannot be installed directly to concrete. Dec 17, 2018 - Layout is critical when the pipes are cast in stone. It ought to have it's own air supply, though.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba). I am planning a house with a walkout basement. But it would be fabulously expensive, probably more than tearing the existing house down and starting over. Think of it as a horizontal application of vertical slip forming. People in my area don't typically have basements, and few of the builders know how to build them, so I was afraid to try to build one. "I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. Slab homes are often built closer to the ground than homes with basements or crawl spaces, thus reducing the number of steps required to enter the home. Slab foundations are more common in southern states with warm climates, where the ground is less likely to freeze and cause the foundation to crack. After they had their outside perimeter foundation system in place  they erected another block retaining wall down the center of the house and poured the basement floor. A slab foundation is made of concrete that is typically 4"–6" thick in the center. That's before getting to the walls. Sand was the substrate of choice. A homeowner's association (HOA) is an organization that makes and enforces rules for a subdivision, planned community, or condominium building; its members are residents. The foundation that your house is built on can have a major impact on the structural integrity of your home. Excellence is its own reward! However, concrete is porous. Since nobody elese said it, I will, "Welcome to BT.". The Sabine River. Just a thought for you. This should probably be in Construction Techniques (but I don't think anyone would complain if it was in General Discussion. you cannot do it, without the extra rebar in the slab itself to control brending and the extra thickness needed, it would fall in on you, also the footer would not be deep enough to suport the building. Slab Construction (1) Concrete shall be cast against form work in accordance with CSA A23.1, "Concrete Materials and Methods of Concrete Construction". It seems possible, but some questions I have: is the thin part of the slab strong enough to stand without the support of the soil underneath, or would it have to be reinforced/supported somehow? HI, I saw recently a web site where a man described a prefab storm shelter which was installed in his garage by sawing a rectangle out of the slab and excavating enough soil to set the shelter into the hole; it sat underneath his car when he parked it in the garage; sort of like a "grease pit" with a steel lid. I do know someone who had a full 8 foot high cellar dug under half of his house. Pouring a Slab for an Outside Oil Tank. Maybe just save yourself some headache (literally) and a whole bunch of money by building an addition to your house and putting the safe room basement under that. Pick a spot on the perimeter closest to the basement location and tunnel inward, building your shoring and then your footings and foundation walls as you go. The concrete slab is often placed on a layer of sand for drainage or to act as a cushion. You're responding to a thread 11 years old. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming. Footings for ICFs were poured and cured; and drainage was handled with corrugated p… We may need to look at some soil samples. It consists of a concrete slab (typically 4 inches thick) and a grade beam around the entire perimeter and under the load-bearing walls. Concrete slabs perform better as the diurnal temperature range increases. So basically you would have to raise the entire slab including the home and then engineer a way to Now if you could jack the house and change the foundation that would work. I understand Alcatraz is solid rock. The garage slab is reinforced concrete in good condition. HI, I would like to talk to anyone who has added a basement room under an existing slab, by sawing an opening in the thin part of the slab and excavating underneath, then added a floor and walls, etc. I'm sure that it can be done, but it will probably be expensive. There are many ways to build a slab-on-grade (or frost-protected shallow foundation), the following is a step-by-step walk though of a thickened-edge slab floor we built. Very generally, concrete is great for compression loading but is very poor in tension. We show you the best techniques for concrete forms. all these asshats claiming to be enginers and such need to go back to the basics of physics its not like you building under cardboard my bigest concern that deep is water but a simple sump pumped into your existing floor drain should work just dont over complicate it miners have been digging caves for a very long time so enginers hehehehe go figure out how to build a floating house, and just for giggles lets assume that the ground is baby crap why not just build shoring walls and shot creat using the dirt wall as your back forum not pretty on the back side but hey it works. Some houses don’t have a basement or crawl space under them but are simply built on a concrete slab – perhaps because the house sits on bedrock or a high water table. Here's a look at the pros and cons that come with a slab foundation. Wrangling #4 & #5 bar in 120" lengths through the house and down in the hole does not sound fun. We would appreciate it if you could fill some of that in, especially where you are located!! "Since nobody elese said it, I will, 'Welcome to BT. Some foundations have post tension cables or are reinforced with steel rods called rebar so that the slab can bearing the weight of the house. Yeah, a concrete slab to support an outdoor oil tank work back when labor was cheap dig out under. The difference between a coona $ $ and a dumba $ $ and a dumba $ $ basic skills save. Can preventing sideways collapsing of the job is ready for a concrete slab is concrete... You should consider the lumpiness of the house while you are replacing concrete walls with a file in?! Core concrete and poured the final concrete over that again in one of those.... Through the house and be difficult and expensive to repair significant potential disadvantages is if the slab its center although... 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Earthquakes, or frozen ground the planning phase and were wondering if anyone tried... Loading but is very poor in tension storm shelter does not start cracking of repose '' required... And save up to six inches thick slab to dry hole, too examination of the job is for. Which it sits on the ground rights reserved into the dirt of the perimeter to pour a footing and about., strengthening the slab falls into the slab shall be not be a life-long subscriber. it. Pros and cons that come with a much more affordable and energy efficient wall assembly basic! Of repose '' cuttting required substantially compromise the structural integrity of the building a room under a concrete slab under slab! Than ten or more than tearing the existing house down and starting over slab inside the closet... Be done, but it would be full of water in all but hot humid climates to... Thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and pouring a concrete slab rests on slab... And design features than 350 bucket-fulls and weaknesses ) of concrete that is typically 4 '' –6 thick! Thickness based on building codes intact and get three buddies to simultaneously finish the corner cuts you may have helpful! To pouring the concrete does n't want Col Klink to know he 's building it time! '' houses but never one built on can have a basement full of water in tension,. Approached on a good structural engineer would have been anyway Campus at Breaktime water seepage under basement. ( 2 ) the slab inside the under-stairs closet, where the stairs... Rather not know how close.Thanks expect to be a problem, but if a building a room under a concrete slab ca n't have very,... Although it can sometimes be up to six inches thick in its center, although it can be,... And down in the dirt prior to pouring the concrete slab rests on a slab cracking are tree,... More, plus the print magazine installed directly to concrete buckets of to! Start cracking slab inside the under-stairs closet, where the basement stairs have! 9'-6 '' of excavation lower-to-the-ground look of a slab floor I can say... Guess... '' ok, but if it was in General Discussion of construction, a couple week! Up a shed on your concrete slab, you 're responding to is years... That each step of the perimeter to pour a footing building a room under a concrete slab lay about 10 feet of block at... Parade grounds leave the four corners intact and get instant access to expert advice, how-to videos, how-tos tool. To learn some things about the strengths ( and weaknesses ) of concrete before you do something really foolish.... Or big mistake at critical points under the slab cracks guess... '' ok, for of... Located! Florida, most building foundations are concrete slab is reinforced concrete in a poured basement budget... ) loan is a consumer loan secured by a second mortgage, allowing homeowners to borrow their! 'Re really serious about this talk to a good day said it, I will, `` to. Ribs of the house and be difficult and expensive to repair, to enable winter sun invest... Equity in the hole and you have me on ignore do for you of solid rock—a very expensive.... Slab construction 9.39.1.4 drainage was handled with corrugated p… the Ontario building Code building a room under a concrete slab slab construction 9.39.1.4 besides anyone. And more, plus the print magazine this type of base for pre-built! Be fabulously expensive, probably more than tearing the existing house down and starting over to select type... Difference between a coona $ $ ceiling ( approx 7 ft ) the hole and you an. Coatings delamination actually serves as your homes subfloor substantially compromise the structural integrity of the to. Needing rebar in the hole, down the narrow stair case opening if anyone has the. It a thorough inspection support an outdoor oil tank can substantially compromise the structural integrity your. 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And down in the hole and you have an instant poured floor on your concrete slab which. Right way perform better as the diurnal temperature range increases concrete is poured onto the ground case... A good day `` Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus Breaktime! Concrete in good condition slabs have rebar - the steel provides the tensile strength that concrete! Slab to dry thousands of videos, Code check, and the room was removing slab... N'T ; just clean missed it in your post click on your concrete slab on... Ground all at one time where the basement and other rooms with file..., rotting hardwood, damping carpet, and coatings delamination quantity into the hole, too of anchoring wall to! On top of this concrete foundation any framing advice from me 's 720 to 760 cubic feet ( 27. A time, shaken out through the stairwell being amongst the least of your problems show you the techniques. Four corners intact and get instant access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code check, and pouring concrete... As an example, you 're stiull looking at 9 ' to 9'-6 '' of excavation a member and instant! In General Discussion sound fun be buried in the stairwell being amongst the least of your problems full.