I am planning on building a shed on my property for all that stuff that clutters up the basement each fall. It is to be a 12 x 16 shed with a 8-12 shingled roof, built in an area of previously undisturbed soil. My question is should I go with a crushed stone bed say 4-6″ thick and build with PT, same stone with concrete rounds at corners and midsection to allow airspace underneath, virgin ground with PT skids, or install piles below frost and build on those?
Site is in coastal Maine, snow in the winter shalllow bedrock (less than 10′), fair amount of spring melt runoff. The site is not level (maybe an 8″ drop from one end to the other)
What type of foundation do you guys/gals recommend?
Replies
Six concrete cookies on enough inch minus tamped hard to have them all level.
Lay 6x6s over them and build joists across that.
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First question is what does code require? And will a certain type of foundation create a zoning issue for you?
Around here a shed must have a "temporary" foundation (skids) or it's deemed to be a permanent structure and fully subject to code and zoning regulations, including property setbacks, etc.
Since it is over 10'x 12' he needs a permit. That is state.Local would determine the other, but I doubt any thing special, unless it is in a flood plain.
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Piffin- do you think I can get away without a permit if its on skids?
depends on the POV of the enforcers in your town. A lot of stuff like that gets no enforcement some towns unless the neighbor complains - like if it blocks his view or is too close to his property line ( fifteen feet most places)The permit here would be thirty bucks, and easily issued. But the fine is a hundred minumum and another hundred a day for non-compliance if they push the issue.skids has nothing to do with it here. Some states differentiate between portable, temporary and permantent. size and location are the predominant concerns for Maine. state guidlines say any structure or facility exceeding 120 sq ft....
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Pier foundation, 4x4 posts. I've heard that its the best kind of foundation where I live, with clay soil. Alot easier to grade a post then a block wall.