Replies

1. 
   rez | Aug 01, 2007 08:32pm | #1

   Greetings Talisker,

   This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again which will increase it's viewing.

   Perhaps it will catch someone's attention that can help you with advice.

   Cheers

   The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.

2. 
   ndege | Aug 01, 2007 11:07pm | #2

   I thought about this method for a project, too. My inspector actually recommended it. Haven't done it, but I looked into it enough by talking with local builders to figure out it's a good alternative. It's used in Scandanavia a lot. One architect had a good reminder. Be sure the insulation extends out at the corners of the building.

   I chose not to use it for a small addition because I was worried about the addition "floating" on the SFPF but not moving where it was tied to the house.

3. 
   VaTom | Aug 02, 2007 04:59am | #3

   OK Rez motivated me. 

   That's a variation of what I do with our underground houses.  Works like a dream, but we go out 20' to provide the heating/cooling system.  Multiple layers of 6 mil poly interspersed with the XPS makes for dry ground at the house.

   Very simple, close to foolproof.  Do it.

   PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!

1. 
   Talisker2 | Aug 02, 2007 06:46pm | #4

   Thanks for the comments, how do you control ground water intrusion?  Our ground water is at 10' in some places, not too practical to dig deep.  My lot is also flat so it would be difficult to drain and we are on a well and septic system.  I would hate to come home and find my basement a indoor swimming pool if the power was out or we had a small earthquake that broke the membrane around the walls.

   I plan on consulting with a engineer to review the design of the concrete pour for the floor.  I think the FPSF can be done with a series of bond beams poured in a crosshatch pattern (and here I am just guessing, 4-6 feet on center) maybe 10"x10" with 1/2 or 3/4 rebar spanning them tied to the rebar in the floor.  We live within a few miles of the Castle mountain fault.  I am also trying to keep the home to a single story.  I have to get a soils test done in the next year or two to tell me the compressibility of the underlying strata.  Lot of gravel out here and I think I will have a good base without too much trouble.

   Thanks for the response

   Jim

1. 
   VaTom | Aug 02, 2007 08:40pm | #5

   how do you control ground water intrusion?

   Build where there's drainage.  Then the umbrella, with it's extra 20' all-sides span is adequate.  Last house got a standard foundation drain at the client's insistance, never saw a drop.  Not exactly a dry climate here. 

   Moving groundwater would hinder my passive heating/cooling system by carrying heat away.  If the groundwater wasn't moving (for some reason), no problem, and I'd only need waterproofing.  Bentonite is my preference.

   Certainly was not trying to talk you into a basement, though that's essentially what I build-with nothing (but dirt) above it.  Single story is all I've built, for several reasons.  I'll leave your engineering to your engineer, though if you click on my name you'll get to a link a page that a guy put up about our place.  It includes engineering for my one buried wall.

   Not anti-seismic, but no damage from a 4 we had here.  Also no damage from the top 50' of a tulip poplar that came down on the roof one night.  We were unaware until I found it the next morning.  Take a look at that web page and read what I think a house should be.  You might agree.

   FPSF simply uses the ground as a small insulated heat sink so you don't need deep footers.  Passive Annual Heat Storage (PAHS) does the same thing, on a considerably larger scale.  Cheap, works great.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!

1. 
   Talisker2 | Aug 02, 2007 09:04pm | #6

   Tom, thanks for the great tips. In speaking with the wife this AM, I was told we are going to go with a full daylight basement.  I will read up on various techniques to control water intrusion as well as building a french drain with a sump pump.  All of this is at this time speculative until I get my soil work done.  Looks like I may get my woodworking shop in the basement after all though. We will have to engineer some kind of walk out covered double door pour for that too.  The garage may well be FPSF if it is detached. 

   Thanks again

   Jim

1. 
   VaTom | Aug 03, 2007 04:40am | #7

   You're welcome. 

   Unsure what a "full daylight" basement is.  We call a basement with one wall buried and the opposing one exposed "walkout", which seems problematic for your site.  Has engineering issues, rarely met here, resulting in side wall fractures.

   Stand your ground on what you need for a woodshop.  My DW decreed that we'd never again live over one (noise, dust). 

   Your basement will benefit from FPSF detailing if you bother.  I did one here, very different comfort level from the neighbors' standard basement.

   Happy planning.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!