In another ongoing thread called “Grade Beam Foundation: Standard Dimensio” I started to ask some questions about constructing grade beam foundations. As I’ve made more progress with the job that concern has evolved into a question of how to overcome some difficult soil conditions to get any kind of foundation at all.
The basic issues are this. I’m trying to replace a dilapidated addition that sits next to the main structure of a house but which is only tangentially attached to it ( the structures are attached at outside corners) and which sits next to a concrete porch/patio-on-grade and which supports one end of a roof that is also the roof of the addition. In excavating i have run into some real problems with the soil that are outlined in the forum thread at the link below. I’d welcome any thoughtful input or similar experiences. I wish I could offer a drawing but I have just switched computers and don’t have access to them right now.
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=68189.14
There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root. — Henry David Thoreau
Replies
Soil problems and answers as to what to do are typically local.
Here in Texas we have some areas with very poor soil realted to building.
We use a soil test lab, and they send the soil test results to our structural engineer.
Our total cost for the soil report and engineerng are approximately $0.50 per SF of footprint. This SF figure typically decreases as the home gets larger.
Edited 1/16/2006 7:23 pm ET by txlandlord