Part II - Different Types of Home Foundations and When to Use
Each
Choosing the Type of Foundation:
Homeowners and builders make decisions about which type of
foundation to use by gauging cost, needs/desires, and soil and
weather conditions. If you have high water tables then it may
not be possible to have a basement. If your land has shallow
bedrock or boulders then it may be more costly to dig a
basement. If you have a sloping lot it may be difficult to use a
slab foundation. If you have a cold climate then you may need to
dig down at least four or more feet to put the home's footings
below frost level. If you have to go at least four feet deep
then it may be worth spending some extra money to dig a few feet
deeper and have a full basement. Also, it is easier to install
and maintain mechanical systems in basements (compared to a
crawlspace). Your builder can help you determine what type of
foundation is best suited for your area.
The choice of foundation is also affected by personal
preferences and costs. Basements can add thousands of dollars to
the cost of a home compared to the cost of a crawlspace.
However, when you consider the extra useable space created by a
basement it is some of the cheapest square footage space of a
home. If you are tight on funds and can't afford the basement
then it may be a good idea to find a slightly smaller plan and
use the savings to create a basement. You'll end up with a lot
more storage space and potential living space by doing this.
============================================= Be sure to read
Part III of this article at:
http://www.houseplancentral.com/articles.php?id=11
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