Which foundation is better - using concrete slabs or concrete stumps?

Question

I am thinking of constructing my own home in Australia. We are currently going through a drought, so the land is pretty dry here.

Answer 1

Slab is the more appropriate way to go if you wish a dwelling based to ground level, and affords a stable point at which to add whatever type of home construction you choose, IE: Frame or Block, etc.

Concrete pier blocks/"Stumps" allow that there will be air space under the lowest level of the home, even to a point where you can design a crawl space for access to utilities, etc., but also defines more narrowly the type of construction you'll have to go with.

You have another option, in that you can raise the house on Pilings, allowing that the first level will actually be more like what a second level of a two story house would be. That would afford space beneath the first level for vehicles and other storage, plus access to utility connections and hardware.

In any case the land should be surveyed. It should be determined what effects a NON drought season might have on the property, and certainly work on any BASE would best be undertaken when it isn't raining.

Steven Wolf

Answer 2

Concrete Stumps

Answer 3

House Stumps

Answer 4

Previous answers are all good ideas but I think the first consideration should be what type soil are you building on. Does it contract or expand with a rainy season as does clay? Is it sand that won't support piers? Is it prone to flooding (if so use piers)? In most locales a slab is cheaper to build. And a hydro heating system inside the slab is very energy efficient.

Answer 5

Yep, you have received some good answers here. But another thing to consider is: are there 'fault lines' that run across your property? We have one(I researched it on the Net). That is why there is a crack through every piece of slab behind our house(it runs the length of the whole city), and every slab close. Our house sits on concrete stumps, but our house still moves due to clay.....and we are very close to the coast line.

Answer 6

foundation concrete slabs concrete stumps

Answer 7

I'd use a one piece solid concrete slab. another cool thing you can do is create a heated or cooled floor by using PEX tubing and a solar powered water pumping system. This will lower your energy costs for heating and cooling considerably. You can usually find instructions for this on "green home" websites as this method is very eco -friendly.

Answer 8

Impossible to answer based on what info you have given.
Concrete stumps?= pier-blocks or piers that are in the ground? please definfe this for me.
Do you mention the dryness because of soil stability issues?
This is really an engineering question and not just one of esticts or cost.
Add this sutff and I will add my 2cents

Answer 9

The slab is going to keep the temperature in the house more consistent and even.