![]() ![]() Question: Our lot has a 15 percent slope. These Ohio homeowners took saw their sloped lot as an opportunity to take advantage of the view. See also: How to Choose the Best Possible Site to Build This step has a positive side: less digging, and the so-called waste soil from excavation may be used as fill. This may mean your builder has to create a foundation that is partly exposed on the “upslope” side with fill dirt added for a slight counter slope against the house. Building codes require that the land immediately around your foundation slope away from it. But if your site is on the side of a slope, you need to pay special attention to the amount of water that can flow toward your home and its foundation. If you build at the top of the slope, chances are you won’t face any issues. Sloped home sites also present drainage challenges. The time required to build your foundation is often increased, and it may be necessary to pump concrete to your foundation. Steep slopes are difficult to access with the heavy equipment needed to build your foundation. Slopes have two potential drawbacks that can cause some anguish to your builder and pocketbook: accessibility and drainage. ![]() In more open country, a slope can provide your home with a commanding view of mountains, lakes or meadows. In a forest, a home built on a slope may mean that windows on one side will take in views of a forest canopy and provide a sense of living in a tree house. Sloping lots offer a lot of aesthetic advantages, too. Being able to finish all or part of the lower level allows you to build more home for less money. This means daylight instead of the dark mustiness of a subterranean basement. Photo: Elk Ridge Builders Question: What are some pros and cons of building on a slope? Prosīuilding on a slope offers the possibility of a walkout or lookout lower level. As an added bonus, your crawlspace will offer some storage and allow you to run electrical wiring and plumbing-a much easier route than running these through a slab. ![]() This building technology has been used in Scandinavia for half a century and provides a more energy-efficient foundation system for less money. If you’re building where winters can be severe, normal footings must be several feet deep.Īlso, ask your building about frost-protected shallow footing (FPSF) to reduce the amount of digging and concrete. This will require a footing and short wall. If you’re trying to avoid a basement, consider using a crawlspace. I recommend doubling this height to protect log walls from damaging rain and drifting snow. Building codes require that non-masonry building materials be at least 8 inches above the soil surface. Make sure your builder or excavation team takes great care to compact the fill.Īnother issue is drainage. But be careful: Placing a slab on fill opens the door for cracks and settling. Bringing a slope up to level for a slab usually requires building a stem wall or retaining wall on the lower edge of the foundation and adding fill dirt to provide a level base. It isn’t just the cost there are other problems as well. ![]() Slabs and slopes often don’t play well together. Would I save more by building a house with a basement? Answer: I’ve heard it’ll cost a fortune to build up the ground for a slab foundation. Question: My wife and I own property with a gentle slope. This Montana cabin takes advantage of its sloped lot with a walk-out basement on the backside. ![]()
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