Building on limestone level rock 3′ below grade-can I not use poured foundation and by code just use posts and gluelam or ibeams?
40′ thick flat soft limestone under 3′
Northern ILL kane county–I want to eliminate concrete foundation.
Aluminum or-? anchored to stone for tornados and then thick well-insulated floor system as close to grade as feasible. Insulated ground boxes around water and waste connections.
Besides not wanting crete foundation–do not like slabs as well.
any ideas?
Replies
You will have to consult and have an engineer design your assembly. Having no concrete footing is against code everywhere I’ve built. You often see precast foundation walls on stone (no concrete footing), but those systems are engineered to be able to do so. They did build quite a few homes in the 50’s and 60’s with stone footings. Half of them had major settlement and water issues. There is some direction in the code for wood foundations, but there are quite a few jurisdictions that do not allow for this as well. Unless you live in an area where there is no Johnny Law checking on your work an engineer is your only way that you will be allowed to build this way.
Thanks--good insight--I was hoping there was an extensive article for options to reduce or replace the use of concrete. Johny law is alive and unforgiving-
why do you not want a concrete foundation or a slab?
I built a house next door and we put footing on flat rock and then short wall --it seemed like overkill--that was 33 years ago--no progress--
crawlspaces are just so medieval?
self-contained floor system on top non-rust metal piers or cement sonotube as the second choice?