Strip foundation: how to do it yourself. Choosing a foundation for a house Do-it-yourself budget foundation

The foundation is the basis of any structure. Its main purpose is to ensure the strength and reliability of the erected structure. Building the foundation is a key point in the overall construction of a house. If you want to build a foundation with your own hands, then do it as efficiently as possible! A well-laid foundation will extend the life of the building and protect it from the negative effects of the environment. The type of foundation is of great importance, the choice of which largely depends on the type of soil at the construction site and the type of structure.

Types of foundations and their features

You can build a house on any foundation; it is only important to take into account the natural conditions of the area where the construction site is located. The following types of foundations are used in modern construction:

• A columnar base is erected for wooden or light frame buildings, as well as for houses in which it is not planned to arrange a basement. Pillar bases are ideal for sloping areas. From an economic point of view, it is more profitable to build such a foundation at a large depth of soil freezing or in wetlands.
• A base in the form of a concrete strip is the most common option. Strip foundations can be erected under brick houses and fences. However, it is not recommended to erect heavy stone structures on a strip foundation. The strip base allows you to equip a basement in the house. The best place for the construction of the belt is considered to be an area with deep groundwater and an insignificant amount of soil freezing.
• A slab foundation is an ideal foundation option for questionable soil characteristics. This is a reliable, solid foundation. The slab is one of the most expensive construction processes that requires precise calculations. Therefore, you should only choose as a last resort.
• The pile-screw foundation is very popular due to its high load-bearing capacity, low price and high installation speed. The weak point of such a foundation is . A pile foundation can be erected on all types of soil with the exception of rocky soil.

You can order high-quality concrete mortar for pouring all types of foundations with delivery on the website beton174.ru.

Self-construction of the foundation for a house

In order for the foundation of the house to be strong and reliable, it is necessary to treat each stage of its construction very responsibly.

Stage 1. Marking the foundation.

Making markings for the foundation

The markings indicate the position of the future house, so the strength of the entire structure depends on its correct execution. The main tools for this stage are wooden pegs and thick threads. The following actions are performed:

• Pegs are driven in along the expected line of the building's façade and a thread is pulled between them. The distance between the stakes should exceed the length of the house by 0.5 m.
• On a thread, mark the places where the corners of the house will be located, and draw lines perpendicular to the lines of the facade through these marks. Their length should slightly exceed the planned width of the house.

Advice! To check the perpendicularity of the corners, you need to measure 3 m along one thread, and 4 m along the other. If the distance between these points is 5 m, then the angles are right.

• Along these threads a distance equal to the length of the side walls is measured and marks are made using pegs.
• A thread is pulled between the marks, parallel to the line of the house facade.

Advice! To check the accuracy of the angles, you need to measure the diagonals of the resulting rectangle. If these parameters are equal, then the marking is done correctly.

• After all control measurements are taken, the internal lines of the foundation are marked. To do this, it is necessary to make a retreat of 0.4 m inside the perimeter. To more accurately mark the corners, the pegs are placed outside the perimeter.

Stage 2. Excavation work.

Earthworks during construction

You can do the work at this stage manually using a shovel. You can use special equipment that will speed up the process several times. depends on the type of foundation chosen: for a shallow-depth strip - 0.6-0.7 m, for a regular foundation - about 1.8 m. To arrange a sand and gravel cushion, an additional 20 cm is dug.

The walls of the trench must be strictly vertical; a building level is used to check. To prevent the soil from crumbling, you can install supports.

The bottom of the trench is carefully leveled, also using a building level to check horizontality.

The gravel-sand cushion is arranged in the following order:

• Sand is poured into the bottom in a layer of 10-15 cm, moistened and compacted.
• Sand is poured back in and thoroughly compacted again.
• A layer of gravel up to 15 cm high is laid on top of the sand, which is also carefully compacted.

Advice! To avoid erosion or silting of the shallow foundation cushion, the bottom of the trench can be covered with geotextiles.

Stage 3. Installation of formwork for the foundation.

Making formwork

Arranging the strip base formwork is a very important stage. His main task is to choose the right material. After all, the formwork must withstand the load of a huge mass of concrete mortar. Most often, edged boards with a thickness of more than 20 mm or sheets of moisture-resistant plywood are used to make formwork. These materials are low cost and more accessible compared to other options.

Installation of formwork is carried out in the following order:

• Rectangular boards are constructed from boards, fastening them with transverse bars. It is better to use self-tapping screws as fasteners. This will make it easier to dismantle the formwork system in the future.
• The installation of shields is carried out on both sides of the trench with reinforcement after 50-70 cm with wooden spacers. Using spacers of the same length, you can achieve the same distance between opposite sides of the formwork.
• Outside, the formwork is secured with wooden supports. One side of the bars should be cut at 45 0. It is with this end that the block rests on the formwork panels. This design will make the mold more durable.
• Next, the formwork and the bottom of the trench are covered with waterproofing material, which will prevent the wood from absorbing milk from the concrete solution. For this purpose you can use .

Stage 4. Creation of a reinforcing frame.

The reinforcing frame embedded in the foundation serves to strengthen the foundation and extend its service life. Most often, the frame for the foundation is made of steel rods with a diameter of 10-16 mm, and soft knitting wire is used to bind them together. The frame is created in the following way:

• The reinforcement is cut into rods along the length and width of the trench.
• Longitudinal rods, laid at a certain distance, are fastened with transverse elements every 25-30 cm. The result is a horizontal lattice.
• To create a three-dimensional shape, horizontal gratings are laid in several rows, also fastened with transverse rods.

At the corners of the foundation and at the intersection of the main tape with the load-bearing partitions, it is necessary to additionally tie the frame.

Stage 5. Pouring concrete.

To pour the foundation, you need to use high-quality factory-made concrete. It will be delivered to the site using specialized equipment. But to save money, you can prepare the mixture yourself on the site. For this you will need M400 grade cement, fine crushed stone and coarse sand. Compliance with the mixing proportions is a very important condition that guarantees a high-quality solution. The mixture is prepared using the following technology:

• Sift 3 parts of sand and combine them with 5 parts of crushed stone.
• Mix everything thoroughly and add 1 part of water. In this case, the liquid is introduced in small portions until a solution of medium thickness is obtained.
• The solution is stirred until a homogeneous consistency is obtained.

The resulting composition must be poured in layers of no more than 20 cm. It is very important that the solution fills all the voids in the reinforcement frame. To compact, you can use small reinforcement bars, piercing the poured mixture with them. This will also remove any air bubbles that may have formed when mixing the solution. If you use a special vibrator, you can increase the strength of the poured base several times.

The next layers should be poured according to a similar pattern until the concrete is even with the stretched line. The top of the concrete mixture is leveled using a trowel.

Dismantling of the formwork can be done after two weeks, and further construction is recommended to begin only after a month.

Important! During the entire period of strengthening the foundation, it is necessary to monitor its surface. From rain and sun rays it is necessary to cover the foundation with plastic film. To avoid cracking, maintain constant moisture.

How to build a foundation for an extension to a house

Sometimes, after the main construction is completed, the need arises to build an extension to the house. To avoid troubles during the operation of this part, it is necessary to build it on a high-quality foundation. To do this, you must follow the established rules:

• The foundation of the house and the extension must be exactly the same.
• For rigid fastening of the additional base, the reinforcement frame of the main building is connected to the reinforcement of the extension.

The process of pouring the foundation for an extension is carried out using the same technology as the main tape.

Creating a foundation for a house with your own hands is a very responsible and time-consuming process. However, if you follow all the rules and regulations, you can make a high-quality and reliable foundation with your crayfish.

The strip foundation has proven itself to be a reliable and durable foundation for any type of building. Due to its versatility and relatively low price, this type of foundation is widely used in the construction industry. Having in your arsenal basic knowledge in construction, a set of necessary tools, technical means and a great desire, you can easily turn into reality the idea of ​​​​building a strip foundation with your own hands. You will learn how to pour a strip foundation with your own hands without experience and organize the work correctly from our step-by-step instructions.

Before you begin preparatory work, you should decide for yourself what type of strip foundation you prefer to see as the basis of your future building. There are two types of strip foundations:

• Shallow;
• Recessed.

The first type of strip foundation is suitable for those who want to save their time and money. The construction of a shallow foundation does not require deep trenches. It is an excellent solution for the construction of small buildings. Experts recommend giving preference to a shallow strip foundation when building structures such as:

• Wooden houses;
• One or two-story buildings made of foam concrete or aerated concrete blocks;
• Frame buildings using Canadian construction technology;
• Monolithic structures with permanent formwork;
• Small stone buildings.

The depth of this type of foundation does not exceed 50 cm.

A recessed strip foundation is suitable for buildings with heavy walls, concrete covering and an underground garage or basement. When choosing this type of foundation, it is necessary to correctly calculate its depth. To do this, it is enough to determine the level of soil freezing and subtract 30 cm from this value.

Preparatory work

At this stage, it is necessary to draw up a detailed plan for subsequent work, bring all construction materials to the site and place them near the work site. You should also carry out calculations of the required materials, as well as dimensions. In this case, specialized online calculators will come to your aid.

Marking

Probably the most important stage in the construction of any type of foundation is marking the land plot. Before starting it, it is necessary to clear the entire surface in the area of ​​the future foundation from debris and cut off the top layer of soil to a depth of 15-20 cm, which will help to avoid biological processes of decomposition of organic matter. After arranging the construction site, you can proceed directly to marking. For this:

1. A peg, which can be a piece of reinforcement, marks the location of the first corner;
2. From it, using a vertical and plumb line, mark the position of the second and third corners;
3. A string is also pulled from the second and third corners and the fourth corner is determined;
4. Having measured the diagonals and made sure that the angles are set correctly, a rope is pulled between the pegs;
5. Stepping back from the resulting marking inward at a distance equal to the thickness of the future foundation, mark the internal contour.

Having finished marking, we begin digging a trench. To do this, we select the lowest point of our marking and from it we count the remaining depth, using the building level. For a small building, a depth of 40 cm will be sufficient, and only a shovel will be enough to dig a trench, although you can easily use the services of an excavator.

Educational video about markup:

Foundation cushion and waterproofing layer

So, the trench is dug, and the next step is to settle the sand bed with a mixture of gravel. This pillow is covered in layers, each of which is watered and compacted. According to standards, the thickness of the entire layer must be at least 15 cm. A waterproofing film is placed on the pillow as a protective layer. A rough concrete mortar can also serve as an alternative, but in this case you will have to wait a week until it hardens.

Installation of formwork

Dimensions of formwork for foundation

The formwork materials can be planed boards, slate, moisture-resistant plywood and oriented strand board (OSB). The formwork is installed vertically to a height of 30 cm, which will allow for the construction of a basement in the future. In order to subsequently install the sewer pipe and water supply, asbestos concrete pipes are laid in the formwork. If you want the formwork material to be able to be used after the foundation has been poured, place a plastic film between the formwork and the concrete. Dismantling of the formwork is carried out 6 days after pouring the concrete.

Laying reinforcement

The reinforcement for laying in a trench with a cross-section of 1-1.2 cm is fastened with a special knitting wire so that cells with sides of 30 to 40 cm are formed. It is not advisable to use welding to fasten the reinforcement, since corrosion may subsequently form at the coupling points. The optimal distance of reinforcement from the edges of the formwork is 50 mm. This placement is the most effective in a monolith. Instead of steel reinforcement, fiberglass reinforcement can be used, but its characteristics must be equivalent.

Pouring concrete

The concrete solution is poured gradually and in layers of 15 cm from a height of no more than 1.5 meters. Each layer is compacted with a wooden tamper or deep vibrator, which increases the overall density.

You can buy concrete for the foundation or make it yourself. In the latter case, the proportion of cement, crushed stone and sand is 1:3:5. If work is carried out at temperatures below 00C, then a concrete heater is used, and potassium chloride or table salt is added to the solution.

Completion of work

The poured concrete is covered with a film and left for at least 2 weeks, during which it will gain strength. If work takes place in hot weather, the hardening concrete is sometimes watered with water so that the cement continues to gain strength and does not turn into dust. It is possible to erect the walls of a building on a do-it-yourself strip foundation only after the concrete has completely matured.

The basis of any structure is the foundation. The stronger and more correctly it is installed, the longer any building will last.

But to make a high-quality base, you need to spend a lot. The third part is the cost of the building - this is the average price of a good foundation.

Therefore, to save budget, many people want to know how to make a foundation with their own hands.

First you need to choose the type of foundation, because there are several types: strip foundation, columnar, pile and slab options. We will explain below how they differ from each other.

Strip foundation

The most versatile and frequently used type of building foundation is a strip foundation. It cannot be used only in permafrost and for structures “on water”.

The essence of the foundation is a closed strip - the base, stretching along the perimeter of the building and in place of the load-bearing internal walls. The photo of the foundation clearly shows that the thickness of the strip should be the same in all areas.

Such a foundation is suitable for any building and allows you to build a high-quality basement or ground floor.

The supply of housing communications at the base can be positioned as conveniently as possible for their operation.

The main disadvantage of this type of foundation is the large amount of excavation work and building materials.

Columnar foundation

For small buildings, to save materials, it is recommended to use a columnar foundation. It allows you to provide a high-quality foundation for a lightweight building with less time and effort.

The foundation for a house consists of pillars at the points of maximum load of the building (corners, on long sections with calculated steps, under load-bearing walls).

You can build supports from brick, concrete, or even wood (only rot-resistant wood - larch, for example). The depth for the pillars is selected taking into account the material and type of soil.

After installing all the supports, you need to tie them into a single system for greater strength.

The disadvantages of the foundation include the impossibility of founding a basement. The base is not suitable for heavy buildings; unstable soil types also preclude its use.

Pile foundation

The foundation of a house on stilts is similar to a columnar foundation, but it is not. The main difference is the depth of the supports. Due to their small diameter compared to the pillars, holes for piles are not dug, but drilled. This allows you to install the supports to greater depths and dig them into more stable rocks.

Otherwise, the technology for placing and tying supports is identical to the columnar foundation.

The main disadvantage of this base is the use of special equipment. However, recently piles with a screw at the end have begun to appear, which allows them to be screwed into the rock like a self-tapping screw. This is what made the piles accessible to the layman.

Slab foundation

One of the most rarely used types of foundation. Reinforced slabs are usually used more often for roads and boulevards, but some people also use them as a foundation for a house.

To create it, a gravel-sand cushion is first poured, after which reinforcement is placed and the foundation is poured. This creates a “floating” foundation for the house.

The advantage of such a basis is independence from the type of soil and its freezing in winter.

But there are many more disadvantages: the impossibility of creating a basement, the difficulty of connecting communications, the high consumption of materials, and the possibility of construction only on level ground.

Now we will tell you in detail about the creation of a strip foundation, as the most common and universal in construction.

Foundation construction plan

To build a reliable and strong foundation, a lot of calculations will be required. Knowing the future dimensions of the structure, you need to calculate the depth of the foundation and its width.

And here we will make an important clarification. It is best for a specialist to independently calculate these parameters. The fact is that the correctly calculated depth and width of the foundation determines whether the foundation of the future building, and therefore your life, will support it or not.

There will be a lot of nuances when calculating, but only professionals know them. For small buildings, if you decide to do without calculations, the depth of the building will be small and the width will be a multiple of 100 mm.

Step-by-step instructions for building a foundation

• Mark the territory.
• Carry out excavation work (dig trenches).
• Create a bed of sand and gravel.
• Make formwork for the foundation.
• Lay the future foundation with a reinforcement belt.
• Provide ventilation (if necessary) using pipe sections.
• Pour concrete.
• Smooth the surface until it hardens.
• After a week, remove the formwork.
• After another 3 weeks, the concrete will completely harden and waterproofing can be done using roofing felt and hot bitumen.
• Lay a brick plinth on top of the concrete and waterproof it.

The foundation is ready!

DIY foundation photo

There are many technologies in construction that make it possible to form a reliable, stable and durable foundation of a residential building - its foundation part. Let's figure out what the advantages and features of the poured method are, and get acquainted with step-by-step instructions on how to make a strip (that is, poured) foundation yourself.

Pouring the foundation for a house with your own hands

Real construction conditions influence the choice of technology

The decision to choose a foundation construction method is made based on the characteristics of the soil. Poured (tape) technology is appropriate only if the construction of a house is carried out in non-subsidence soils. If there are peat bogs on your site, the ground is saturated with water and is clearly swampy - a flooded foundation is not for you.

Strip foundation

A high-quality poured foundation can be made even without being a professional, if you follow the sequence of actions recommended by experienced craftsmen. Filling is a relatively simple, profitable, financially accessible technology that has been proven for decades.

Calculation of a strip foundation for a house

Even in an area with complex terrain, it is easy to create a guide trench and it is not at all necessary to strive for zero error when determining the level of its bottom - when pouring, the liquid solution fills all the voids (in contrast to the requirements for level accuracy if the foundation is created from slabs or blocks). Strip foundations are ideal for low-weight structures: frame-type houses, timber or logs.

Video - Poured Foundation

Start of work: digging a pit or trench

Step one. Decide on the area that the future foundation should cover with its outer perimeter. Before the excavator begins excavating the soil, markings are made (wooden stakes, posts, etc.).

Marking for strip foundation

The thickness of the foundation (thickness of the tape, selection of reinforcing elements) depends on the weight load that is expected from the house being built. Experienced builders and technologists know how to correctly calculate the width and depth of a trench, taking into account the characteristics of the main building. It is recommended to consult with specialists in order to further avoid overloads that could lead to the destruction of the foundation.

Step two. It is important to decide in advance whether you will have a basement space or not. If you want to have a basement or storage area under the house, you will have to dig a wide pit in which the poured foundation will act as walls. However, most often strip foundation is practiced in small depths and basements with a low ceiling are of little interest to anyone, so it is not the foundation pit that is relevant, but the trench.

However, the choice of “pit or trench” is influenced by another factor - the size of the future structure. When the area of ​​the future building is small (say, 5x8 m or 7x9 m), it is more convenient to use a solid pit with an internal approach to the foundation. Subsequently, the void is filled with selected soil or tightly filled with construction waste. On larger sites (from 10x12 m), it is advisable to dig a long trench and not touch the soil at all from the inner perimeter.

Step three. The trench should be slightly wider than the future wooden formwork (form for pouring concrete). The gap is necessary as space for free access to the formwork and to ensure maneuverability of working tools. The most common trench width is about 25-35 cm.

Marking the foundation of a garden house

Approximately the same depth of the foundation along its lower part, provided that the terrain is relatively flat. In places where the relief is lower, it is advisable to keep this figure to a minimum, and where there is an increase in relief, the body of the foundation will be buried much more deeply into the ground. At the planning stage, it is necessary to take into account the curvature of the construction site and make a careful calculation of the difference between the highest and lowest levels of relief.

Attention! In case of uneven terrain, the bottom of the trench is made level, but in no case inclined, not “repeating” the relief slope! In other words, the concrete strip should have the same height everywhere, since the vertical load on the foundation from above from the side of the future house is uniform.

Creation of a flood channel - formwork, cushion, reinforcement

Step one. Shields are made from wooden boards, which are installed vertically and form a pouring channel. Use substandard wood, wood waste, etc. It doesn’t matter what the formwork looks like from the outside - the main thing is that the inside of the boards is as smooth as possible.

Formwork for strip foundation

The opposite walls of the formwork are pulled together in several places with temporary fasteners, secured vertically from the outside and additionally supported by inclined blocks - so that when pouring a heavy concrete mass, the formwork walls are not torn apart and the shape of the poured foundation remains unchanged.

The opposite walls of the formwork are pulled together in several places using temporary fasteners

Step two. Sand is laid out at the bottom of the trench in a uniform layer, the thickness of which depends on the individual characteristics of the building under construction - 4-5 or 8-10 cm. The task of the sand cushion is to provide natural shock absorption. After all, even on stable soils, movements in the ground that are invisible to the eye occur.

It is advisable to isolate the sand from the concrete mortar with some kind of linen material of a synthetic composition (so that the process of decomposition does not begin inside the concrete pouring. Insulation allows you to retain moisture and cement laitance in the concrete, thereby preventing the foundation from becoming more fragile.

Step three. Reinforcement is placed inside the filling channel. The most common for these purposes is reinforced mesh; the costs for it are usually included in the estimate. An iron rod is also used. The optimal thickness of bar elements is 8-12 mm. In private construction, any long, flat metal objects (cuts of metal pipes, fragments of old iron beds) are often used.

Reinforcement is placed inside the pouring channel

Attention! Do not weld reinforcing elements under any circumstances. Just tie them together (use wire or special fasteners sold in stores). Welding takes away the plasticity and protection from ruptures from the foundation during those minor movements in the soil that are natural with changes in temperature, humidity, and shrinkage of the house.

Do not weld reinforcing elements under any circumstances.

Preparation of mortar, pouring concrete

Step one. When purchasing concrete, give preference to brands M-200, M-250 and M-300. Typically, the construction of private houses and buildings involves such volumes that a small concrete mixer is enough. In it, the concrete mixture acquires the necessary mobility (in other words, consistency). The poured mass is easily distributed inside the formwork and carefully fills the smallest air cavities.

Concrete M-300

The composition of the solution is best agreed upon with specialists who have experience in construction in your region and are well versed in the characteristics of dry concrete. There is an easy way to check the viscosity of concrete (its mobility) manually: scoop up a handful of the solution and squeeze it tightly in your fist, then unclench your hand. If all the water has left, the concrete solution is not entirely successful - it has low mobility, and when it hardens, there is a high probability of small cracks forming inside the foundation. If there is concrete milk (mush) left on your hand, the mixture is prepared perfectly! The foundation of such concrete will be dense, ductile, and durable.

Concrete mixer

Step two. It is undesirable to fill during rain and snow (sometimes construction is carried out in spring or autumn, when there is light precipitation - at this time it is better to cover the formwork and wait for the weather to clear). Pour concrete in such portions that in one cycle the entire area at the bottom of the formwork is filled. Ideally, you need to start work in the morning so that by lunchtime or evening you can fill the entire box layer by layer.

Attention! Sometimes on large areas the foundation is poured in parts. Keep the same principle: layer by layer horizontally, but never “side by side” vertically. Remember that the weight load of the house on the foundation is always directed from top to bottom.

Step three. In hot weather (temperatures above +19...+22 °C), it is necessary to periodically pour water over the foundation. This will improve its strength when setting concrete. When the formwork box is completely filled with mortar, you should wait 25-30 days for the concrete to gain maximum strength.

However, the first construction work on the house without serious weight loads can begin within 10-15 days after pouring the foundation. At this stage, the concrete has gained about 75% strength, and there is no point in wasting time.

Pouring strip foundation

Step four. After the foundation concrete has completely hardened, the formwork can be removed, but the process of creating the foundation is not over. Be sure to make a concrete blind area around the outer perimeter of the house.

The meaning of the blind area:

• prevent contact of the foundation with rain and melt water;
• protect the foundation soil from moisture accumulation;
• move the winter freezing zone away from the house.

Monolithic reinforced blind area

Blind area of ​​strip foundation

Don’t forget to also build drainage structures on the roof and along the walls of the house. After all, even the strongest foundation is not immune to decomposition processes that can occur over time if water and moist fumes are allowed to unimpededly affect concrete.

The construction of the foundation must be taken extremely seriously, because this is the basis of the future home, its strength will depend on it.

Types of foundations.

There are several types of foundations, but the most popular of them is the strip foundation. The reason for such unusual popularity is extremely simple: inexpensive materials, ease of reinforcement, and also the fact that anyone can do it themselves once all the nuances of how to pour the foundation for a house have been studied.

Ribbon structures are used mainly in those houses that plan to have a basement. In other words, it is ideal in our case. But such construction is a very responsible procedure for which you should properly prepare.

Introductory video - types, types and secrets of pouring a foundation for a house

Preparation.

Stage one.

We mark the area where the foundation will be built. For this we need fishing line and several pieces of reinforcement. Such markings should be made either in full accordance with the dimensions of the future house, or ten centimeters wider (to make digging convenient).

At the same time, it is worth remembering that not only the back side is marked, but also the inside (the best distance is about forty centimeters, so you will be as comfortable as possible when digging).

Stage two.

When the markings are ready, you should not rush to start digging a trench. First, it is better to check the diagonals, because they must coincide with each other.

Let's start building the foundation for the house

Stage one.

Digging a pit. In principle, everything is very clear here, so we will not expand on this topic.

Stage two.

The main load will fall on the lower area of ​​the foundation, so we must soften it. This could be, for example, ordinary sand, with which we fill the bottom of the pit, and then compact it thoroughly, periodically pouring water on the sand.

The pouring of the foundation must fully comply with all the requirements, so we build a special formwork (for this, ordinary cut planks are suitable for us). Such a simple move will soon significantly reduce the cost of leveling the foundation walls.

Moreover, you will be able to control the height of the formwork. When the board has fulfilled its function, do not rush to throw it away - it will serve you well as a rafter.

Stage three.

We nail the formwork together with nails or tighten it with screws, it doesn’t matter. The only thing to remember is that when using nails, the caps must be on the outside. In this case, the walls of our foundation will be quite smooth, and dismantling after the mortar has hardened will be significantly simplified.

Stage four.

Don't forget about sewer holes. You need to take care of them in advance, because if you make holes after the base has hardened, the solidity of the structure will be grossly violated.

We also said that for greater strength it is necessary to use metal reinforcement, which should consist of two rows. In order for it to be securely fastened, you need to use a knitting wire - it will perfectly fasten the jumpers together.

But if you do not have such wire, you can use welding (although we do not recommend this technique, since it can later lead to rusting).

In addition, the foundation will be more reliable if the reinforcement is installed crosswise and lengthwise. When the formwork is finished, we check the structure for strength (otherwise it may shift after pouring).

Stage five.

To build our foundation, it is best to use lightweight concrete, and the reinforcement should be made of fiberglass. After this, perhaps, the stage of preparatory work ends. Next is the actual filling.

And here you may have a completely adequate question: how to pour the foundation for a house correctly? First of all, it is necessary to correctly calculate the proportions of the solution that will be used.

What should we know about pouring a foundation ourselves?

Before starting the pouring process, make sure that the solution is thick enough (if not, dilute it with water). It is advisable to first acquire a deep vibrator - this will contribute to the uniform distribution of concrete throughout the entire volume of the foundation. In addition, this removes air bubbles, which could subsequently cause structural failure.

You should also determine in advance the level at which the concrete will be poured. When it is poured, the surface is leveled and all irregularities are removed using a regular trowel.

If you carry out work in cold weather, it is necessary to use special additives that accelerate the hardening process. It is advisable to fill the entire area within one day, no need to delay.

What is needed to properly harden the foundation for a house?

The approximate hardening time for concrete is two weeks. And all this time you need to carefully care for it: moisten the surface if it dries out too quickly, cover it with polyethylene in case of rain.

After seven days, we cover the entire surface of the structure with bricks - this will displace the resulting voids.

As for the formwork, it can be removed after three days. And finally, when all the time is gone and the solution is completely dry, you can proceed to the next stage - constructing the base, but this article, alas, is not about that.

In the end, I would like to add a few words about the restoration of the foundation: it needs to be done in several stages, because creating a foundation under a finished structure is much more difficult than from scratch. But in general, we have looked at how to lay the foundation for a house.

Video lesson on pouring a foundation alone

An obligatory part of a residential and industrial building is the foundation for a house. It ensures stability, reliability, and a long service life of the building. It is important to thoroughly study before starting construction how to build a foundation for a house, as well as study the design features and purpose of various types of foundations. Foundations are constructed in strict accordance with technology requirements. Let us dwell in more detail on the sequence of actions for their construction.

Foundation for a house - types and features of foundations

The design features of the foundations allow them to be used as a reliable base for various buildings. Choosing a foundation design is a serious task, solved based on an analysis of a set of factors. It should be taken into account that the choice of the optimal option is influenced by natural factors, as well as the mass and design of the future building.

The foundation of any structure is its foundation, on which the future of the constructed object depends.

The following types of foundations are widely used in the construction industry:

• columnar. It is not difficult to build it for wood or on your own. A distinctive feature of a columnar foundation is that it allows the construction of buildings on areas with a significant slope. Supporting elements are located at the intersection points of the walls, as well as evenly along the entire contour of the building. With such a device, the base does not allow for the construction of a basement. The design has proven itself positively in problem areas. The columnar base ensures the stability of buildings located in areas with increased soil freezing depth;

• tape The reinforced concrete base of the structure follows the contour of the building and is concreted with a kind of tape. Professional builders know how to make a strip foundation for a house. It is important to construct a strip foundation on soils with deep aquifers and an insignificant freezing depth. Brick houses, block buildings, utility structures, as well as fencing structures should be located on strip foundations. Massive structures made of heavy stone should not be built on a strip base. The design of the strip foundation allows for the arrangement of a basement. You can build the foundation yourself or use the services of professional builders;

One of the most popular types of foundations for any individual buildings is a strip foundation

• slab If it is necessary to make a reliable foundation for a building located on problematic soils, a slab option is used. Structurally, the slab foundation is a massive concrete slab reinforced with a reinforcement frame made of steel wire. Slab construction is characterized by an increased level of costs, which pays off over the long-term operation of the structure. To ensure the required safety margin, it is necessary to perform strength calculations and evaluate the load capacity of the slab base;

• pile-screw. Increased load capacity, short duration of installation activities, as well as an affordable price are the main features of a foundation on pile or screw supports. The pile-screw type foundation is widely used in areas with various types of soil, with the exception of rocky. A significant disadvantage of the pile-screw base is the gradual destruction of steel supports as a result of the negative influence of corrosion processes.

When thinking about how to make a foundation for a house, study in detail the types of foundations, their design features, and also consult with professional builders.

How to make a foundation for a house yourself

Installation and installation of the foundation for a house is a responsible set of activities carried out according to a specific algorithm. When we build a foundation for a house, we must follow the technological sequence of operations and be guided by the requirements of the project.

You should not think that in each individual case you can only rely on a specific type of foundation for future construction

The main stages in the construction of the foundation base:

1. Performing markings.
2. Excavation works.
3. Construction of formwork structure.
4. Assembly and installation of reinforcement cage.
5. Pouring concrete solution.
6. Compacting the array with deep vibrators.

Please note when making the foundation that reliable waterproofing of the foundation will protect the building from moisture absorption and will avoid dampness. Let us dwell on the specifics of the main stages.

Marking the foundation base

The marking operation involves transferring the design coordinates to the actual conditions of the construction site. For marking activities, pegs made of wood and metal, as well as construction cord, are used.

When performing markup, adhere to the following algorithm:

Once you have decided on the type of future supporting structure and are ready to begin actual construction, it’s time to mark the foundation

1. Drive pegs along the front part and tighten the construction cord. The interval between pegs driven into the soil should exceed the size of the façade by 50 cm.
2. Mark the coordinates of the location of the corners of the building on the cord and drive in the stakes. Draw marking lines through the marked points, perpendicular to the front of the building.
3. Measure along perpendicular straight lines the distance corresponding to the length of the side walls of the building and make a mark using existing wooden or steel pegs.
4. Stretch a cord between the hammered pegs. The resulting marking corresponds to the external contour of the future house. Check the correctness of the markings using the project.
5. Check the correspondence of the angles by determining the difference in the diagonals. Equal lengths indicate right angles. Deviation of diagonal lengths up to 2 cm is allowed.
6. Mark the inner contour of the foundation line, stepping back from the outer contour into the future foundation by 40 cm on each side. Drive the pegs into the appropriate locations.

The markings performed affect the location of the future structure, its configuration, as well as its strength properties.

Earth events

Excavation work is one of the most labor-intensive operations in the construction process. Earthworks are carried out using various methods:

Determine the depth of soil water and soil composition

• manually using bayonet and shovel shovels. The manual method is characterized by labor intensity and requires the involvement of an increased number of workers to complete the task within a given time frame;
• using special construction equipment. Mechanization of earthworks can significantly speed up their implementation, which reduces the duration of the overall construction cycle.

The depth of the formed pit is determined by the type of foundation being constructed:

• the shallow belt base is located 70-80 cm below the zero level of the soil;
• The depth of a standard foundation, depending on the level of soil freezing, can be 160-180 cm.

When healing the soil, pay attention to the following points:

• ensure that the trench walls are vertical;
• install, if necessary, supports to prevent the soil from collapsing;
• Level the bottom of the pit and check horizontality using a level.

The cushion of crushed stone and sand provided for by the project requires an increase in the depth of the trench by 15-20 cm.

The procedure for constructing crushed stone-sand bedding:

1. Pour sand onto the base of the pit, ensuring a layer thickness of up to 15 cm.
2. Moisten the sand mass and compact it thoroughly.
3. Re-fill with sand and provide additional compaction.
4. Place a layer of crushed stone 15-20 cm thick on the sand and compact it.

Laying geotextile fabric on the bottom of the pit will prevent siltation of the gravel-sand backfill for a shallow foundation.

Dig a trench of the required depth along the perimeter of the future building, level the bottom with sand

Installation of formwork for the foundation

The installation of panel formwork requires special training. It is important to decide on the choice of building material that can withstand the load from the weight of the concrete mixture.

For the manufacture of formwork the following is used:

• edged wood 2-2.5 cm thick;
• moisture-resistant plywood;
• sheet steel.

The use of plywood and boards, which have a low price, allows you to reduce costs.

Sequence of actions for installing formwork:

When installing the formwork, pay special attention to the rigidity of the panel structure and the absence of cracks.

Reinforcement is a prerequisite for building a good foundation

A spatial frame made of steel reinforcement, laid in the foundation, increases its strength and ensures durability. To make the frame, rods with a cross section of 1-1.6 cm are used, connected with annealed wire.

Frame assembly procedure:

1. Cut the rods into pieces of the required sizes.
2. Tie the rods into a flat lattice using tying wire.
3. Assemble a frame from two flat gratings using transverse rods.

Place the assembled frame on special supports that guarantee a fixed distance to the concrete surface.

Insert the reinforcement cage and fill the hole with concrete with periodic compaction

Pouring the foundation for a house yourself

Before starting concreting, mark the level of pouring the mortar inside the panel formwork. The use of concrete produced at specialized enterprises allows us to produce a foundation with increased strength. When we make the foundation, we use a concrete solution based on M400 Portland cement, fine gravel and coarse sand.

Prepare the solution using the following technology:

1. Prepare ingredients in proportions appropriate to recipe.
2. Mix sifted sand with crushed stone and Portland cement.
3. Gradually add water until desired consistency is achieved.
4. Mix the solution thoroughly until smooth.

The order of the stages of pouring the foundation:

1. Fill the concrete solution with a twenty-centimeter layer.
2. Check the filling of voids in the reinforcement grid.
3. Add the rest of the concrete.
4. Remove air inclusions with reinforcing bars.
5. Compact the concrete mass with a vibrator.

After concreting is completed, level the surface with a rule or trowel. Dismantle the formwork after the concrete has completely hardened.

How to build a foundation for an extension to a building

When thinking about arranging the foundation for an extension, adhere to the following recommendations:

• maintain equal depth of the foundation of the attached structure and the main building;
• ensure a rigid connection between the reinforcement grid of the main building and the frame of the extension.

Pouring is carried out in the same way as the main foundation.

When planning to build a foundation for a house from expanded clay concrete blocks or other building materials, it is important to decide on the type of foundation and also study the technology. Knowing the technological nuances, it is not difficult to make a concrete or utility building. Professional builders will tell you, if necessary, how to properly fill a residential building. The foundation can be used as a foundation base and can be easily found on our construction portal. The construction of a foundation is a responsible process in which there are no trifles.

Kirill Sysoev

Calloused hands never get bored!

Content

In housing construction, one of the main structures is the foundation for the house, which can only be selected taking into account the soil and the load from the object itself. These are the main factors influencing the choice of one option or another. Several types of foundations are suitable for a private house. They all differ in the type of construction, materials used and their price, installation technology. The foundation design is the basis of the entire future home, so choosing a specific type must be taken seriously. The information with photos and videos below will help you with this.

Types of foundations for a private house

The main classification that describes what types of foundations there are for building a house takes into account their design and the weight for which they are designed. In their pure form, there are strip, columnar, monolithic and pile. In some cases, combinations of these are used. For example, a ribbon around the perimeter of a building with pillars or piles in the center. It all depends on the amount of load that the foundation experiences from the private house itself.

Tape

The strip foundation owes its name to its appearance. These are ribbons dug into the ground that rest on slabs. They take the weight from the structures lying above and transfer it to the ground. More often, such tapes are made along the perimeter of the building and at the location of load-bearing walls. There are two options for how to properly build a foundation - monolithic and prefabricated. In the first case, formwork is constructed, after which concrete mortar must be poured into it, and in the second, individual elements are used, for example, foam blocks, rubble concrete, rubble stone or foam concrete.

Columnar

The cheapest option is columnar. A minimum of materials is required here. The structure itself consists of pillars immersed to a certain depth or a concrete mixture. The latter is immersed in advance into a drilled well. For one-story cottages, this option is considered optimal, especially if it is light wooden. An inexpensive columnar foundation for a house can also be monolithic or prefabricated. In the first option, you need to dig wells into which concrete is poured, in the second, pillars are assembled from blocks or brickwork.

Monolithic slab

The most expensive and reliable is a slab foundation for a house. It is a monolithic surface, slightly buried in the ground or lying on it. The thickness of the slab can vary from 0.3 to 1 m. For stability, it is reinforced with metal rods with a diameter of 12-25 mm. The slab is used for very heavy loads from the number of floors (usually more than 2 floors) or weak soils. The plate distributes forces evenly over its entire surface. It happens:

1. Monolithic. The most common option is when the entire area under the building is filled with concrete mortar up to 50 cm thick, depending on the calculated mass.
2. Caisson. Suitable for light buildings - wooden or metal frames or gas blocks. This is a lightweight and economical option.
3. Swedish stove. Used in construction from SIP panels or frame panels. Suitable only for well-drained soil.

On stilts

A bit similar to a columnar pile foundation for a house, but it is more expensive. It is used on unstable soil or when strong soil is located very deep - sand, quicksand, with close groundwater. Even significant weights are easily transferred to the piles, which are connected on the surface by a grillage. They can be wooden, metal, concrete with reinforcement. According to the principle of deepening the piles can be:

• screw - screw into the ground;
• driven - hammered with a special hydraulic hammer to failure;
• poured - concrete is poured into a pre-drilled well;
• pressed – pressed by hydraulic pumps.

Which foundation is better

It is difficult to determine exactly which house foundation is better. It all depends on the mass, i.e. number of floors of the building, soil type and budget. The most common and frequently used is tape. It is also suitable for buildings with a basement and will withstand even heavy loads. It is better to use slab in case of large volumes. Piling is mainly used when the soils on a construction site are insufficiently strong. Columnar is best used for lightweight structures, for example, small wooden country houses.

How to choose the right one

It has already been said above what the choice of foundation for a house depends on. There are a number of factors, each of which is important to consider. The presence of groundwater and its level, the depth of soil freezing, and whether a basement is planned for the project are affected. For some, you even have to make calculations. Others can often be found on the Internet - freezing depth for a specific region. You can also find them out from organizations involved in construction. This is especially true for soil types and groundwater locations.

Availability of groundwater

One of the first factors influencing the laying of foundation structures is the groundwater level (GWL). To determine it, at least 4 wells are drilled in the corners of the proposed structure. Their depth should be 50 cm lower than the expected level of the sole. The choice will be difficult only if the water level is high. This will require bedding, waterproofing material, drainage and insulation. The basis itself is chosen as follows:

• when the groundwater level is below 1.5 m - a shallow slab or tape;
• above 0.5 m - only piles, and it is better from screw piles, because they are cheaper;
• below 0.5 m - a non-buried slab, columnar, is suitable.

Soil freezing depth

It is equally important to determine soil freezing. The foundation base must lie below this level. This will help avoid lifting of structures due to frost heaving of the earth. Moreover, for unheated premises the freezing value increases by 10%, and for heated premises it decreases by 20-30%. It is measured from the ground level or the basement floor, if such is provided.

Foundation and soil types

Only a geotechnical professional can tell you exactly how to determine the type of soil. But this can also be done based on the characteristic features of the soil at the construction site. In any place there are almost always several types of soil. The main ones are the following:

1. Rocky or clastic. This is a rock mass that does not swell or freeze, but it is difficult to build a structure on it, but it can be shallow.
2. Sandy. Sand particles of different sizes are not prone to heaving and are easily compacted, but require preparation to strengthen the walls of trenches and pits.
3. Clayey. The most difficult due to the high heaving index. In most cases, only piles are suitable here.
4. Dusty-clayey. The bases are not at all suitable for pouring, as they freeze very much and swell.

Foundation calculation

To build the foundation correctly, you will have to make several calculations. The first one is called collecting scales. Necessary to determine the mass of all structures that will be located above the ground. Based on this value, the optimal base is selected. Next, you need to define a few more values. This is the area and depth. The latter is determined depending on freezing. These are the basic recommendations that describe how to calculate the foundation for a house.

Calculation of house weight

The first priority is to determine the weight of the house. It takes into account many values, so it is better to use a special online service. That’s what it’s called – a house weight calculator. There you will only need to enter the characteristics of the future building that you will find in the project. In addition to quickly calculating values, the calculator will offer you a sequence of calculations with a detailed explanation of all stages.

Calculation of foundation area

Instructions on how to calculate the area of ​​the foundation depend on the type of structure chosen. For a tape, you need to calculate the length of the entire tape - this is the perimeter of the building. This value is then multiplied by the width of the base, resulting in the area. In general, it is calculated as follows: S = yn*F / y с*R 0. The values ​​used in the formula are:

• S – required area (cm2);
• yn = 1.2 – reliability coefficient;
• F – design load on the base, i.e. weight of the structure (kg);
• R 0 – design soil resistance at a depth of 1.5-2 m.
• Another value in the y c formula is the operating conditions coefficient:
• 1.0 – for plastic clay, stone walls of a building;
• 1.1 – for plastic clay, but under wooden or frame walls;
• 1.2 – weakly plastic clay, soil – silty sand;
• 1.2 – coarse sand, long structure;
• 1.3 – fine sand, any structures;
• 1.4 – coarse sand, non-rigid structures or hard but long ones.

How deep should the foundation be?

Taking into account the freezing of the ground, the depth of the foundation for the house is determined. The soil has a high or low heaving index. In the first case, the base is located below the calculated freezing mark of the ground. In the second option, it can have a height of 0.5-1 m. On coarse sand or rocky soil, a depth of about half a meter is allowed.

How to calculate materials

The construction of a foundation is a calculation of the materials themselves. It will be necessary to determine the amount of concrete mixture, reinforcement and piles. In some cases, the volume of required bricks is also calculated, for example, for a columnar foundation. The data obtained will help you avoid unnecessary expenses. Including transport. In addition, this generally reduces the construction time of the structure.

Quantity of concrete

It makes no difference whether you decide to order work on the construction of the foundation or install it yourself; it will not be superfluous to estimate the required volume of concrete. This is very easy to do. The calculation is carried out using one simple formula. You need to take the area value already calculated above, multiply this number by its height. The result will be the volume of the structure. This is how much concrete is needed for the foundation.

Rebar and wire

It is somewhat more difficult to calculate the amount of reinforcement. It all depends on the type of foundation, the type of soil and the weight of the building. The greater the last factor, the thicker the reinforcement should be. It must occupy at least 0.001% of the cross-section of the base of any type of structure. This applies to ribbed reinforcement. Smooth is only a binder, so it will be required 1.5-2 times less. The wire for tying reinforcement is taken at the rate of 20-30 cm per connection.

Calculation of the number of piles

To calculate a pile foundation, you will need the required area calculated above. In the formula it is the main quantity. It must be divided by the cross-sectional area of ​​one pile. The result will be their number. For example, the required area is 6 m2, and the cross-section of the piles is 0.3 m2, then the following is obtained: 6/0.3 = 20. Result: 20 piles are required.

How to make a foundation

To properly build a foundation for a house, it is important to mark it step by step, then build the formwork, after which it will be possible to pour the concrete mixture. These steps are also suitable for a prefabricated structure. Only instead of pouring the solution, you will need to lay all the elements in a certain order. Formwork is required only for columnar, strip and slab types. The pile is mounted without it.

Marking

Even before the start of excavation work, the corners and sides of the building are marked according to the drawn diagram. To do this, you will need simple materials and tools - rope, cord or fishing line that would be visible against the background of the ground. You also need to stock up on a tape measure and pegs to mark the corners. Step-by-step instructions on how to mark the foundation:

1. Drive one peg into the base corner of the building, any one of your choice.
2. Next, measure 4 m in the direction of one of the walls. Drive in another peg and connect it to the previous one with a rope.
3. Then move to the adjacent wall. From the first peg, measure 3 m in its direction, drive in another peg, connect them.
4. Measure the distance between unconnected pegs - it should be 5 m (golden triangle rule, or Pythagoras).
5. Adjust the position of the pegs so that the sides are 3, 4 and 5 m.
6. Next, stretch the rope to the required length of the walls. Make other right angles in the same way.

How to fill

The next stage after marking is pouring the foundation. It is better to place the concrete mixer in close proximity to the place where it is installed. It is necessary to pour everything at once or so that the number of layers of concrete does not exceed two. Each of them must be compacted, for example, with a reinforcement rod or a special vibrator. Upon completion of the work, the finished structure is covered over the entire area with a layer of film or roofing felt to protect it from weather factors. Concrete reaches its design strength after 28 days.

When choosing the cheapest foundation option of all possible, it is very difficult not to make a mistake. There are really a lot of technologies and materials, and the final price depends on a number of factors. And you need to build a house that is not only inexpensive, but also reliable, and more than half of this depends on the quality of the foundation.

What to hope for?

Some say that there is no point in thinking about building your own home if you don’t have at least a million rubles in assets. Others, however, are ready to argue: by resorting to the latest technologies and choosing the cheapest strip foundation, you can reduce this amount by a third, and sometimes even more. To achieve maximum savings during construction, you need to clearly plan every step, think through all the stages of building a house, find out in advance the prices for the work of craftsmen and the necessary goods. Many people advise immediately preparing for a long construction project. From year to year, a person will invest a certain amount available to him in the project, the house will grow, while still having the opportunity to use the latest developments that appear on the market literally every year.

When choosing how to build and how to pour the foundation cheaper (by yourself or with a mixer - there is practically no difference, although the first option may cost a slightly smaller amount), from what to build the base of the house, you should turn to the experience of professionals who are well versed in modern techniques and materials. Some practical options for implementing ideas are not allowed for use in multi-story construction, but are used to build private houses with your own hands - they help to significantly save on construction. This is especially true if the house is built frame, made of wood. Such buildings do not require a capital foundation, there is no need to install screw piles, you can do without concrete reinforced with expensive reinforcement, which means that costs are significantly reduced. You can build a gazebo, bathhouse, technical or storage room even cheaper.

Blocks and their alternatives

Houses of one, two, and sometimes three floors, for the walls of which blocks and bricks are used, are often built on foundation blocks. These are ready-made building materials that can be purchased in almost any market or ordered at the factory in the required quantity. Currently, this is one of the cheapest types of foundation. They produce many standard sizes, which allows everyone to choose an option to suit their taste and budget. The blocks were developed as a basis for massive buildings, so there is no need to worry about unreliability. True, it is necessary to select a quality product and choose a responsible supplier.

Our country has standards that all production sites that offer foundation blocks to customers are subject to. This allows you not to worry about the quality of the cheapest foundation for a house. The standards are designed so that even the smallest dimensions and lightest options can cope with the load of a small structure. Blocks are often chosen for the construction of objects with a body made of steel, wood, as well as for timber and log one-story buildings. However, you need to buy them in stores that can provide quality certificates.

How to work?

It is important not only to choose the cheapest foundation for the house, but also to take a responsible approach to all stages of creating the base of the structure. First you need to prepare the base, remove the top layer of soil until the root layer is exposed, then pour a cushion of sand, spill it and compact it.

The next stage is laying the blocks and connecting them together in accordance with the technology provided by the manufacturer (the description will be contained in the instructions for the specific product). Next, a metal or wooden grillage is installed. Reinforced concrete is not used as redundant, unnecessarily burdening the estimate without any real benefit to the result. When the grillage is completed, you can mount the lower trim and lay the first crown. It is secured with studs and insulated, strictly following the building construction technology.

As can be seen from the description of the process, blocks are not only the cheapest foundation for a house, but also allow you to avoid long-term work with water. Therefore, it can be used at any time of the year.

Tested for centuries: wood

When choosing the cheapest foundation for a gazebo, bathhouse or other small building, you should take a closer look at the tree. It has been used since ancient times to create the foundations of small buildings in areas where the population did not have suitable stone material. These days, concrete has almost replaced wood, but some still prefer it. Sometimes this building material is used when it is necessary to create a foundation for a lightweight residential building. New opportunities have opened up with the creation of durable and reliable preparations for wood processing: they eliminate the harm of insects, rot and mold, and make the material impervious to moisture and fire. Some manufacturers of antiseptics guarantee that a tree treated according to all the rules can remain on the ground for a quarter of a century - and no harm will befall it.

Having decided for yourself that the most suitable and cheapest sauna or house is wooden, you will have to take a responsible approach to compliance with the technology. Only then will the tree live long when the material is treated with special compounds using the immersion method.

A narrow hole half a meter deep, up to six meters in length, is made on the site, the inside is covered with moisture-proof material, an antiseptic is poured into a kind of “container” and the timber from which the foundation is supposed to be built is immersed in it. Each specimen will have to be processed for half an hour or longer (the specific time is specified by the manufacturer of the composition) in warm weather conditions. During periods of sub-zero temperatures, it will not be possible to protect the material.

Although wood is perhaps the cheapest foundation for a bathhouse, shed and small house, it pays for itself only if installed correctly. Sand is compacted for the pillow, and the perimeter is decorated with ditches that will help remove excess moisture. Without these protective measures, no antiseptic will save the tree.

If it is necessary to erect a temporary structure, wood is considered the most suitable option. Builders recommend choosing it if you plan to use the facility from a year to a quarter of a century.

It's all in

The answer to the question of what is the cheapest foundation for a house may surprise you. According to experts, one of the most affordable options is to build the base of the structure from car tires. What may surprise the average person will not be news to professionals: tires have been used in the construction industry for a decade now. Work begins with creating suitable sized recesses in the ground, into which rubber products are placed, then filled with sand, spilled with water, and compacted. Sand can be replaced with fine crushed stone, a mixture of gravel and sand.

If we turn to the official terminology, such the cheapest foundation created by ourselves can easily be called a dry concreting system. A mixture of sand and crushed stone is used as rubble. Rubber products become formwork. The strength of the finished object and the stability of its base are determined by the quality of compaction of the material and the thickness of the tires chosen for construction.

Ready-made slabs as a base

When considering the cheapest foundations, it is worth paying attention to those previously used in other objects. Of course, this option is not applicable for a residential building, but it is perfect for warehouses, utility rooms, and enclosures. The main difficulty is to obtain high-quality used reinforced concrete slabs. The strength parameters of such objects are high enough that even after some time of service in a different role, the slabs would become a good foundation for a structure. A base layer is made from them, then the frame is tied or the first crown of timber or logs is laid.

Slabs previously used to create floors or build roads are used as subfloors in the construction of buildings for which an extremely limited budget has been allocated. As a rule, this trick is used when working on courtyards, additional buildings, and sheds.

About prices: how important is the foundation?

It is not for nothing that many people who are thinking about creating their own home, but are limited in funds, begin their acquaintance with the issue by searching for the cheapest foundation for a frame house, block, or timber. On average, the price of the frame is at least a third of the total cost of the building, and specific costs consist of several factors. If you plan to resort to the help of a designer, his work will have to be assessed separately. On the other hand, the investment will be worth it: a professional will analyze the features of the site and suggest which construction solution will be optimal. The next cost item is geological research, which will prevent emergency situations in the future.

Further, the price of even the cheapest foundation includes the cost of materials and work on arranging the foundation. It is necessary to calculate the formwork and reinforcement layer. It is necessary to take into account the expected weight of the building: this determines which materials can be used for construction and which are absolutely not suitable. The most economical options are available to those who plan to build a residential building made of wood and inexpensive foundations are available to those choosing Canadian frame houses.

Wooden house

For such a structure, one of the cheapest foundations is a shallow frame foundation with a grillage made of wood. You don’t have to make a large pit, and the main building materials for supports are wood, blocks, and bricks that are accessible to everyone. Installation requires little effort, which means you won’t have to spend money on workers at all, or it will be enough to hire several people who can finish the installation in a few days. The specific price will be determined by the dimensions of the building, the number of pillars depends on them. This option is only suitable for areas with sandy soil.

House made of bricks or blocks

The cheapest foundation for a house made of foam blocks will be heavier compared to a wooden one, which means the load-bearing capacity of the foundation should be greater. Builders recommend choosing medium or shallow depth options and giving preference to monolithic foundations with a grillage made of beams or reinforced concrete. If the house is supposed to be made of stone, it is recommended to make a strip frame. If the initial conditions are not only a heavy structure, but also complex soil, it is practically impossible to do without such a foundation.

By choosing the cheapest foundation for a house made of foam blocks or bricks, people save on building materials. This is possible if there is nearby access to natural deposits of stone suitable for construction. Such a base will have good load-bearing capacity. It is important to remember about weight: if a cubic meter of blocks is on average no heavier than seven centners, the same volume of brick weighs about one and a half tons.

Monolithic structure

No matter how much you would like to use the cheapest foundation and save a lot of money on this, by choosing a monolith, you will have to remember that it requires a full-fledged foundation, that is, a strip type of base is required. An alternative is a concrete monolith; this is more often chosen if the soil is mobile and the groundwater is high. In such conditions, tape requires a supporting sole. Due to the substrate, the pressure of the building on the base will be reduced, which means that the load-bearing capacity will be significantly higher.

To reduce the costs associated with the construction of a strip foundation, you can use concrete blocks for its manufacture. This way you can reduce expenses by almost a third.

Piles as a base

It is reasonable to choose metal piles for the foundation if construction is planned on moving soil of increased complexity. With relatively small financial investments, the foundation of the building will be quite strong. Screw piles are often chosen for construction on rocks or very high water levels in the ground. True, when determining for yourself which foundation is the cheapest and most suitable, you need to remember that the piles will not support much weight, which means the structure must be light and compact. Stilts are often used when it is necessary to build a house from panels or panels. Such a foundation is suitable for constructing a garage, shed or other auxiliary premises.

The main savings of this option are due to the absence of earthworks that require the involvement of heavy equipment and specialists. All elements can be installed by hand, and the materials are relatively inexpensive.

TISE

Opinions differ among professionals regarding which foundation is the cheapest. Some argue that TISE is the optimal choice. The abbreviation hides the foundation on pillars or piles with supports with a cross-section of 25 cm. Under the pillars it is necessary to make 60-centimeter extensions, called soles. They significantly reduce the pressure of the weight of the structure, that is, they minimize the risk of land subsidence.

TISE is suitable for building a house from blocks, bricks, stones, and is suitable for frame buildings. The base can be placed on sand, clay and other soils. The reliability of the finished building will largely be determined by the quality of the grillage. Often, rolled metal is used for its production. An alternative is a concrete monolith.

Plate

Although this is not the cheapest option, it is the only one applicable on highly complex soil. The basis of the house with this construction technology is a concrete monolith up to 170 cm deep. Builders often call it a floating foundation. For this, a frame of increased rigidity is taken. The finished base can easily cope with strong pressure and significant load. And to save money, you can choose the cheapest method at home - for example, just plaster.

The advantage of a slab as a foundation is that the structure will not be affected by seasonal changes in the soil or high water levels. Uneven terrain or moving layers will not become an obstacle to the long service life of the building.

Eternal classic: strip foundation

This method benefits from ease of implementation, but requires considerable effort. A non-professional can create the base of the structure, but he must be a strong and resilient person. The finished base will be quite reliable under reasonable load conditions. The budget version of the foundation built using this method involves saving on size - the width is made no more than 40 cm, and the height is up to one and a half meters. It should be remembered: the foundation must be above the water in the ground and below the freezing point. Additional costs may be due to difficult soil conditions. For the work you will need concrete and reinforcement, materials for insulation from water, concrete additives to improve the quality of the finished result.

To create a foundation, a trench is first prepared where it is planned to make load-bearing walls, then everything is completely filled with concrete - a closed figure is obtained. Construction requires preparation of formwork. The reinforcement is poured directly on the construction site, due to which the object becomes solid. In order for the finished structure to be durable and reliable, it is necessary to responsibly strengthen the corners - these are the parts of the building base that will be the weakest.

Frame house: features

The most affordable and reliable option for country house construction is frame houses. Such buildings are undemanding to the base and weigh little. When choosing a base, perhaps the most important factors are the terrain and soil. You can install pillars, make a monolithic base, choose piles, TISE or a combined option.

Having determined the boundaries of the building, pillars are placed under the areas of maximum load - they will act as a support. The pitch of the pillars should not exceed 2.5 m; the cross-section is calculated for each object individually, taking into account the weight of the finished building, the number of floors and the material from which the supports will be made.

A columnar foundation for a frame house will be reliable only if it is made half a meter or taller. The depth is determined by soil and climate parameters. For the bottom trim, use concrete with reinforcement, timber, and pipes. The space under the building can be left open or a barrier made of brick, plywood, or slate can be created.

Columnar foundation: technical aspects

Iron and rubble concrete are used to make supports. You can use building blocks, bricks and special building stone. Sometimes logs play the role of supports, some use round profile pipes. The base is made monolithic or prefabricated, focusing on the characteristics of the material of the supports. If you plan to erect a building on heaving soil, it is necessary to bury the pillars below the freezing point. If the soil is stable, half this value will suffice. A cushion of sand or a mixture of sand and gravel is made at half the height of the pit. If the posts do not require deepening, the level of the base corresponds to the soil.

The grillage is placed above the foundations, ties them together, preventing them from tipping over, distributing the load as evenly as possible. If the soil belongs to the category of increased stability, you can abandon reinforced concrete beams, making do with only the bottom trim laid on top of building materials that insulate from water. The easiest way is to build such a foundation from rectangular pillars, and use plywood for formwork. You can refuse it if the soil density is above average.

Cheap and cheerful: what do we save on?

When choosing among all possible options for inexpensive construction, you need to clearly understand what exactly allows you to save in each specific case. The foundation of the building should be simple, requiring a small amount of materials and earthworks. Therefore, it is reasonable to analyze each option of interest according to the specified parameters. You can create a table for yourself that will record the scores on these points, and then compare the amounts.

The smaller the volume of material needed to form the base of the structure, the less money you will have to spend on it - this is obvious to everyone. If the installation technology is quite simple, the likelihood of successfully doing everything yourself increases, without spending a limited budget on paying the labor of strangers. Analyzing market offers will also help you save money. When purchasing in bulk, prices from different suppliers may vary greatly. Therefore, you need to familiarize yourself with all possible offers in advance.

At the same time, you need to realize: construction with minimal costs, and even on your own, is a considerable risk. If you make serious mistakes at the very beginning, the venture will end in failure and the money will be wasted. We will have to build everything anew, and investing much more money: as they say,