So, you're thinking about Owner Building a Steel Framed Home in Perth, or an outlying area, and your site appears to be offering a few challenges.
In a perfect world all sites would be flat, sandy, and offering great views. As we all know it doesn't always work out that way and we're faced with a choice on how to handle what our new site has given us.
My first port of call when buying a new block is to get a soil test. The results of this test will help you decide on the best way to build a base for your new home.Your site will be given a classification which indicates the expected moveement of the foundation soils, and is generally related to the soils capacity to shrink or swell. The report would be submitted with your working drawings to shire when applying for your building approval.
The Soil Classifications are as follows;
Class 'A' - Little or no ground movement.
Class 'S' - Slightly reactive sites
Class 'M' - Moderately reactive sites
Class 'H' - Highly reactive sites
Class 'E' - Extremely reactive sites
Class 'P' - Problem sites
I am happy to report that I have not come accross a Class 'E' or 'P' site and hope none of my clients do either.
If you have a level site that is classed 'A', through to 'H' I wouldn't be too concerned. Each will require a different type of footing and there is always a solution available. An 'A' site will require no more than a minimal sandpad and footing, while an 'H' will require some digging and subsoil drainage to try and create the Class 'A' environment under your footing.
The siteworks for the more reactive sites is going to be more expensive, but depending on your budget the cost might not be prohibitive. However in some country areas it's very expensive to get earthworks done and to bring in clean sandfill to make the site suitable for a slab to be poured. This is where a Steel Framed Suspended Floor System could be just the answer.
Not only do Steel framed Suspended Floor Systems offer you views, decks, and a solution to sloping sites, they can be the ideal alternative to spending big dollars on earthworks to counteract the reactivity on a difficult site. Floor Systems have a minimal impact on the environment and will require many seperate footings for the individual floor columns. The depth and diameter of the footings will be determined by the soil classification and accompanying footing design that has been certified by an engineer as suitable. The best part is that once you have pegged out where all your columns will be placed you can employ a contractor with an Auger. He can dig each hole easily assuming there is no rock in the way, and following that you can start putting your floor together.
One of the things I love about putting a home up on stumps this way is that it takes termites out of the equation for the most part. At Straight Edge Steel Frame Homes we cap both ends of the columns so there's no chance of the critters making there way up the inside to the yummy decking above. Termite detection would be easy as they would have to build a mud tunnel on the outside surface of the steel to make the climb, and detection would be easy.
A decorative addition to your off the ground lifestyle is your new Balustrade. They can be constructed in timber or metal and there is bound to be a style that will suit the theme of your new home. Remember to consult properly before going ahead with any DIY installations, as what you may think looks the goods in your mind may not conform to the standards set by the Building Code of Australia. At Straight Edge Steel Frame Homes we can help you choose the right balustrade for your new home.
Apart from using a Steel Framed Floor System, building your new home in steel makes perfect sence. If you haven't done so already please read my previous blog at...
http://steelframedhomes.blogspot.com/2011/03/so-you-want-to-build-steel-framed-home.html?spref=fb
Steel Floor Systems offer more than just a solution to difficult sites. The can really make a home. The ability to build decks up high, make use of views, and artistry of modern and traditional balustrading, feeling wood under foot and the general ambiance of a home built off the ground can make Steel Floor Systems a very attractive option.
In a perfect world all sites would be flat, sandy, and offering great views. As we all know it doesn't always work out that way and we're faced with a choice on how to handle what our new site has given us.
My first port of call when buying a new block is to get a soil test. The results of this test will help you decide on the best way to build a base for your new home.Your site will be given a classification which indicates the expected moveement of the foundation soils, and is generally related to the soils capacity to shrink or swell. The report would be submitted with your working drawings to shire when applying for your building approval.
The Soil Classifications are as follows;
Class 'A' - Little or no ground movement.
Class 'S' - Slightly reactive sites
Class 'M' - Moderately reactive sites
Class 'H' - Highly reactive sites
Class 'E' - Extremely reactive sites
Class 'P' - Problem sites
I am happy to report that I have not come accross a Class 'E' or 'P' site and hope none of my clients do either.
If you have a level site that is classed 'A', through to 'H' I wouldn't be too concerned. Each will require a different type of footing and there is always a solution available. An 'A' site will require no more than a minimal sandpad and footing, while an 'H' will require some digging and subsoil drainage to try and create the Class 'A' environment under your footing.
The siteworks for the more reactive sites is going to be more expensive, but depending on your budget the cost might not be prohibitive. However in some country areas it's very expensive to get earthworks done and to bring in clean sandfill to make the site suitable for a slab to be poured. This is where a Steel Framed Suspended Floor System could be just the answer.
Not only do Steel framed Suspended Floor Systems offer you views, decks, and a solution to sloping sites, they can be the ideal alternative to spending big dollars on earthworks to counteract the reactivity on a difficult site. Floor Systems have a minimal impact on the environment and will require many seperate footings for the individual floor columns. The depth and diameter of the footings will be determined by the soil classification and accompanying footing design that has been certified by an engineer as suitable. The best part is that once you have pegged out where all your columns will be placed you can employ a contractor with an Auger. He can dig each hole easily assuming there is no rock in the way, and following that you can start putting your floor together.
One of the things I love about putting a home up on stumps this way is that it takes termites out of the equation for the most part. At Straight Edge Steel Frame Homes we cap both ends of the columns so there's no chance of the critters making there way up the inside to the yummy decking above. Termite detection would be easy as they would have to build a mud tunnel on the outside surface of the steel to make the climb, and detection would be easy.
A decorative addition to your off the ground lifestyle is your new Balustrade. They can be constructed in timber or metal and there is bound to be a style that will suit the theme of your new home. Remember to consult properly before going ahead with any DIY installations, as what you may think looks the goods in your mind may not conform to the standards set by the Building Code of Australia. At Straight Edge Steel Frame Homes we can help you choose the right balustrade for your new home.
Apart from using a Steel Framed Floor System, building your new home in steel makes perfect sence. If you haven't done so already please read my previous blog at...
http://steelframedhomes.blogspot.com/2011/03/so-you-want-to-build-steel-framed-home.html?spref=fb
Steel Floor Systems offer more than just a solution to difficult sites. The can really make a home. The ability to build decks up high, make use of views, and artistry of modern and traditional balustrading, feeling wood under foot and the general ambiance of a home built off the ground can make Steel Floor Systems a very attractive option.
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