pier foundation????

[depratti]

 Can you build a 2 story cottage on piers and how many piers do you need??
P.S. has anyone used the plastic pier molds that are advertised on this site is this the best bet???  ALex

[Amanda_931]

One all-in-one plastic pier mold was written up enthusiastically in Fine Homebuilding a couple of years ago.  I haven't noticed the ad here.

The idea was that it would not be a subject to frost heave as plain concrete.  And less of a hassle than trying to wrap the pier in plastic bags to achieve the same effect.  

A couple of people have used Sonotube+Bigfoot, apparently very happily.

I gather you get to figure those things for height (above and below ground of the pier itself) weight of the total building and soil bearing capacity.  Not to mention shape.  (Wow, according to this chart I can support my three-story twenty feet on a side bamboo tower with just one pier!    Wrong)

welcome to the forum

where frequently the answer is

[size=22]it all depends[/size]

[glenn-k]

John's Universal 20' wide 2-story Cottage Plans has a pier and beam option.

Structural cross section with basement, crawlspace, slab and pier and beam foundation options.

[Amanda_931]

I thought that some of John's plans would have tallish pier and beam foundation.  Also seaside houses subject to storm surges almost always do.  As do houses built along the Tennessee River.

This is the company I was thinking of.  IIRC, they've a really nice worksheet for figuring building weight, pier spacing, etc.

No idea what they cost.

Readily available only in New England and parts of Colorado.

http://www.foottube.com/

[depratti]

i was referring to foottube.com the foot tube and soil conditions are rocky, sloped, and wet. The universal 2 story is the exact plans i want to use. I've been on the site a bunch looking at everyones great projects. Amazing. I recently bought 10 acres in Canaan, NH and just cleared the site for the house and septic it's truly God's country. My main house is in west hartford, CT. a total drag. thanks hope to hear more input

[desdawg]

I suspect that what Amanda says is true and the engineering of the pier itself will be site specific. Soil conditions, depth of frost, etc. will all be factors. As far as the number and spacing of the piers John will have that all calculated to carry the loaded beams. Here in the AZ desert when I walk outside I am walking on the frost line because we don't have any. I suspect it will be a little deeper than that in NH.

[Woodrules]

HI Alex,  Like you, I bought a 10 acre piece in New Hampshire two years ago and I love it.  ( We're in Charlestown) I used the Bigfoot tubes and recommend them or any similar product.  They were foolproof and worked as advertised.  We built a mini-cabin (140 square feet with lofts on each end) and I used nine of the piers, so in the words of my closest neighbor "you seemed to have overbuilt it a bit".  I contend that one cannot overbuild but can certainly underbuild, but the neighbor is a crotchedy 76 year old man, so I nodded in agreement in deference to his "maturity."  Take care, Tony

[depratti]

what should the spacing of the piers be for the victoria cottage. rough soil.will the plans tell me I just bought them last night

[glenn-k]

Spacing varies depending on where it is but the pier option is detailed on the plan.