How not to do a Pier Foundation!

[Willy]

I just had to post this Cabin I saw on EBay last night for sale. The 7 ft high Pier Foundation looks a little shakey to me. It is a cabin in kit form all ready started and extra wood to finish it with! You got to take a look at this cabin and see what method of construction shoud not be done. Mark

http://cgi.ebay.com/Log-Cabin-House-w-Land-property-south-Carolina-country_W0QQitemZ230212977654QQihZ013QQcategoryZ15841QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Erin]

who in their right mind started building that??  (and didn't get the heeby-jeebies climbing up on the platform to work on it!)

ETA:  This listing makes me think that maybe everyone can't do it themselves... 

[MountainDon]

That's amazing! 

I notice there are no bids as yet. 



Wonder what prompted them to put it up for sale?

[peternap]

To be honest...at 59 grand it might be a deal for someone willing to rework the thing. I don't know what land prices are in SC but it looks like it is a possible.

As to what HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE.....

[ScottA]

Looks like something my kids would have built as a playfort. I see some $ in material sitting around so someone was serious about this once upon a time.

[Willy]

Looks like something my kids would have built as a playfort. I see some $ in material sitting around so someone was serious about this once upon a time.

Sad he hung/mounted those windows! Might have been worth more if he had not started the project and just sold the land with the wood and windows included. I wonder if he got caught by a inspector or just got way in over his head?? Mark

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

What... did he buy in a dry creek bed and wanted to make sure it was high enough not to get wet in a flash flood?  That foundation is nuts.  Wonder what the purpose was? 

[MountainDon]

Maybe he wanted a view? 

[glenn kangiser]

That is actually scary.  I assume there is nothing but stacked cinder block.

Looks like the Porsche could be parked under there to keep it dry though.

[desdawg]

Much of the property listed on e-bay is obtained by the sellers working the back tax lists and through solicitation to purchase letters.  However this seller, judging from his feedback, isn't into real estate so he may have done this quality work himself. Pity.

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

If you read all the way to the bottom of the description of the house, he claims that the footings are buried 4' in the ground, so "it's not going anywhere soon", but all I can see is stacked cinder blocks.  It looks like one of those water strider bugs... you know, Jesus bugs.

[Drew]

The piers can go down 4', but they look like they are on 8' centers along the width and even worse on the length.  There are no visible beams, so the load is not being spread out.  That deck probably feels like a diving board.

I'm thinking of some meth house jokes, but none are really making it.

[MountainDon]

That place could end up being a crack-ed house.   

[Willy]

That is actually scary.  I assume there is nothing but stacked cinder block.

Looks like the Porsche could be parked under there to keep it dry though.

When I read the listing he said the blocks were filled with concrete and rebar. What I think he did was just stack them on top of each other put some rods down the whole then fill it to the top with concrete. That sure does leave places for voids and a real shakey set up. I would not get a Porsche near that place! Mark

[StinkerBell]

Maybe this should be a lesson here on how not to build a foundation/cabin........

[Drew]

I wonder how much fun it will be to get into a real estate deal with this one.  Escrow, title search, all those PITA things  would look pretty good.

No power, septic...water?  Maybe I'm a little uptight, but I think I'd dig a well before I built a house.

[glenn kangiser]

hmm Stacked block filled with concrete and he didn't spill a drop down the sides.  Nice work.

[MountainDon]

I keep looking at it wondering how much of a wind it would take to topple it once all the walls are done and the roof is up. Wish I lived closer.

I Google Earthed it  ( 218 Bub Wise Rd, Swansea, SC 29160 ), but it's too new to show on the sat image. Some neighbiors though. Is Peter (benevolance) SC or NC... if close he could have a look)?

[MountainDon]

I sent an inquiry to the seller. 

"Are there any zoning or permit issues with the property or building as it stands?"

[Willy]

I sent an inquiry to the seller. 

"Are there any zoning or permit issues with the property or building as it stands?"

Be sure to let us know if he responds back with a answer. Mark

[Ernest T. Bass]

Interesting method of log corner joinery.. I think some bracing might be in order for those.... "legs".

[ScottA]

I think if I was buying this property I'd want to deduct the cost to tear this structure down from the value of the land.

[glenn kangiser]

It's a one of a kind.

[Drew]

Thank heaven for that, Glenn.

But hurry!  Bidding is over in 30 minutes!!

Side bets:  How much will he repost this property for?

$60k for 5 acres?  That's $12k an acre.  30 miles to Columbia, SC, population 123K.

Don't ask me.  We are real estate damaged out here in California.

[Willy]

Thank heaven for that, Glenn.

But hurry!  Bidding is over in 30 minutes!!

Side bets:  How much will he repost this property for?

$60k for 5 acres?  That's $12k an acre.  30 miles to Columbia, SC, population 123K.

Don't ask me.  We are real estate damaged out here in California.

I will be selling my cabin for 80-90K and it sits on 13 1/2 acres and the land sure looks a lot better to!. The cabin will be inspected and a lot better built. 12K a acre sure seems high to me thats $164,000.00 just for my land?? Mark