Crawl Space Foundation

[Franky]

I'm planning to built 2000 sq. home in water front property. (step hill)
single story, not fancy but large family room and kichen will take most of living sq.ft

I love to get some tips, pros and cons to get ready for crawl space foundation.
I have heard slab is out of the question due to different water level cause land to shift.
and this lake water level can be change +- 5  ft. during season.


Thanks
Franky

[John_M]

How far above the lake level are you?  Is there any danger of water levels rising upto your structure.  Also depends on the slope of your land?  If it is real steep, you might think of a nice walk out basement?  Great for extra storage and stuff.  I put in a crawlspace foundation for my cabin.  Seems to have come out pretty well.  There a photos around this site somewhere.  You can also go here:

http://ourlittlecabin.blogspot.com/

and go back to the archives for the month of June & July.  Hope the pictures help a little bit!!  Good luck with your project!

[Franky]

Nice place  

I hope to finish my project in next two years.
Water front is far from where I will be building my home. (least 20 ft from water level)
I was more concern of land shifting during water level of the lake.
If there is way to prevent the re leveling house by designing proper foundation, I was hoping to get that information.


Thanks

[glenn kangiser]

The piers with adjustable stumps as Jonesy calls them may be the easiest and cheapest way.  Threaded rod goes down into a hole with an adjuster nut on it - with a saddle for the beam above.  If you are on a massive layer of damp to wet clay it could require pilings to get it stabilized as in the bay area around here.  Otherwise engineers sometimes come up with special solutions for problem areas but usually not cheap.