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General => General Forum => Topic started by: pericles on September 19, 2007, 08:07:59 PM

Title: Maximum grade
Post by: pericles on September 19, 2007, 08:07:59 PM
I just bought the plans to the little house, and am looking forward to going camping this weekend to look at a few properties.  My favorite site is 12 acres, fronts on a large stream/small river, and is selling for peanuts.  Here's the catch: the grade is pretty steep.  

I'm a law student, and in a year or so my wife will be joining me in grad school, so it's important to keep costs to an utter minimum.  In keeping with that, we're planning to put in a post and pier foundation.  We can do some digging to level the grade a bit, but basically I've concluded that one way or another we'll have to use piers of different heights.  In a word, my question is this: how high a pier is too high to support the weight of the 14x24 Little House?  

Doing some quick math, the average grade of the site can't be more than about 11 degrees, and might be as little as 6.  Any thoughts?  

Thanks!  

-Jack
Title: Re: Maximum grade
Post by: glenn-k on September 19, 2007, 08:09:17 PM
It's been said that if you can stand up on it you can build on it.  I'd say no problem - welcome to the forum.

There are some near here with about 1 foot piers on one side and 12 feet or so on the other.
Title: Re: Maximum grade
Post by: glenn-k on September 19, 2007, 08:14:50 PM
Somehow my computer weirded out on me and I separated the posting  I think it's all better now. :-/
Title: Re: Maximum grade
Post by: MountainDon on September 19, 2007, 09:23:25 PM
Like Glenn said. Around these mountains I've seen cabins with one end inches above the grade there, with enough room to park an RV under at the other. All with proper poured or concrete block footings, etc.

I would have loved to see how some of them were done. Last time I checked sky hooks were still hard to find.