I am designing a cottage for my family of 4...I'm pretty good on everything except the foundation. The home is 26x30 with a loft. The loft will be 2 bedrooms and no baths. I have attached my planned foundation plan. I want to use 4x12 (2 2x12's) beams sitting on 8"x18" Block laid in square piers. Any changes that you can think of. Would it be better to use 8" circular piers poured in sonotubes. BTW the lowest elevation will be 2' above grade to the bottom of the beam and the highest will be no more than 4-5' above grade. Thanks.
(https://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh285/BigDaddy750/Foundation.jpg)
w* BigDaddy. Not enough info to give any good advice. What part of the country are you in what kind of soil etc.? Your footings sound kinda shallow. I'd also put rebar in the footings and run it up inside the blocks and fill them with concrete.
BigDaddy I would opt for the block on a concrete footing then filled with concrete. It would give you a bigger footprint and distribute the load a little better. Depending on the soil it may even be better for loose type soil.
Sorry ScottA This is in upstate SC...we have some thick red clay 8-10 inches under the topsoil. No frost line and no flood zone. It will sit on 10ac. Most of the land is pretty steep for a foothill, but the home site is nearly 200' sq and is flatter, but still drains well and doesn't keep standing water. Thanks