Build Show Build: Boston Ep. 4 "Foundation Footing"
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ธ.ค. 2022
- Steve discusses the foundation plan and details such as water management, reinforcement, project layout, etc. There are dozens of interesting details that go into foundation footings, many of which are easy to look past. Take a deep dive with Steve into this fascinating stage of construction.
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Steve is hands down the best personality on build show. Clear, concise, and not a creep
Glad I made the "Non-Creep" list lol
Wait, who’s on the creep list?
This is the level of detail we never get with TV-based building/DIY shows (Discovery networks, TOH, etc). Here we get long-format content, with deep discussions, professionally-produced, and start-to-finish. This is great, and this is the future of the genre.
Very much appreciated.....Thank you for joining us, and I agree with you
As an arm-chair architecture fan (who doesn't work in the industry in any way), this series has been an incredible view into the process and I really appreciate all the work that's gone into producing these extremely detailed videos. Thanks and can't wait to watch the rest!
Thank you for joining us - much appreciated
i don’t know if an armchair could really be called a form of architecture
Loved this video Steve. So much value and knowledge packed in here. I even ran an extra 20 minutes on my elliptical because I didn’t want to stop watching. 🔥🔥🔥
Glad I am providing a health reward also!!!
Nice to see an engineer that appreciates the logistics of the work going into the construction of a home or commercial building. I was in the construction business back in the 70’s working around architects and engineers and never once saw this level of interest in a project. They were all office bumpkins as far as I was concerned who never wanted to get their hands dirty. Kudos to this guy for the level of integrity and the quality video.
I have to be out there and see it getting done - thanks for the kind words
Seeing what you learn in theory put to practice closes that loop and makes perfect sense. Always a reason behind everything that is done, love learning about the 'why'.
I really hope you explain the entire project like this! The explanation is great! Your builds are for a lifetime not just a 10-15 year build!!
This water management system with explanation is just incredible.
Good series for early architects or students just starting out, thanks for sharing all the details and explaining the construction process Steve
Yes, if only the profession agreed with your thoughts
We are about to pour a stem wall foundation (footings first, then stem walls) at the same place where the old house crawl space foundation stem wall and footings (demolished in Sep 2022) used to be. After the full demo, the trenching from the old footings was filled with what was left of the natural soil around but is still slightly lower than the overall (flat) lot elevation. The idea is to place the new footings at elevation about 2' higher than where the old footings used to be so we can have the top of the foundation stem wall be at least 1' above the final grade which in turn I want to be at my neighbours' (on each side) soil elevations. Our soil is sandy (Granby-Morocco complex), appears to drain ok and building inspector advised that soil has good PSI and no compaction is needed. In Mar 2023, I tested the soil where the original footings used to be with a 5' steel probing rod. At some spots of the old perimeter, the rod went down all the way to the handle relatively easy which concerns me. Neighbour says that our area has a high water table. Code requires footings and wall to be at least 42" below grade (we are in SW MI). After excavating (probably 2-3' deep and then bring fill to make wall under grade per code), I plan on compacting and placing stone (#57) under where the footings will sit. Footings will be 8" high X 16" wide with 2 rows of #5 rebar and 3,000 PSI concrete. Backfilling will be with stone on both sides of stem wall. I will have to bring fill (pit run) to raise the overall lot elevation before compacting and placing stone which will be under the slab. Since I want footings to sit higher than where old footings used to be, do I bring fill first, excavate to 42"+ depth, compact, place stone, pour footings last? Or, I excavate first (I guess not as deep), compact, place stone, pour footings, bring fill to cover foundation per code? Do I need to go with wider/thicker footings? More rebar? More PSI concrete? Need a cost effective piece of insurance. I am waiting for a Humboldt pocket size penetrometer to be delivered and intend to use to further test the soil. Thanks in advance.
This is one of the most informative shows so far. I've always dreamt of building my own home or at least a shed, and these videos surely answer a lot of questions as well as illustrate how big these jobs can get.
Thanks for joining in - very much appreciated
I'm hoping this job will continue videoing every step of this build with the detailed information. Thanks
24 episodes planned! The Build Show and Steve really do an amazing and important job in creating awareness of the important issues that should be part of any home design and build.
This is an awesome overview. Please feature more and more of this gentleman!
I was looking for this kind of detailed basement building video for a long time. Great content. Lots of details.
Thank you
having the secondary sump pump drain across the driveway is genious.. omg
What a great series. Thank you for doing this.
Very welcome
Amazing full encompassing information. Thanks Steve for the incredible wealth of knowledge you shared! I've been trying to piece and puzzle this information in my head for years now, always second guessing if I was right or wrong in various aspects. You really shined light on the whole process here and the analogy you used with the paper & pencil - fantastic! Way to Go!
Thanks for joining
I learn so much from this channel...thank you.
I really really enjoyed this video, Steve. Watching on my TV and picked up my phone just to say this.
Thank you very much for joining in!!! Much appreciated
The explanation of the foundation detail is good, using the plans and specs. Very educational.
Great video Steve! thanks for sharing these secrets!
What a huge site, that pump truck was nuts!
Great video! Learned a lot. Thank you.
Thank you sir
I'm really enjoying watching these! Hoping you'll help me build my house with LDS.
Sure thing!! Thanks for joining in
Love the details. Excellent video!
Those aluminium frames are interesting, never seen those here in Finland. We commonly use wooden planks or fiber board for the concrete molds.
Memories of building footings !! Of course, if I were in it today, I'd give those bagged footing from Fab-Form a try. No more forms. Leave in place. Use their ICF product and really make some production.
They do work pretty nice!!
I particularly enjoyed the "In The Studio" section at the end that gave a detailed technical explanation of the water management system, and the reason you connected the outside to the inside. I'd love to see an example of this in action in your personal home that you indicate uses the same system.
Thank you, our plan is to include it in most of the episodes
@@stevenbaczekarchitect9431Question on that topic--why is it that you intentionally route the water inside the foundation and then pump it out, as opposed to running a footing drain around the outside of the footing and letting it drain to daylight? I am loving this series; thanks for making it!
The "trowel" you referrer to the worker using is actually called a float typically made of magnesium or wood used to flatten wet concrete. A trowel is used to flatten nearly hardend concrete.
Very informative. Love the series thus far.
Thank you for joining in - much appreciated
Great job Steve, loved the video lot of information 😊😊😊
Thank you
Very nice video, thanks again for a great series.
Welcome
Amazing details for the foundation. Can you make that a requirement for all builders please.
Great episode! Great details!
Thanks buddy
Thank you for share it..
dammm, thats a big house ...do you have to compensate for the curvature of the earth?
Lol
😂
Spoken like a true flat earther 😂
i wouldn't go that far
@@Ebbrush3 Right! Cause their all crazy
THANK YOU! AWESOME!
Thanks for joining
Great info and well explained, I always try to explain things to my apprentices with something they have encountered in everyday life like your flour example, it really helps people grasp something, sets it in concrete in their mind (dad joke). Thanks for spreading your wealth of knowledge.
Thank you
Something special about a great foundation!!
First thing I decided to learn and the most profitable work to do in house. Helix is a great way to cover yourself.
Agreed
19:50 still should have used tie in bar IMO. Temperature changes between the two can make water in the dirt swell/push at different pressures over time, risks moving the wall or buckling the center of the wall. Always better safe than sorry.
👍Thanks for the video
Welcome
Do they use a vibration device to insure that there is no air bubbles inside of the foundation? Great video with great information.
Yes, it is in the video, and I talk about it
this is why we can't have nice things. so many critical comments w.o. so much as a thanks. great content keep up the good work guys
I will publish content for 1, even if 10 are negative....the 1 is sincere
Love your foundation videos. It’s all in the details.
My understanding is that the most successful foundation is the one that never gets challenged by water. When dealing with surface water, a deck/porch would keep the water away for several feed right? But a building that can’t have such feature, for ecstatics, would still benefit from such feature.
You mentioned a sloped ground, which is at the actual surface level. But water can still migrate into the ground from there. So I’m having this idea, and you can tell me how stupid it is..
Two feed below grade, going from 6” off the wall to 36” away from the wall, we could pour a 2”-4” thick 10° sloped slap. Top it off with gravel to sloped grade. This would move surface water away from the wall and make life easier the basement wall.
Could such a feature work? Is it stupid? Downsides?
I’m thinking in a cold, snowy New England area, this could help a lot with early/late freeze/thaw cycles and migrate rain and melt water away from the wall.
As you mentioned at the end, water is the enemy of the foundation and too often not enough attention (to detail) is given to it. Up here in Maine I see so many homes with foundation issues. It’s the #1 reason I’d not feel comfortable to buy existing older homes.
Anyway, any feedback is greatly appreciated
You expensive
&
Doesn’t stop the ground water that would rise
+
Possibly trap said ground water rise
If something ever happened to make that poured wall to slide or lift we got bigger problems then the Reebar is going to help.
hopefully radon isn't a problem. Those outside -> inside pipes will make you need a strong fan or two to get that negative pressure under the slab
No they will not, they expand the pressure field by maybe 5%
Professor Steve
Just sharing what I can
Sure can tell it's a easy coast pour. Where's the steel? Here in California sometimes I wonder where is the concrete supposed to fit? There's so much steel in the form. Cheers from Northern California!!!
Yes! 🤣 stirrups maximum spacing is the minimum spacing! No epoxy or drilled bolts allowed on structural hold-downs. I put 9 yards in the footing for a 16’ long dining room window wall. 7/8” all thread rods with 36” embedment with plate washers running to Simpson StrongWalls on the 2nd floor. The rest of the old house will snap off during The Big One!
Great Video Steve! I have been watching this series and learning a lot. I am in the early stage of building as well. I am currently in the foundation phase. Footing is poured, and walls are going up in a few days. I am researching placing anchor bolts, and i keep seeing videos that discourage wet setting anchor bolts. I noticed you are wet setting your anchor bolts. What is your take on wet setting vs Anchor bolt setter?
I think the wet set have a slightly better pull out strength
@@stevenbaczekarchitect9431 Well, you can always drill a little bit deeper, or use a slightly bigger bolt, or use a few more. By drilling, you get better precision, but it also cost a little bit more. However, low precision is expensive sometimes.
Steve at vid time 4:54 you explained the construction of the foundation footings using your detailed drawing, I noticed there is a locking key drawn in-between the footing and basement wall, I've seen this detail on many drawings but few contractors make provisions form them, are they not required for code? I'm a fan of the Build Show and the work you do.
They are a default in my drawings. If the is no call for vertical J bars coming out of the footing, they are important to me, with J bars, they become less critical
All those rods sticking up can’t believe you don’t get a call from osha . Anyone comes down that bank is getting speared would never ever see this on a commercial job.
Thank so much. I learned a lot! Question though, and apologies if I missed a mention of it, any membrane between the footer and wall? I realize the L bars complicate / increase potential failure of a membrane but how else does one manage capillary wicking from the footer to the wall and still utilize L bars for structural support?
Make sure you have a new batterie in that microphone next time and drop the levels of a few dB. That microphone distortion makes it hard to go trough the video.
Great information on footings, thank you!
Sorry, too excited I guess
I would like to know why you didnt spec a drain on the outside of the footing, and why not provide a sloped bed at the fooding connection.???
Tone ranch wrapped in filter fabric
I love when big red comes out
Me too.....
Wondering if I put a slab over the entire back filled area, would that actually take away the rain water or would it find its way back to the fill anyway? Was thinking of building a basement then putting up a wrap around porch to protect it.
I have seen that done, and I would think it effective. I have put rubber roofing slightly below grade to be a similar concept
Steve, I have the opportunity to drain to daylight on the exterior. My plan was to do an exterior foundation pipe to daylight. Not install a footer tube connecting exterior to interior. I had not thought about interior drain. We are on a lake and setting our footers on the lowest elevation allowed. Your comments on ground water have me thinking this may be a good idea to deal with potential ground water pressure under the basement slab. I'm nervous about creating an avenue for water on the outside to flow to the interior. I also want to waterproof the tops of my footings (getting some push back from foundation contractor). So, my thought is two independent systems. Your thoughts are appreciated. Regards Larry
Larry, alot of people are looking at this like "you are letting water in from the outside" you would need a very strong negative grade and ALOT of water for rain to be a problem from the outside. Hydrostatic pressure is a concern I can't solve for later.......so I solve for it now.
@@stevenbaczekarchitect9431 Steve, Do you have a drawing of the 4" pipe detail I can share with my concrete contractor? I get some crazy looks when I talk about a 4 inch PVC pipe crossing his footing. I know we are addressing hydrostatic pressure below the slab and any that builds at the exterior of our foundation. Is the equalization the critical factor or having a means to reduce pressure on both sides of the footing? Is putting independent drains on the exterior and interior adequate? Also, looking to seal the tops of footings. Contractor doesn't always use vertical rebar to tie the walls to the footing. Uses a channel. Is it a legitimate concern of weakening the cold joint connection between footing and wall with a rolled on waterproofing membrane? Appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience.
I'm a little surprised the plan didn't call for a 4" socked PVC pipe on the outside too so as not to "challenge" the interior system. Maybe it didn't have a clear path to daylight. I also wonder if having the interior connected to the outside via the lateral pipes might help with radon dissipation, just thinking out loud.
It migh add to the radon mitigation a bit - it doesn't change what we would do
39:06 shows wall/slab construction details. Curious about insulation and moisture migration. There is 4-inch natural polymer insulation under the slab but there is no insulation on the outside wall? Isn't the plan supposed to maximize the temperature of the interior concrete wall and floor surfaces by applying insulation on the outside to reduce the probability of condensation during the winter? Also what about a water barrier between the footing and the wall to minimize the capillary effect of moisture migration from the footing to the wall?
There is insulation on the wall. This detail is stripped from the foundation page, so it illustrates the concrete foundation scope of work. We will spray 2" CCSF on the wall and frame a 2x4 wall 2" inside the foundation wall. This info is in the wall section details. I break them up because the foundation guy doesn't care about the wood framed wall.
Thank you for joining us - much appreciated
How do you handle wash out from 1st trucks? That’s gonna leave a whole bunch of hard concrete to remove- are you spreading it out or consolidating and physically removing before final grading ?
Take the build show on the road to Cerro Gordo PLEASE
where is this to have No keyway in the footings before the foundation?
It has rebar....
Why didn't you and your clients insulate the exterior of the basement walls?
I rarely do, I think the interior is much easier to do, builders I work with favor the interior
Nice work!...are you using WWF in the slabs?
Yes we typically use it
Love your work you take pride them days are gone
Love this stuff
Steve is amazing! His clients are all very lucky
What do you put in your concrete room keep from freezing add where can I get some only thing I cad find in Maine is calcium chloride. Not good for rebar. Thank you
Steve; Have you ever used Superior Walls (pre-cast concrete walls) in your projects? What types of projects might you consider them for use?
I have years ago, and it went very well. While they could handle a project like this, most general contractors want their guys casting on site. Will King from High Cotton Homes on the Buildshow has also used them more recently and favors them I believe
My concrete guy is a surveyor as well it helps allot
I'm sure
Great session Steve Nb tho if you have radon on your p try property you DONT. Want to sucking radon from ext soil to subslab or pipes running thru house
Does the rough plumbing go under the footings ? Or over the footing?
Wow you guys have to do a lot in the north... Out here in Phoenix, there are no basements. If you can get one, its a MASSIVE price and nearly DOUBLE your home build cost just for a basement. I've worked on a few custom homes with basements and it is so odd being below ground, but so freaking awesome. But mainly everything is a single slab on grade monolythic post tension slab. Our footer is only about 8-10" deep under the load barring walls. Otherwise, its a 4-6" slab all over the rest. Post tension allows for such shallow footings. Where if you are doing a slab on grade with rebar, then its about 16" deep footings. So builders find for mass production homes, post tension is so much cheaper (less digging, no rebar, less concrete, less labor cost etc..)
Basements rock. I would insist on one in PHX--much much cooler and relatively consistent temperature year round. Quite nice IMO.
Basements not appraising like above ground is one of the main reasons they have faded away in many areas also. Most people don't know the completely finished basement might get 2-40sf value when the main floor gets 300sf. Almost made the move to Tucson to start doing spec construction. Hope to get there in the next few years now so we don't have to work in the cold.👻👍
Isn’t that void at min 20 going to be a cold joint >
Excellent overview Steve, thank you. One question regarding the single interior footing drain: Why not, in addition to the interior (through the use of "laterals"), use a separate exterior footing drain? Bringing water from above (and/or ground water) into the building envelope to then daylight seems like an unnecessary infiltration risk, if cost is the answer.
There is a drain on the exterior, just no pipe, a "sausage " of stone wrapped in filter fabric
@@LongLiveOurBuildings cool Steve is that just performance based compliance instead of proscribed? How big is the fabric wrap? Equivalent to 12" tube of 3/4? Calculate our until the void in the stone is the same as the pipe it replaced? Made onsite or prefilled wattles?
I think he mentioned that local requires keeping the water on the property as long as possible.
Meaning he can’t daylight drain to the storm sewer.
Obviously no sumo pump and daylight draining the whole project would be ideal if allowed.
Its so weird to see rebar uprights without safety caps. Its especially weird since much of it is below grade that someone could fall off and impale.
Tried to rip my face off on the top of a #5 that was 14' in the air. Doesn't have to be down low. Always have a bag of caps now. Coat less than $50 and reusable. No one in residential seems to use them.
How long will you leave those forms on to allow concrete to cure properly?
36 hrs
Someone forgot to cap the re-bar. The beveled key-ways are missing acording to the plan-pictoral. Was there a slump test or cylinders made up, any air entrainment added ?
J bars in lieu of channel
It’s a Rotary laser level..no GPS involved.
Do you recommend any moisture barrier between footing and wall to prevent wicking? Thanks
This is an area of contention with me. I typically don't. I favor very good water management and outside waterproofing. I have only seen water come thru that joint once in my career and it was a roof problem
Thanks for the reply Steve.
Not a single rebar cap. I guess those footing forms blew the budget
Safety third
Steve, Do you have a drawing of the 4" pipe detail I can share with my concrete contractor? I get some crazy looks when I talk about a 4 inch PVC pipe crossing his footing. I know we are addressing hydrostatic pressure below the slab and any that builds at the exterior of our foundation. Is the equalization the critical factor or having a means to reduce pressure on both sides of the footing? Is putting independent drains on the exterior and interior adequate? Also, looking to seal the tops of footings. Contractor doesn't always use vertical rebar to tie the walls to the footing. Uses a channel. Is it a legitimate concern of weakening the cold joint connection between footing and wall with a rolled on waterproofing membrane? Appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience.
I like the use of laterals. I see many on here think I am letting water in, but they really don't understand how water moves thru the ground. I believe the faster I can move it and rid it, the better I am. I don't believe barrier systems "dams" if you will, work in construction. I like bars coming out of the footing in lieu of the continuous slot. I also have never put a capillary break on top of the footing, I understand the reason why, and also agree with it kinda, but my personal point is that if I allow enough water to be a cappilary problem in the system then the other measures I took (or should have taken) weren't good enough. My perspective is that a cappilary break on top of the footing is the result of not solving the problem below. I realize I am in the far minority here with this perspective, but it is what I believe
@@stevenbaczekarchitect9431 Thank you Steve for the insight. You are excellent at explaining the why behind these practices and principles.
So a question, in the previous episode of this series, Steve shows a profile of the foundation wall showing a square Keyway in the footing but when finishing the footing, it only has a shallow looking V notch. So what was the reason for altering from a square to a V and does it change the lockability of the foundation wall into the footing?
THank you
With the J bars its not really needed
If no J bars then yes, a more square profile
The rebar sticking up should be covered to avoid accidents
I was thinking the same thing. This job site is one big OSHA violation.
Yep, and every year someone somewhere falls on a rebar.
We all cut Osha corners to some degree, but not securing the top of rebar, especially when working so high above it on unstable and uneven and slippery surfaces, makes me queasy.
Steve I have a concrete contractor telling me the inspector is requiring him to excavate 12 inches below our excavated basement elevation to get the footing 12 inches below undisturbed soil. We do not have a frost line here in GA. I see the forms in this video are resting on top of the excavation with no further excavation between forms. They want me to dig out 12 inches below the bottom of my forms. Have you come across this requirement?
Thanks Larry
This was super interesting. Question, why no insulation under the footings and outside the concrete walls? Is that a cost saving as I am sure from other passive house videos I have watched that was something that was used to hit required numbers?
I opt to push the foundation outside of the conditioned space
@@LongLiveOurBuildings thank you Steven :)
Steve could you have big red show us what that jog looks like ?
J bars superior Re last displacement keyways is not large enough o be cast stable….
Why two bars at top of wall vs one?
Not being critical just curious, why wouldn’t they set the top of the form to the correct elevation, and then screed to that? also, why not put plastic under the footing?
For capillary brake there's a better solution such as cementitious membrane on top of footing
Too of foundation wall was set
@@LongLiveOurBuildings hey Steve, the footing was finished below the top of the forms they used the laser level to get the top elevation. It’s what you were calling the GPS.
It seemed to me that setting the top of the form ahead of time and then pouring the concrete to the top of that would’ve made more sense, so I was questioning the reason behind that. Thanks
@@Z71hosestretcher probably, yeah, see what your saying
Why not adding french drain on outside wall for “insurance “?
there is
I would do it slightly different but to each its own code.
What would you have done differently?
Looks like an archeology dig site
It always amazes me how much labour is used in US concrete crews. In Ireland it would be more typical to have three or four men on that job.
*The footings. The rising walls certainly required a large crew. Huge amount of concrete.
Professional
Thank you
This system for water protection is very thoughtful, but I question the wisdom of directing excess water into the interior of the basement slab, and using the sump pump to remove it. It would make more sense to provide a robust, downhill drainage at the exterior base of footer. As you point out, if the sump pumps fail, the house basement will be flooded. Worse, if the sump pumps fail, say during a major electrical failure, then water could undermine the structural footers and differential settlement could occur. Your system works only as long as your sump pumps work.
Depending on the height of the water table around the home, it is possible that a typical French drain, gravity system could be installed that would drain using gravity only to a system of prepared drywells that would be filled with gravel and drilled 20' feet or so deep. These drywells would then in turn have a gravity French drain pipe system to drain water downhill from the drywells.
You mention there is a lower area away from the home. You could use that area to drain the drywells. If a lower area does not exist, it then one can be created by digging a 30' x 30' drainage basin that extends below the water table. Water will drain from the exterior of the footers, to the drywells, and then to the water basin area and will pool and evaporate. This system will work so long as it is located below the freeze line. Then, a sump pump could be used as an emergency backup at the EXTERIOR of the footer. This would separate the interior of the footer from the exterior and not allow the water table outside the footer to drain into the interior of the home.
I applaud your interior design that uses a sump pump and French drain system to drain any water that rises up on the interior of the building. But even this system would benefit from a gravity fed pipe to the drywells placed far away from the home.
The principle of using drywells located a safe distance from the home is simple. Because several drywells are drilled that extend 15' - 20' below the water table, so water will create a consistent flow to them. These drywells will then drain to the lower water basin, and the water will evaporate in the basin. If you have a nearby dry water channel that drains away from the home, you can use that channel as your water basin. You can place an interior and exterior sump pump system to assist the gravity fed French drain system in "wet seasons" where the water table may rise temporarily. But these pumps will ONLY turn on when the water rises to the top of the footer. If done correctly, your sump pump will almost never be used.
Just to be clear, we aren't directing excess water to the interior. I do see your point, but most water is coming up right. Water will continue to fall in the ground till it is stopped, or pushed back. When it gets pushed back, it comes up. Follow?
@@stevenbaczekarchitect9431 Thank you for your reply. I would like to add one point because I don't think that I did a good job communicating.
I agree that your system does not intentionally direct water to the interior of the building. However, because you are installing level pipes across the footer, water will likely be transmitted from the exterior of the building into the interior of the building, and this is not optimum to protect the building. Because the exterior of the building will experience exponentially MORE water pushing against the outside of the footer, the increased pressure of the exterior water will push water into the interior of the building. The amount of water that rises under the slab is miniscule compared to the amount of water that is rising outside of the footer.
The downside of the design you use is that if the power goes off in a high rain situation and the underground water table raises to the footer height or higher, your sump pump will not function with no electricity (unless you have backup power). In a worst case scenario, this could cause differential settlement in the structure which would be very expensive to repair.
The system I have recommended is gravity fed and does not rely primarily on sump pumps to get rid of excess water. It will function ALL the time and therefore wick out water from away from the exterior and interior of the building 24 hours a day. This will intrinsically keep the compacted bearing soil underneath the footers drier and more stable.
In the event of powerful storms where catastrophic amounts of water are dumped on the building in a short time, it will take time for the drier soil underneath the building to become saturated and for liquefaction to occur. The high water table will have a gravity fed path to channel water away from the building, which is the most important goal of a drainage system. If in the worst case scenario, the gravity system is overwhelmed, you have a sump pump back up system on the interior of the building and the exterior of the building to help disperse the excess water to your drywalls or your wash drainage area.
Keep in mind that your system will work, but it is heavily dependent on the sump pumps. And as you mention in your video, sump pumps can break down and fail. A gravity fed system is superior, but it would probably cost 10% - 20% more or so because you are in a sense creating a large septic system if there is no drainage channel you can use. If there is an available drainage channel nearby, then the costs would be roughly equal.
NONE of these protections will work in a flood situation where water levels rise higher in your drywells and drainage area than the house elevation. In that case, there is no protection except some type of flood wall barrier. But that is not a likely scenario.
I hope this suggestion does not come across as arrogant towards you. I am a huge fan of the beautiful, high quality buildings that you build. Your attention to detail is excellent and I would not hesitate to hire you as a GC. I wish you many more successful, eye-catching projects in your future.
@@franklong6269 Rewatch the video. There is gravity fed system that Steve mentions at approximately 6:20 of the video. I assume that is the principal drainage system and then there are two backup drainage systems using sump pumps. The backup drains are connected by the lateral with the exterior drain being 1" higher than the interior system, so in essence the exterior drainage system is a backup the interior system which is a backup to the gravity fed system.. So as I understand it, there are 3 ways to drain water away from the property.
The laterals aren't designed to intentionally divert water into the interior but the eliminate/reduce hydrostatic pressure on the footing/lower foundation.
@@Bob_Betker Thank you for your thoughtful post. When "Steve" describes his video, he is not clear about the reason that he is allowing a direct connection to the inside of the house via the PVC horizontal pipes. You are correct, he does say it is a gravity system - thank you for pointing that out.. But the problem with Steve's system is that it allows waters water from the outside of the footer to the interior of the slab. If the interior slab is a "floating slab" as many house designs specify, this could cause differential settlement in the house.
The difference between what I am proposing and what Steve built is that I do not see a practical reason to connect the water level that is outside of the footer with the inside of the footer under the floor slab. As I pointed out in my last post, the water pressure outside of the footer will be much higher than the water pressure on the inside of the footer; so Steve's system actually does direct water into the interior slab. That makes no sense at all. There will be significantly more water outside of the footer than there will be inside of the footer. Thus the water pressure of "more" water outside the footer will flow through the pipes into the inside of the footer under the floor system.
When the underground water table rises above the footer, there will be overwhelmingly more water outside of the footer than inside the footer. So water will flow into the house interior through the horizontal pipe system. Thus I don't think the horizontal pipes help drain water away from the interior area under the floor slab. The premise of Steve's system is that there will be LESS water pressure outside of the footer, than inside the footer and that will cause water to flow from the inside of the footer to the outside of the footer. In my opinion, that is a faulty premise.
What saves Steve and causes his system to work is two things:
1. He is apparently using a gravity system of some kind, and that is important. He didn't go into specifics other to say that he will drain water to lower ground. In this, Steve and I agree. However, with the system I specify, the French drain piping itself must be installed with a slope (probably 1/4" - 1/2" per foot) towards the drywells I described. Then sloped French drain pipes drain water from the drywells to a lower drainage area. This is the same principle that septic systems use, only I would attempt to install more slope to the water piping system I am describing than the slope used for septic systems.
2. Steve backs up his system with sump pumps on the interior of the slab. I did not hear him mention sump pumps on the exterior of the footer. In my system, the sump pumps on the EXTERIOR of the footer are the primary back up system. Ideally, water levels on the inside of the footer will never rise high enough for the interior sump pump under the floor system to kick on.
It is key to understand that a sump pump system will not work unless it has a drainage basin or channel to drain water to lower ground.
What also may be different about the system that I am proposing than Steve's system is that I propose TWO gravity fed French drain pipe systems flowing separately away from the house. One is the French drain pipe system placed at the interior of the footer to protect the floor system. The second is the exterior French drain system at the exterior of the footer. In my system these two French drain pipe systems are completely separated from each other. In Steve's (if he uses an French drain pipe system outside of the footer, which is unclear) the two pipe systems are connected to each other.
Also, with the French drain pipe system I am specifiying, the PRIMARY force that drives water away from the house is gravity, not the sump pumps that Steve uses. In my system, the sump pumps are only for high water, emergency events (like floods). If the house is built with sufficient elevation, ideally, with my system, the sump pumps will never be used.
Draining water away from a house built on ground with a high underground water table can be complicated. Steve did a good job to protect the house from liquefaction settlement. I commend him for that. Some GCs would have done the bare minimum to protect the home.
Why no ICF?
We considered it, didn't make the cut $$$
it was 2x to 3x the cost with huge differences in estimates! way too few ICF installers.
I'm not a builder so excuse the ignorance. You talked about anchor bolt spacing. Is this at all affected by the stud layout so that the anchors fall inside a stud cavity, or is that all left to chance? I didn't see any marking out of stud locations prior to the pour. 32" spacing makes it more likely to hit every other cavity, but only if the starting point is set correctly.
Good point. You can be really unlucky and hit right beneath every stud, if you are really unlucky. Around here, they typical just stick some steel band into the concrete. You can always bend that around the studs.
It is not a slab on grade so there is a sill plate and floor joist on top before the stud wall ****. On a ten-inch concrete wall, there is lots of room for joists if any anchor bolt is misplaced**** in my area it is every four feet it is code
That's called a laser level, not GPS
I like the idea of the laterals for water migration, but what is the reasoning with the main perimeter drain being on the inside? Usually you see perimeter drains on the outside. Or does it really matter since you do have the laterals and it makes it simpler connecting it to the sump pump pits.
Sump pits are on the inside
@@LongLiveOurBuildings Thanks Steve, Love this series and great explanation on everything.
Very welcome
Yes, I do not understand why go through a sump pump when you can drain to daylight down the hill ( backup no problem main sources????)***** Also what about DAMP capillary wicking action going up the wall from the ground?
Could someone please explain
No foam on the outside of the foundation wall??
No, I pushed the foundation wall outside the conditioned space
Did I miss what he uses half way down to stop the water?
dude - don't call a laser level " a gps system.... stay real..
Does the Alamo also help mitigate Radon gas?
The Stego wrap dpes
I wish he talked about why .. given that this is house is seeking net zero status.. he didn’t have insulation on the exterior of the concrete wall or under the concrete floor
I never insulate on the exterior - don't favor it