How to Build a Firm Foundation of A House On Black Cotton Soil.

This is the best guide on how to build your foundation of a house on black cotton soil.Building a house in black soil is challenging because of the nature of black cotton soil.It expands with wet and contracts when dry.This behavior affects the foundation wall and ground floor slab,causing them to have crack,affecting your dream house.The solution to mitigate this soil expansion and shrinkage is to introduce reinforcement steel in the ground floor slab and put ground beams instead of masonry wall,building the ground slab 0f the house with wire mesh of appropriate of A142 and slab thickness of 150mm.

[@josephochieng9242]

This is a wonderful and very clear explanation. Being my friend, you know I come from a black cotton soil region and I am sure you know how it has affected me directly since you've visited me personally.

[@ujenzitoday]

Yes,your area is heavily rooted in black cotton Soil.Thank you for watching.

[@Dollarzonne]

Ogwang Mae in koso?

[@steveomondi2035]

this is a good learning session though am interested also to know the type of cement to be used in putting up the foundation in such areas

[@ujenzitoday]

Thank you Steve for watching and your for comment.
When it comes to cement any can do but personally I like Simba and Tembo Cement and Mombasa comes distant...If you can afford Bamburi also even better.

[@kiprotichngetich8490]

Valuable insight sir, if i use ground beam as per your instructions is there any needs for columns or pillars,are pillars can help stop cracks in the walls? and if not so what's the function of pillars on non storey houses?.

[@ujenzitoday]

Hello.Thank you for your question.
If your structure is a bungalow,you don't need columns as a support,once the foundation is properly handled as described in the video you just build your house normally with blocks/bricks or stones.
Columns are necessary when building more than one storey.

[@Cleos_9]

Hello. Thanks for this very informative video. You didn't mention about the columns. How deep should their base be placed?

[@ujenzitoday]

You are welcome 🙏🙏

[@ujenzitoday]

I didn't because it was a bungalow I had in mind.But if firm ground is far off just do about 1200mm deep.

[@ujenzitoday]

Generally firm or no firm with ground beam depth of 1200mm is ideal

[@Cleos_9]

Oh, thanks. So you don't need columns when constructing bungalows in black cotton soil? The ground beam will be placed on the cotton soil?

[@ujenzitoday]

@Cleos_9 Yes don't need columns..once you do your ground beam properly as explained in the video and use brc A142 and a concrete slab of 150mm thick,then your house will be safe.

[@shadrackgithiaya1692]

Very clear explanation to engineering.
I've seen some people doing beam to beam and not backfilling the space underneath. What's your take on this..?

[@ujenzitoday]

Thank you for watching us😊.This is structurally okay.The only disadvantage maybe is having a void underneath the house.Space for underground animals to play on😊... backfilling even with black cotton soil in beam to beam.Voids underneath house is a no no for me,but the house is face for use no cracks expected.

[@shadrackgithiaya1692]

@@ujenzitoday And do the ground beams also go all the way down to solid ground?

[@ujenzitoday]

At most half of it ie 600mm so that the house can remain above the ground as high as possible incase of flooding of water outside the house

[@josephachola7496]

Great advice.are you a building engineer?well explained boss.thank you

[@ujenzitoday]

@@josephachola7496 Yes I am a building engineer with over 17 years experience and counting

[@josephachola7496]

Please confirm to me in terms of cost when you excavate all the soil and build traditional as we are used to with quarry stones.if you compare that to this?what do you think?

[@ujenzitoday]

Thank you Sir.
It depends on the depth of the firm ground.I intend to do a video of these two comparison soon..Keep watching us 😊

[@RoseShuo]

Thankyou sir, this is very informative. Can I please ask if this is the same procedure it I want to construct an outside toilet-latrine in kitengela which has black cotton soil.?

[@ujenzitoday]

Thank Rose for watching and also for your question.
For the pit it will be slightly different, because you will be concreting on a suspended slab,so there will be a need to put timber formwork to cover the hole and then you do a mesh of D10 @200mm center to center then do your 150mm concrete slab...with a ground beam of 200mm by 450mm all around the entire structure.

[@johnkibe8865]

Can i build external walls only and omit internal ones but remove all soil to rock level at black cotton area,then refill with hardcores

[@ujenzitoday]

Thank you John for watching and responding.By the way, if your firm ground is around 3feet from ground level yes you can replace black cotton soil with hardcore,but it's still advisable to build all internal walls, maybe omit the washrooms and small partitions only.
By building I mean using quarry stones for foundation.

[@johnkibe8865]

Thanks so much educative lesson

[@yujinangolio8893]

How can one reach you? Do you offer construction services?

[@ujenzitoday]

Thank you for watching us.Thank you for the prospect s.Lets continue to talk..

[@stellakagendo7324]

Can you do a Three bedroom for me in athiriver?

[@ujenzitoday]

Sure sure!! and thanks for watching.You can reach me through 0721587726

[@ToxicAfricanKing]

​@@ujenzitodayWas just about to ask that you share your contacts. Thank you.

[@ujenzitoday]

Hi,still waiting for your call 😊

[@felixsunga7059]

Thanks alot for your informative content i come from kano plains and very soon i intend to build my house lesson learnt no need of quarry stones i need your contacts😊

[@ujenzitoday]

Welcome bro.I am at your service...You can reach me through 0721587726,email [e-mail]

[@felixsunga7059]

@@ujenzitoday do i need to build columns

[@ujenzitoday]

If it's a storey building yes,there will be a need to