Pier Vs Full Foundation Cost
Anybody want to take a stab at an 'it depends' question?
What would be a wag at a percentage increase in cost between building on piers vs digging out for a full height basement/foundation?
Are we talking about a $1,200 vs a $12,000 pricetag?
You sure do gain a lot by going the full basement route. Equipment you can put down there and STORAGE! Let alone a killer woodshop.
So has anybody done the math on their build and decided one way or the other based on that?
Thanks guys (and girls).
Pier vs. foundation costs
Piers will allow ventilation which keeps away rot & mold. That will give you a longer life.
The difference in cost depends on many factors (pour yourself, hire the work, extra steel,
etc.) but at my longitude and elevation I'm required to have piers that go down very deep.
The difference in cost between a full basement and piers was minimal. A few more feet for
the walls, a floor, electrical, and drywall to meet code.... I prefer piers, but deep piers might
mean they would need to be designed by an engineer, and the problem with round vs. square
is exacerbated with the increased depth (a pyramid won't tip over, a pole will. Poles fall over
in earthquakes (liquifaction), pyramids are stable.
An equal factor in long life is overhangs. I have a carport that is 12' wide. Sometimes the
snow and rain are accompanied by wind. Recently I had (YET ANOTHER!!) snow storm.
Despite the twelve foot width of the carport the house wall was wet several feet up from the
floor. Skip advocated 6' eaves. My recommendation is also for 6' eaves... if you are only
going up one story. Two floors might require a parapet, but don't extend too far away from
the building if you have a steep pitch. The view out your windows could be of the underside
of the eaves!
-G'pa