ᐅ Level the basement or the plot of land?

Created on: 9 Dec 2019 13:24
M
Mudo1991
Hello everyone,

Our plot slopes down from street level by almost 1.80m (6 feet). Please see the image below (each square corresponds to 1 meter (3 feet)).

Now to my question: Could you share your opinions on whether you would prefer a basement or to raise the ground level? Since we want to position the house as close to the street as possible, it’s not clear if opting for a basement is the best solution here. The plot is somewhat “in between” in this regard.

Thank you in advance.

Skizze eines Grundrisses: großes Rechteck mit Unterteilungen und Lagerbereich rechts.
M
Mudo1991
10 Dec 2019 14:16
@goalkeeper What material is typically used to fill an "extended" strip foundation below the slab?
G
goalkeeper
10 Dec 2019 14:41
Mudo1991 schrieb:

@goalkeeper What do you usually use to fill this kind of “extended” strip foundation under the slab?

You fill it with all the material you dig out from the “strips.” The fill doesn’t need to be load-bearing. In our case, it was clay, which otherwise would have had to be disposed of at a cost.
M
Mudo1991
10 Dec 2019 18:14
goalkeeper schrieb:

With all the stuff you dig out from the strip foundations. The material doesn’t have to be load-bearing. In our case, it was clay, which otherwise would have been expensive to dispose of.
And then the slab on the strip foundations?
G
goalkeeper
10 Dec 2019 18:56
Mudo1991 schrieb:

And then the slab on the strip foundations?

Exactly.
11ant10 Dec 2019 23:00
I can’t comment on the prices of fill work—that’s not my area of expertise. I would simply pass on plots of land I didn’t like, period. The fact that builders nowadays casually consider raising sites with unwanted raw topography through fill and underpinning really makes me shudder. When adding fill, it’s best to align it with the sewer backflow level, not the street surface. Raising houses above street level just to direct rainwater away is not an engineering solution but rather a crude workaround. In the worst case, I would rather consider a perimeter trench soakaway system.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
M
Mudo1991
11 Dec 2019 07:34
11ant schrieb:

I can’t comment on the costs of fill work, as that’s not my area. I would simply pass on plots of land that I didn’t like. It’s shocking how casually builders nowadays consider filling plots with unwanted natural topography. At best, base your fill levels on the backwater level of the sewer system, not the road surface. Raising houses from street level just to make rainwater flow away is not an engineering solution but a rough approach. In the worst case, I would consider a perimeter drainage trench instead.

You are absolutely right. Unfortunately, we don’t have a wide choice of plots. Raising the house to street level is mainly a preference for aesthetic reasons.