ᐅ Building Site: Extensive Fill or Is It Better to Have a Basement with Excavation?
Created on: 31 Mar 2019 19:14
T
Thierse
We own a sloped plot (about 3 m (10 ft) height difference between the street and the future garden level at the basement) and originally planned to build with a residential basement because the land slopes downward from the street.
However, today we visited the site with an experienced civil engineer who specializes in foundations for prefabricated houses. He believes it would be more practical and cost-effective to build without a basement and instead raise the ground level by up to 3 m (10 ft) using recycled gravel. Even if that requires around 500 m³ of gravel.
This could be well compacted with a roller, and settlement would not be an issue. The parking spaces and the house facade would need to be filled in anyway to reach the entrance.
Otherwise, due to the relatively high position of the sewer connection, we would need a pump system in the basement, and disposing of the excavated material (clay soil, about 200 m³) would be very expensive in the region because there are almost no landfills available (35 €/m²).
Who has experience with these issues? I thought a basement was usually more cost-effective and safer on sloped plots than large-scale fill?
However, today we visited the site with an experienced civil engineer who specializes in foundations for prefabricated houses. He believes it would be more practical and cost-effective to build without a basement and instead raise the ground level by up to 3 m (10 ft) using recycled gravel. Even if that requires around 500 m³ of gravel.
This could be well compacted with a roller, and settlement would not be an issue. The parking spaces and the house facade would need to be filled in anyway to reach the entrance.
Otherwise, due to the relatively high position of the sewer connection, we would need a pump system in the basement, and disposing of the excavated material (clay soil, about 200 m³) would be very expensive in the region because there are almost no landfills available (35 €/m²).
Who has experience with these issues? I thought a basement was usually more cost-effective and safer on sloped plots than large-scale fill?
"With 2 floors plus an attic, they earn more than with a single-story house built on a basement."
I now share this suspicion as well. However, the clay soil costs 25€/m³ (cubic meter) plus transport at the landfill. Not cheap.
The development plan also specifies that the eaves height from street level must not exceed 4.75 m (15.6 feet). Two full stories with completely straight walls also on the upper floor could be difficult to achieve. Or not?
I now share this suspicion as well. However, the clay soil costs 25€/m³ (cubic meter) plus transport at the landfill. Not cheap.
The development plan also specifies that the eaves height from street level must not exceed 4.75 m (15.6 feet). Two full stories with completely straight walls also on the upper floor could be difficult to achieve. Or not?
No, you cannot have two full stories with a roof eave height limit.
There are timber frame builders who plan with a solid underground level (basement).
The ones we spoke to tended towards a tower-like design, with the garage and storage cellar under the house or a retaining wall, and the house positioned about 1 meter (3 feet) in front of it.
For 25 euros per cubic meter, you won’t get any fill material delivered and installed.
There are timber frame builders who plan with a solid underground level (basement).
The ones we spoke to tended towards a tower-like design, with the garage and storage cellar under the house or a retaining wall, and the house positioned about 1 meter (3 feet) in front of it.
For 25 euros per cubic meter, you won’t get any fill material delivered and installed.
We have solid wood.
In the basement, the retaining wall is made of waterproof concrete, insulated on both sides, with wood on three sides. The retaining wall was expensive.
I can't imagine that backfilling, shoring, landscaping, plus two full floors (which you can't build) would be cheaper than
a basement, ground floor, and attic floor with the appropriate landscaping.
Would you even get approval for that?
In the basement, the retaining wall is made of waterproof concrete, insulated on both sides, with wood on three sides. The retaining wall was expensive.
I can't imagine that backfilling, shoring, landscaping, plus two full floors (which you can't build) would be cheaper than
a basement, ground floor, and attic floor with the appropriate landscaping.
Would you even get approval for that?
Talk to other companies as well
Price
A rough estimate is 2,000 euros per square meter of living space (in Baden-Württemberg this includes energy saving regulations and specification discipline)
Additional building costs
Outdoor area (this includes terrain modeling, retaining walls, etc.)
Earthworks
Normally, planning aims to minimize the amount of excavation or fill required.
Price
A rough estimate is 2,000 euros per square meter of living space (in Baden-Württemberg this includes energy saving regulations and specification discipline)
Additional building costs
Outdoor area (this includes terrain modeling, retaining walls, etc.)
Earthworks
Normally, planning aims to minimize the amount of excavation or fill required.
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