Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Aug 26, 2015 8:22 am Our soil tests have come back M and we have a site with a 1m fall across the building platform with a solid weathered sandstone block at 1.5m. 50% of the house will be on uncompacted fill after they have done a cut and fill. We were told we would need a 'few' piers. Obviously their idea of a 'few' is different from mine because they have quoted for 30! I am assuming the majority of those would be under the 50% of house with the uncompacted fill. Wondering if we went for a solid concrete slab and not waffle if this would reduce the cost any or am I just dreaming? Re: Lots And Lots And Lots Of Piering 2Aug 26, 2015 2:18 pm The piers will go through the uncontrolled fill down to solid ground. We have 15 piers going on the rear of our house but we are on 1.5m 1.7m of controlled fill that slopes 400mm from front to back. Although the soil test came back as M the fact 50% of the house will be on 1.5m of uncontrolled fill will mean that 50% of your house is on P or E class soil. This is why so many piers are required as the movement of that 50% of the house will be quite high. Re: Lots And Lots And Lots Of Piering 3Aug 26, 2015 2:34 pm Gunna The piers will go through the uncontrolled fill down to solid ground. We have 15 piers going on the rear of our house but we are on 1.5m 1.7m of controlled fill that slopes 400mm from front to back. Although the soil test came back as M the fact 50% of the house will be on 1.5m of uncontrolled fill will mean that 50% of your house is on P or E class soil. This is why so many piers are required as the movement of that 50% of the house will be quite high. Thank you for that. You have explained it really well, wish all salespeople/draughtspeople could manage to do it so well. Re: Lots And Lots And Lots Of Piering 4Aug 27, 2015 8:11 pm 1st-timers Our soil tests have come back M and we have a site with a 1m fall across the building platform with a solid weathered sandstone block at 1.5m. 50% of the house will be on uncompacted fill after they have done a cut and fill. We were told we would need a 'few' piers. Obviously their idea of a 'few' is different from mine because they have quoted for 30! I am assuming the majority of those would be under the 50% of house with the uncompacted fill. Wondering if we went for a solid concrete slab and not waffle if this would reduce the cost any or am I just dreaming? Hi 1st-timers It wouldn't change if you decide to go with a raft slab or waffle they both need to be on piers if they are resting on uncontrolled fill.Some engineers would not recommend half your slab on piers and halve on natural ground they recommend if you are going piers the whole slab has to be on piers but that's up to individual engineers. It's tricky when soil testing a sloping block and not considering how it will end up after the cut and fill which is usually a "p" site.Hopefully they gave you a realistic quote and not one based on a "m" site classification. Re: Lots And Lots And Lots Of Piering 5Sep 01, 2015 4:53 am We had similar situation. Our block sloped downwards from centre of block to back to a depth of 1 metre.We filled to make the block flat and have house at street level. Our neighbours all cut down ... Looks like they live in a hole/dungeon and we were adamant about avoiding that. We have a traditional 100mm raft slab with 1 metre deep drop edge beams. Back half of our slab is thickened (125mm) with double mesh and 32mpa concrete. That half also has 11 x 1.2 metre wide piers going down an extra 1 metre deep. We have E-D P (for the uncontrolled fill) soil. Re: Lots And Lots And Lots Of Piering 6Sep 02, 2015 10:11 am I always recommend that on difficult blocks i.e. sloping, Clay soils, easements, extreme environments, etc That you always deal with the site works first. Why 1. Site works (above) always have an influence on the floor plan 2. Get your own contour & soil report up front..know what your are in for, you will need one sooner than later 3. Get advice from Engineers they are the experts not salesman , not draftsman nor builders, engineers certify your drawings. 3. Your site works quote will always vary, they will be cheaper before you sign PPAs (before you hand over any monies to the builder.) 4. Get 3 quotes and negotiate. Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Lots And Lots And Lots Of Piering 7Sep 02, 2015 1:07 pm StructuralBIMGuy I always recommend that on difficult blocks i.e. sloping, Clay soils, easements, extreme environments, etc That you always deal with the site works first. Why 1. Site works (above) always have an influence on the floor plan 2. Get your own contour & soil report up front..know what your are in for, you will need one sooner than later 3. Get advice from Engineers they are the experts not salesman , not draftsman nor builders, engineers certify your drawings. 3. Your site works quote will always vary, they will be cheaper before you sign PPAs (before you hand over any monies to the builder.) 4. Get 3 quotes and negotiate. We have taken soil tests and contour plans to 4 builders, have had 2 come back the other two are still working on it but I have had a few phone conversations with one of those. They all seem to agree on around 50 linear metres of retaining ranging from $200 to $380 per lm. But all have very different views on how to treat the 2m fall across the block (1m over the building platform). The contours of our neighbours block is pretty much identical to ours, we've been quoted $3800 over and above the 500 cut and fill allowance, hes been quoted $800 for his. I agree we should at this stage be looking at an engineer but concerned about what this would cost. By hiring independents would be be cutting off our noses to spite our faces? Re: Lots And Lots And Lots Of Piering 8Sep 02, 2015 7:39 pm 1st-timers I agree we should at this stage be looking at an engineer but concerned about what this would cost. initially, You should be looking at preliminary engineering advice at the sketch stage As your move to final design the engineering drawings/details are firmed-up The engineers cost/charges is the least of your concern charges/payments are Engineer 1-2% of contract price Salesman 2-3% of contract price Design Brokers/Architects 3-5% of contract price 1st-timers By hiring independents would be cutting off our noses to spite our faces? I don't see how, you only need one set of engineering drawings irrespective of who provides them..you,the designer or the builder There are some Builders that don't like you providing the engineering drawings Why 1. Because they like to control the whole process 2. Some builders don't even give you the engineering drawings because they don't want you checking them on site during construction 3. Builders often advise engineers on what detail to use ie the min standard & least optimized solutions therefore costing more 4. Some builders will use the engineering drawings as a means to alter the design/specis and charge more! 5.6.7. etc Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs My land is 260m2 (10m x 26m) located in claymore NSW. Under campbelltown council. I know in general the following setbacks would apply ground floor side setback =… 0 6927 I recently went through a similar renovation and move scenario when updating our family home. We also swapped some rooms around and tackled a major… 2 10040 The HIA contract, in the term & conditions section states that "Commencment" is deemed when the drainage is started or the piers are dug or the slab is formed up (incase… 2 6178 |