Which Slab is Better? Waffle Pod or Raft Concrete Slab???

darsh · Apr 24, 2009 7:41 pm

Hi guys,

just got confused as my construction of the house is going on and my builder has done a Raft Concrete slab where i can see the other builders are doing Waffle Pod Slabs.

So, wish to know your opinions about the preference of the slab...

waiting for your reply..
regards,

Darsh

superbadz1 · Apr 25, 2009 12:37 am

Pod Slab is easier to construct and use less ~20% of steel and concrete mix. Both are good for residential house according to AS 2870-1996. But personaly I prefer SLOG (slab on ground/Raft Concrete). We build with Henley, and they are not using Pod slab

..

chuth77 · Apr 25, 2009 9:15 am

Both have their advantages... Raft is better for sloping grounds...

Waffle is quicker and cheaper for a builder...

kyton · Apr 25, 2009 9:22 am

Our builder uses waffle pods - and I would hate to have seen the cost for an ordinary slab should we have had to go that way (our slab is 50mm high and measures 31m by 20m so we would have had to pay for a lot of concrete

)

As it was the concrete trucks come in a couple of dozens to deliver what we needed.

I never knew why the different ones were used in different circumstances.

darsh · Apr 25, 2009 12:20 pm

Thanks guys for your advise, after reading ur posts i can rest assure that my builder is doing one of the best slabs...

more advices and opinions on those two slabs are still welcomed...

jackyofaims · May 12, 2009 7:22 pm

Hi, what if my builder tells me Waffle Slab cost $5000 extra?

darsh · May 12, 2009 7:30 pm

What d u mean by that..waffle means waffle pod? if so, then, that seems irrealistic to me..waffle pod slabs cost less to builder...they should not be charging extra for that..

wake_me · May 12, 2009 9:39 pm

jackyofaims

Hi, what if my builder tells me Waffle Slab cost $5000 extra?

Then you'd be mad not to go for a slab on ground.

and I'd be a bit worried about a builder who thinks a waffle pod is more expensive.

C&D · May 13, 2009 8:08 am

My husband is a concretor and personally prefers slab on ground. Some sites you need waffle pods (I assume as otherwise you would need a lot of piering which would be very expensive).

I've heard when waffle pods first came out they were done incorrectly and people put heavy furniture in their house that went through the floor

, and rodents got in under the slab and ate out the 'pod' bit. Of course waffle pods are much more common now and I seriously doubt that would happen anymore.

I think my husband prefers slab on ground as it seems stronger, he doesn't like the idea of our house sitting on styrophome (or whatever the stuff is that pods are made out of)

Taffy · May 13, 2009 9:02 am

I have built 4 houses with 3 different builders over the years and none have them have used waffle pods.
I am in the country and its only since some of the big city companies have started to build here that I came accross the waffle thing, I lead a sheltered life

I think it could be because theres so much competition in the city they have to get their costs down so go with this way.
I personallly dont like the idea of it and am happy with my raft slabs.
Or maybe Im one of those people who find it hard to change

forest24 · May 13, 2009 9:39 am

when you are refering to waffle Pod is that what the builder call 'H' slab and Raft slab is the 'M' slab, our builder told us the soil testing and engineering report for our land recomended the 'H' slab , so they have to go for that and we had to pay around $4k extra for that because the std cost were based on the 'M' slab,

Taffy · May 13, 2009 9:57 am

forest24

when you are refering to waffle Pod is that what the builder call 'H' slab and Raft slab is the 'M' slab, our builder told us the soil testing and engineering report for our land recomended the 'H' slab , so they have to go for that and we had to pay around $4k extra for that because the std cost were based on the 'M' slab,

No a raft slab is when the whole floor plan of your house sits on a solid block of concrete, the difference between h and m in this is they have to do deeper footings for soil movement in H and thats where the extra cost is.
Waffle is just like a waffel the edges of the squares are solid concrete but the little squares in the middle are hollow. dont know what they fill these with but its not concrete.
Someone else may be able to elaborate on that

jackyofaims · May 13, 2009 7:50 pm

Taffy

I have built 4 houses with 3 different builders over the years and none have them have used waffle pods.
I am in the country and its only since some of the big city companies have started to build here that I came accross the waffle thing, I lead a sheltered life

I think it could be because theres so much competition in the city they have to get their costs down so go with this way.
I personallly dont like the idea of it and am happy with my raft slabs.
Or maybe Im one of those people who find it hard to change

I am new to this industry and I am all confused with footings and slabs now! Anyone can help me clear these up?

From what I read from the sites, I understand there are 5 types of slabs: slab on ground, stiffened raft slab, footing slab, waffle slab and infill slab.

Obviously, footing slab has footing and the most common one is strip footing and are usually continuous around the entire perimeter of the building.

What about other slabs? Do they have footings?

What are the differences between slab on ground, stiffened raft slab, raft slab and footing slab?

Just got the documentation for my block from Land Development Agency of Canberra. It doesn’t mention any thing about waffle slab!! Is waffle slab a type of pad footings?

Here is what it said:

Site classification is M

House Footings
Suitable “deemed-to-comply” footing designs for a Class “M” site can be found in AS2870 and includes stiffened rafts, stiffened footing slabs, and strip and/or pad footings supporting above ground floors. Ground slabs should be structurally tied to the edge and internal footings/beams, i.e. infill (floating) slabs should not used.

Footings can be founded in the natural soil, but below topsoil and any general fill that may have been left after services installations and/or final surface regarding/topsoiling works were completed. A minimum footing depth of 0.5m from existing levels may be required. This can be checked on site by a geotechnical engineer to ensure a suitable foundation has been reached.

jackyofaims · May 13, 2009 10:55 pm

Hi All, it is me the newby again. Can anyone tell me the different between these two footings?

Thanks in advance

Two-Different-Strip-Footing.jpg
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onc_artisan · May 14, 2009 12:16 am

Yeh esaasy the second one looks like lots of fun

Most, (all) slabs have footings. (or thickenings)
some slabs and footings are pour monolithicly.(slab & footings poured in one go!)

jackyofaims · May 14, 2009 6:19 pm

jackyofaims

Taffy

I have built 4 houses with 3 different builders over the years and none have them have used waffle pods.
I am in the country and its only since some of the big city companies have started to build here that I came accross the waffle thing, I lead a sheltered life :lol:

I think it could be because theres so much competition in the city they have to get their costs down so go with this way.
I personallly dont like the idea of it and am happy with my raft slabs.
Or maybe Im one of those people who find it hard to change :lol:

I am new to this industry and I am all confused with footings and slabs now! Anyone can help me clear these up?

From what I read from the sites, I understand there are 5 types of slabs: slab on ground, stiffened raft slab, footing slab, waffle slab and infill slab.

Obviously, footing slab has footing and the most common one is strip footing and are usually continuous around the entire perimeter of the building.

What about other slabs? Do they have footings?

What are the differences between slab on ground, stiffened raft slab, raft slab and footing slab?

Just got the documentation for my block from Land Development Agency of Canberra. It doesn’t mention any thing about waffle slab!! Is waffle slab a type of pad footings?

Here is what it said:

Site classification is M

House Footings
Suitable “deemed-to-comply” footing designs for a Class “M” site can be found in AS2870 and includes stiffened rafts, stiffened footing slabs, and strip and/or pad footings supporting above ground floors. Ground slabs should be structurally tied to the edge and internal footings/beams, i.e. infill (floating) slabs should not used.

Footings can be founded in the natural soil, but below topsoil and any general fill that may have been left after services installations and/or final surface regarding/topsoiling works were completed. A minimum footing depth of 0.5m from existing levels may be required. This can be checked on site by a geotechnical engineer to ensure a suitable foundation has been reached.

After This site classification! My builder still recond waffle pod slab! Anyone has and suggestion? His email reply is: Waffle pod slab! Land is soft and clay.

kelz480 · Jun 14, 2009 10:29 pm

Just wanting to know if anyone has heard of any problems with waffle pod slabs. We are about to start building and our soil classification is P (problem) so it's like clay. The engineer has drawn a footing design that has footings 750ml deep and heaps of piers, beams & steel in it due to the soil. Our concreter has said that it is way too much but the engineer has to cover himself so the concreter has suggested that we get someone to do a waffle pod slab. We are a bit concerned because we haven't heard a lot about waffle pods and we can't decide which slab to go with now.

Any help would be great.

Thanks

Mala · Sep 20, 2011 9:25 pm

Hi,

Can you please help.

my builder sent me a bill for $6000 because the land was classed as P class, they want waffle slab instead of raft. can they do this? this was a fixed house and land contract price..

please answer me asap.

thanks.

sircorp · Jan 13, 2019 2:26 pm

C&D

My husband is a concretor and personally prefers slab on ground. Some sites you need waffle pods (I assume as otherwise you would need a lot of piering which would be very expensive).

I've heard when waffle pods first came out they were done incorrectly and people put heavy furniture in their house that went through the floor :shock:

, and rodents got in under the slab and ate out the 'pod' bit. Of course waffle pods are much more common now and I seriously doubt that would happen anymore.

I think my husband prefers slab on ground as it seems stronger, he doesn't like the idea of our house sitting on styrophome (or whatever the stuff is that pods are made out of)

Thanks for the input

InvincibleInDN · Jan 14, 2019 8:50 am

sircorp

C&D

My husband is a concretor and personally prefers slab on ground. Some sites you need waffle pods (I assume as otherwise you would need a lot of piering which would be very expensive).

I've heard when waffle pods first came out they were done incorrectly and people put heavy furniture in their house that went through the floor :shock:

, and rodents got in under the slab and ate out the 'pod' bit. Of course waffle pods are much more common now and I seriously doubt that would happen anymore.

I think my husband prefers slab on ground as it seems stronger, he doesn't like the idea of our house sitting on styrophome (or whatever the stuff is that pods are made out of)

Thanks for the input

Hi sircorp
The post you considered is almost 10 years old. The building Technics and methodology should have improved a lot. I would suggest you to get advice from a person who is in the field now. Good luck!

Thanks