Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Feb 18, 2014 4:19 pm Hi guys, I need help
I thought I was almost at site start when I just got a call from the builder saying ordering has asked for our slab design to be relooked at and now it can be a waffle slab rather than a raft slab as they said was needed previously. Contracts have been signed already obviously. We have a sewer easement a couple of metres off the house side and almost half the house has piering and we are on clay (h class but ended up being p) Is there an advantage/disadvantage on one sort over the other? The cynic in me says it's because they originally miscalculated the fixed site costs (which was obvious at tender when they tried to take them away but then honoured them). I view raft slab as more solid and less likely to move but really I have no clue. Help! How can engineering just change like that? Re: Help! Builder wants to change from raft to waffle slab a 2Feb 18, 2014 4:22 pm If I agree I get my three grand for 6 star back. From memory they were going to charge me a hell of a lot more than that for the raft slab at tender before they honoured the fixed site costs Re: Help! Builder wants to change from raft to waffle slab a 3Feb 18, 2014 4:48 pm I have had both types of slab and would be happy to have a waffle pod again. (the waffle pod was partially on concrete piers and showed no signs of foundation movement after 6 years) Here are some more thoughts: http://www.anewhouse.com.au/2012/09/waf ... raft-slab/ The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: Help! Builder wants to change from raft to waffle slab a 5Feb 18, 2014 7:08 pm I would go Raft. The deeper edge beams will be better at buffering from drying out of the ground which will keep the soil conditions more stable under the slab. You may know but a waffle is just poured "on top" of the ground. The piers are just to support it incase of subsidence of soft spots My recommendation is raft Re: Help! Builder wants to change from raft to waffle slab a 6Feb 18, 2014 8:05 pm Ari If the permits have already been approved this would delay it and mean new permits wouldn't it? Might be just an amendment. The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: Help! Builder wants to change from raft to waffle slab a 7Feb 18, 2014 8:13 pm I'm not sure 100%, but I think your Council would like to know about it too. I've heard about some councils where they do quite rigorous checks (wish ours was more involved in that way!!) even though they have "nothing" to do with the build, ie. they are not the building certifiers for the build. Maybe you can call them and see if they can offer you some advice on how to deal with it, and tell you if they need to have any involvement in it (apart from, I suspect, wanting to see and approve the changed plans). My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: Help! Builder wants to change from raft to waffle slab a 8Feb 18, 2014 8:15 pm BTW (and not knowing anything about your actual site/terrain/levels), I thought that waffle slab would have an advantage?? as long as its piers are numerous, thick and deep enough. My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: Help! Builder wants to change from raft to waffle slab a 9Feb 18, 2014 8:32 pm Lex BTW (and not knowing anything about your actual site/terrain/levels), I thought that waffle slab would have an advantage?? as long as its piers are numerous, thick and deep enough. What advantage is that Lex? and an advantage to whom? I was happy when I found out we needed a raft slab. I guess that means I should stick with it. Really not liking such a big change 6 weeks out from contract signing after permits have been issued without being given a very good reason. It took 15 months to get to contract signing in the first place. Re: Help! Builder wants to change from raft to waffle slab a 14Feb 26, 2017 8:40 am Great video. Builders use waffle pod slabs because they are cheaper, not because they are better. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Help! Builder wants to change from raft to waffle slab a 15Feb 26, 2017 8:41 am I've got no opinion on your circumstance Ari, but when I was organising my build (on a M class site), the builder, slab engineer and building surveyor all said that they would use a raft slab if given the choice. I got a raft slab. The Soil classification has little to do with piers. The purpose of the classing of the soil is to identify the clay content and the "average expected range of movement… 2 9841 The concreter will take and reuse. In my case I bought structural LVLs and scraped them back and used them as joists. 1 5150 |