Hello All,
This is my first time posting in a forum.
We are about to build our first family home and have been looking around at the major buillders aswell a couple of private builders.
The major builders ALL offer the Waffle Style Slab and the private builders offer the conventional Raft Slab.
We like the raft slab so we decided to get a quote from the builder.
The builder's standard inclusions was a CLASS H SLAB.
(the builder said that most of the major builders offer only CLASS M)
Cut a long story short - we paid a small fee for soil tests and contour reports.
The report says;
SITE CLASSIFICATION: CLASS H
FOOTING SYSTEM: RAFT SLAB
SLAB CLASS: conventional CLASS H TYPE on ground
SITE INVESTIGATION LOG:
0mm - 100mm from Ground level is GREY/BROWN CLAYEY SILT and CLAY FILLING - MODERATE COMPACTION strength / density - MOIST moisture condition
100m - 200mm from Ground level is GREY/BLACK CLAYEY SILT - STIFF strength / density - MOIST moisture condition
200mm plus below Ground level is GREY/ BLACK CLAY PLUS FLOATERS - HIGHLY REACTIVE, AUGER REFUSAL at 0.5mt - STIFF to VERY STIFF strength / density - MOIST moisture condition
Our block has a fall of 200mm across width of the house which about 13mt wide not including garage.
We prefered a couple of steps before entering into the house.
(one additional step or 2 brick courses on top of the standard single step onto a porch then small (lower height) step into the house.)
Here's the rub,
The builder wanted to charge 13K for the upgrade, but only wants to make the trenches 100mm deep.
Is this normal?
One would think that you would have to be a least on STIFF to STIFF/VERY STIFF grade meaning a depth of 200mm?
Can anyone shed some light?
Also there will be no CUT and FILL - is this normal too?
As the standard inclusion is for a CLASS H slab, should we be paying only for the extra concrete and fill that required to bring the slab up an extra 200mm?
If we went back to Standard Height (which covers upto 300mm fall), does this mean we don't have to pay for any site costs?
And yes - ROCK allowance was separate to the site costs.
This was 2.5K to allow for 10m3.
Any comments is really appreciated.
CKR