The simplest foundation for a house. How to make a simple and reliable foundation

Slab foundation with ground floor . The most expensive type of foundation in terms of labor costs and cost. Making it alone will be extremely problematic, if not impossible. But, oddly enough, this is the most common type of foundation in North America. I'll explain why.

Having erected the concrete walls of the basement, we immediately get one floor of the house, which is more than half below ground level. Heated floor pipes are immediately installed inside the main foundation slab, under the house. What does this give us? The base of the foundation is located below the freezing depth of the soil. This means that even in winter, the stove is not exposed to sub-zero temperatures, and precious heat is consumed minimally. And in the summer we get coolness from the ground in the basement. Americans and Canadians like to set up gyms, billiard rooms, and home theaters there. The house above the ground turns out to be low, although it total area provides a comfortable standard of living.

In Russia, a simply insulated foundation slab is becoming popular, which serves as the basis for the floor of the first floor. Frame house erected immediately on it. Along the edge of the slab, frames are installed - strapping for frame walls.

Strip foundation. The most common type of foundation among Russians. Probably because it is the most understandable. A reinforced concrete foundation strip is poured under the future walls of the house. The width of the tape is slightly wider than the thickness of the walls of the future house. It has many varieties and types of execution, depending on the competence of the builders and the soil at the construction site. The height of the strip foundation ranges from shallow to a size greater than the depth of soil freezing. The main cost of the foundation lies in the cost of concrete and reinforcement. It can be difficult to do alone, but it’s better to have helpers.

Pile foundation. IN Lately began to have two varieties: bored piles, and screw piles. The foundation on bored piles is relatively simple to implement, and can be done independently, for a fairly short term. Holes are drilled in the soil into which the concrete formwork is inserted. A structure made of reinforcement is lowered into this jacket, after which concrete is poured.

Screw piles are made of steel. Piles have a main cylindrical part and blades at the end, which are used for twisting inwards, and then as the main support for the foundation. Pipes for piles are not specially manufactured. Typically used pipes from the oil industry are used.

Both types of foundation piles, in the upper part, are rigidly connected to each other, either by strapping or by a grillage, which, in principle, is the same thing. The grillage not only combines the piles into a solid structure, but also forms a single plane for mounting future walls of the house. Pile foundation is very suitable for frame house, especially if the relief of the building site has curvature. But this inexpensive foundation for a frame house has one significant drawback- open space under the building. And it is better to tighten screw piles using special equipment.

Columnar foundation. As you may have guessed, this is the cheapest and simplest foundation for a frame house. It consists of free-standing concrete pillars that are slightly buried in the soil. Despite its simplicity and low cost, this type of foundation also requires some preparation of the foundation. We will consider this point in more detail in the article. columnar foundation for a frame house. Here I would like to note that any errors and shortcomings may mean that after some time it will have to be repaired. Or perform.

As a result, we find that a columnar foundation for a frame house is two to three times cheaper than a pile and strip foundation. A slab foundation, insulated, and even with a basement floor, is the most expensive in terms of cost and labor costs.

How to save money on a foundation? Our recommendations will help you make a cheap foundation.

When you carry out construction on your own, it is quite natural that you have to save on literally everything. But here you need to keep a rather fine line between economy and quality.

It happens that while you win on savings, you may lose on quality, which is much more important. Moreover, how can you save on such an important element of your future home as the foundation?

Cheap foundation? It's possible!

It turns out that you can make a cheap foundation, again observing fairly simple rules. Which? This will be discussed in our article.

If you fill the foundation according to all the rules, you will have to spend a lot of money. By the way, the cost of the foundation as a percentage of others individual parts at home is approximately 11%, which you will agree is quite expensive. How to reduce costs as much as possible? It’s worth noting right away that nothing is free, so saving on money will require you to work hard.

We exclude expensive materials

In order to save on the most expensive components of the foundation, cement and sand, we need to fill the space with something more affordable. In the simplest case, we will use: any scrap metal of the appropriate shape - rods, thick wire, channels, angles, etc.

Crushed stone and sand

We will also need crushed stone. What can replace it? Ordinary construction waste. Of course not everyone. We will need substandard bricks of all shapes, sizes and types, rubble stone. By the way, the latter, in my opinion, is always used by private owners when pouring a foundation.

What can replace cement?

Unfortunately, it is advisable to take a high-quality one, taking into account the specifics of our foundation pouring and the quality of other materials.

Gravel or sand must also be of high quality; in fact, you cannot save money on it.

If you are going to build capital building, you should not skimp on the depth of the trench for the foundation. Otherwise, this threatens to cause the foundation to settle, and cracks may appear in the wall of your house.

Formworks

You can also save on formwork. It is absolutely not necessary to use planed boards for them. You can use substandard boards by placing old sheets of fiberboard or even cardboard on the inside of the formwork. The boards can be nailed overlapping, without cutting off the excess to save money.

If you do take conditioned boards that are suitable for further use, try to nail them down carefully. After the foundation has hardened, they can be carefully removed and used for their intended purpose.

How to save money on preparing the solution? The solution can be ordered from the factory, but you can make it yourself. But it will take a lot of work and time. Therefore, calculate what is more valuable to you. You can purchase a used concrete mixer if you later build a brick house. There you will also need a solution and a concrete mixer will most likely pay for itself.

Here are some simple tips that will help you save money on pouring a foundation. Buy a concrete mixer and good luck!

To make the foundation correctly, you need to carefully study the options for construction types and their features. The construction of the underground part is carried out taking into account the following requirements:

• economic expediency;
• reliability;
• strength;
• durability;
• sustainability.

Before starting construction work, a soil study should be carried out. The choice of the right type of foundation is influenced by the total weight of the house, the strength of the soil and the groundwater level. A foundation that is carefully made and built in compliance with technology will last a long time and will not cause problems during operation.

Preparatory stage

It’s worth starting with pits or drilling. The main goal of this activity is to find out what soils are located on the site, as well as to find out the level of groundwater. The foundation must be laid in compliance with the rule: the mark of the sole must be at least 50 cm above the level of the water horizon.

How to do soil testing correctly? Two methods are used for this:

• excerpts of pits (deep holes, dimensions in plan are usually 1x2 m);
• manual drilling.

In the first case, the soil on the walls of the pit is examined. They also check to see if water has come from the bottom. In the second option, the soil on the tool blades is examined.

Once you have determined what kind of soil is on the site, you will need to find its strength indicators. This can be done using special tables.

The cost of laying the foundation for a house can be up to 30% of the estimate for the entire building. To avoid cost overruns, you need to perform a calculation that will allow you to find the optimal design parameters that will simultaneously guarantee minimum costs, strength and reliability. For your convenience, you can use online payment.

Types of foundations

Building a foundation with your own hands involves the use of several technologies:

• ribbon;
• combined options.

Columnar supports have a low load-bearing capacity. It is possible to install monolithic pillars or assemble them into compact concrete blocks. Both options are great for DIY projects.

There are three types of pile foundation for a house:

• driven (not recommended for private buildings due to the need to attract equipment);
• (suitable for building a brick or concrete house);
• (ideal for light wooden buildings).

Piles allow you to reduce the volume earthworks. There is no need to dig trenches or pits, remove a large number of soil outside the site. Thanks to this quality, installing this type of foundation is a very economical choice. The main disadvantage will be the impossibility of equipping a basement or underground for engineering communications. In this case, the base of the building is covered with decorative materials.

Another advantage of piles is the possibility of using them in wetlands. Even if the groundwater level is located close to the ground surface, the supports provide the necessary load-bearing capacity.

The next option is tape. It can be made monolithic or from blocks. The second option is rational to use for mass construction. Strip foundations are:

• recessed (for buildings with a basement, brick and concrete structures);
• (for wooden and frame houses);
• non-buried (technology of pouring foundations for small buildings on a solid foundation).

Before making a tape, it is worth checking the groundwater level and compliance with the rule that the sole cannot be closer than 50 cm to the groundwater horizon. Otherwise, there is a high probability of flooding of the basement, reducing the load-bearing capacity of the foundation and destruction of the materials of the supporting part of the building.

What to do with high groundwater level? If the structure is made independently from brick or stone, screw piles will not be suitable, and for bored piles it will be necessary to lower the water level. Great option there will be filling. In this case, a non-recessed or slightly recessed base is made. The thickness of the slab is determined depending on the load, on average 300-400 mm.

How to pour a foundation for a house

Monolithic foundation type - best option for private housing construction. In this case, laying can significantly save on transportation and installation of structures. There is no need to hire a crane to install elements in the designed position or a KamAZ truck to transport concrete blocks and slabs.

Monolithic foundations can be made from factory-made concrete or you can mix the solution yourself using a concrete mixer. The first option is recommended. The fact is that it is very difficult to strictly observe the proportions of the composition in artisanal conditions. For factory-mixed concrete, such a guarantor will be a passport, which indicates the verified indicators of the material.

To make the material yourself, you will need to prepare clean water, cement, sand and crushed stone (or gravel). They are mixed with each other strictly observing proportions, which depend on what grade of concrete needs to be obtained. If you add a little more sand or crushed stone to the composition than required, the strength of the supporting part of the building will suffer.

To properly pour the foundation, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic rules of concreting:

• Concrete must be poured in one go at time intervals of up to 1.5 hours. If you take long breaks in work, the solution sets and concreting joints form, which weaken the structure. The technology allows making horizontal seams if absolutely necessary. Arrange Monolithic foundation vertical seams are unacceptable, since in this case the support of the house will not be able to resist soil deformations.
• The class of concrete is chosen depending on the type of supporting part. For columnar or pile foundation Class B 15 is sufficient. For tape you need grades from B 15 to B 22.5. Construction of a house foundation using slab technology requires concrete grades B 22.5 or B 25.
• After pouring, the material should gain strength. On average, this takes 28 days. Continue construction works It is possible after the structure reaches 70% brand strength.
• It is better to carry out work in warm, dry weather. The ideal average daily temperature for concrete hardening is +25°C. At temperatures below +5°C the material practically does not harden. For normal hardening in this case, special additives and heating are used.
• The concrete must be maintained within 1-2 weeks after pouring. It involves wetting the surface with water.
• To mix the mixture yourself, you will need cement, sand, crushed stone (gravel) and clean water. The proportions depend on the strength class. The material is delivered from the factory using a concrete mixer truck - it allows you to extend the life of the solution and deliver it over relatively long distances.

How to pour the foundation correctly? In general, work is performed in this order:

1. installation of formwork and reinforcement cage;
2. laying waterproofing material in formwork;
3. pouring concrete;
4. its compaction by vibration or bayonet;
5. curing;
6. stripping works (if necessary).

To quickly complete the work, it is recommended to order a concrete pump together with a concrete mixer. Concrete manufacturers are usually willing to provide this technique. In this case you need to use concrete mixture grades P3 or P4 for mobility. Otherwise, the equipment breaks down.

Step-by-step instructions for pouring a strip foundation

Concreting is considered using the example of a monolithic tape. To erect the supporting part of the structure, construction is necessary. To do this, use cast-offs and construction cord. You need to show the edges of the tape.

After marking, the soil is excavated. If there is no basement, it is enough to dig a trench. At its bottom you need to make a sand cushion. It performs several functions:

• ground leveling;
• prevention frost heaving;

Next stage - . For this purpose, the material included in the estimate is used: boards (removable type) or polystyrene foam (non-removable). The second option serves not only as a form for pouring concrete, but also as insulation of the underground part of the building. When installing the formwork, I raise the base to the desired height.

Choosing the most cheap option of all possible foundations, it is very difficult not to make a mistake. There are really a lot of technologies and materials, and the final price depends on a number of factors. And you need to build a house that is not only inexpensive, but also reliable, and more than half of this depends on the quality of the foundation.

What to hope for?

Some say that there is no point in thinking about building your own home if you don’t have at least a million rubles in assets. Others, however, are ready to argue: resorting to the latest technologies and by choosing the cheapest strip foundation, you can reduce this amount by a third, and sometimes even more. To achieve maximum savings during construction, you need to clearly plan every step, think through all the stages of building a house, find out in advance the prices for the work of craftsmen and the necessary goods. Many people advise immediately preparing for a long construction project. From year to year, a person will invest a certain amount available to him in the project, the house will grow, while still having the opportunity to use the latest developments that appear on the market literally every year.

When choosing how to build and how to pour the foundation cheaper (by yourself or with a mixer - there is practically no difference, although the first option may cost a slightly smaller amount), from what to build the base of the house, you should turn to the experience of professionals who are well versed in modern techniques and materials. Some practical options for implementing ideas are not allowed for use in multi-storey construction, but are used to build private houses with their own hands - they help to significantly save on construction. This is especially true if the house is built frame, made of wood. Such buildings do not require a capital foundation, there is no need to install screw piles, you can do without concrete reinforced with expensive reinforcement, which means that costs are significantly reduced. Even cheaper you can build a gazebo, bathhouse, technical or warehouse space.

Blocks and their alternatives

Houses of one, two, and sometimes three floors, for the walls of which blocks and bricks are used, are often built on foundation blocks. These are ready-made building materials that can be purchased in almost any market or ordered at the factory in the required quantity. Currently, this is one of the cheapest types of foundation. They produce many standard sizes, which allows everyone to choose an option to suit their taste and budget. The blocks were developed as a basis for massive buildings, so there is no need to worry about unreliability. True, it is necessary to select a quality product and choose a responsible supplier.

Our country has standards to which all production sites that offer customers foundation blocks. This allows you not to worry about the quality of the cheapest foundation for a house. The standards are designed so that even the smallest dimensions and lightest options can cope with the load of a small structure. Blocks are often chosen for the construction of objects with a body made of steel, wood, as well as for timber and log one-story buildings. However, you need to buy them in stores that can provide quality certificates.

How to work?

It is important not only to choose the cheapest foundation for the house, but also to take a responsible approach to all stages of creating the base of the structure. First you need to prepare the base, remove the top layer of soil until the root layer is exposed, then pour a cushion of sand, spill it and compact it.

The next stage is laying the blocks and connecting them together in accordance with the technology provided by the manufacturer (the description will be contained in the instructions for the specific product). Next, a metal or wooden grillage is installed. Reinforced concrete is not used as redundant, unnecessarily burdening the estimate without any real benefit to the result. When the grillage is completed, you can mount the lower trim and lay the first crown. It is secured with studs and insulated, strictly following the building construction technology.

As can be seen from the description of the process, blocks are not only the cheapest foundation for a house, but also allow you to avoid long-term work with water. Therefore, it can be used at any time of the year.

Tested for centuries: wood

When choosing the cheapest foundation for a gazebo, bathhouse or other small building, you should take a closer look at the tree. It has been used since ancient times to create the foundations of small buildings in areas where the population did not have suitable stone material. These days, concrete has almost replaced wood, but some still prefer it. Sometimes this building material is used when it is necessary to create a foundation for a lightweight residential building. New opportunities have opened up with the creation of durable and reliable preparations for wood processing: they eliminate the harm of insects, rot and mold, and make the material impervious to moisture and fire. Some manufacturers of antiseptics guarantee that a tree treated according to all the rules can remain on the ground for a quarter of a century - and no harm will befall it.

Having decided for yourself that the most suitable and cheapest sauna or house is wooden, you will have to take a responsible approach to compliance with the technology. Only then will the tree live long when the material is treated with special compounds using the immersion method.

A narrow hole half a meter deep, up to six meters in length, is made on the site, the inside is covered with moisture-proof material, an antiseptic is poured into a kind of “container” and the timber from which the foundation is supposed to be built is immersed in it. Each specimen will have to be processed for half an hour or longer (the specific time is specified by the manufacturer of the composition) in warm weather conditions. During periods of sub-zero temperatures, it will not be possible to protect the material.

Although wood is perhaps the cheapest foundation for a bathhouse, shed and small house, it pays for itself only if installed correctly. Sand is compacted for the pillow, and the perimeter is decorated with ditches that will help remove excess moisture. Without these protective measures, no antiseptic will save the tree.

If it is necessary to erect a temporary structure, wood is considered the most suitable option. Builders recommend choosing it if you plan to use the facility from a year to a quarter of a century.

It's all in

The answer to the question of what is the cheapest foundation for a house may surprise you. According to experts, one of the most available options- build the base of the structure from car tires. What may surprise the average person will not be news to professionals: tires have been used in the construction industry for a decade now. Work begins with creating suitable sized recesses in the ground, into which rubber products are placed, then filled with sand, spilled with water, and compacted. Sand can be replaced with fine crushed stone, a mixture of gravel and sand.

If we turn to the official terminology, such the cheapest foundation created by ourselves can easily be called a dry concreting system. A mixture of sand and crushed stone is used as rubble. Rubber products become formwork. The strength of the finished object and the stability of its base are determined by the quality of compaction of the material and the thickness of the tires chosen for construction.

Ready-made slabs as a base

When considering the cheapest foundations, it is worth paying attention to those previously used in other objects. Of course, this option is not applicable for a residential building, but for warehouses, utility rooms, the enclosures fit perfectly. The main difficulty is to obtain high-quality used reinforced concrete slabs. The strength parameters of such objects are high enough that even after some time of service in a different role, the slabs would become a good foundation for a structure. A base layer is made from them, then the frame is tied or the first crown of timber or logs is laid.

Slabs previously used to create floors or build roads are used as subfloors in the construction of buildings for which extremely high limited budget. As a rule, this trick is used when working on courtyards, additional buildings, and sheds.

About prices: how important is the foundation?

It is not for nothing that many people who are thinking about creating their own home, but are limited in funds, begin their acquaintance with the issue by searching for the cheapest foundation for a frame house, block, or timber. On average, the price of a frame is at least a third total cost buildings, and specific costs consist of several factors. If you plan to resort to the help of a designer, his work will have to be assessed separately. On the other hand, the investment will be worth it: a professional will analyze the features of the site and suggest which construction solution will be optimal. The next cost item is geological research, which will prevent emergency situations in the future.

Further, the price of even the cheapest foundation includes the cost of materials and work on arranging the foundation. It is necessary to calculate the formwork and reinforcement layer. It is necessary to take into account the expected weight of the building: this determines which materials can be used for construction and which are absolutely not suitable. The most economical options are available to those who plan to build a residential building made of wood and inexpensive foundations are available to those choosing Canadian frame houses.

Wooden house

For such a structure, one of the cheapest foundations is a shallow frame foundation with a grillage made of wood. You don’t have to make a large pit, and the main building materials for supports are wood, blocks, and bricks that are accessible to everyone. Installation requires little effort, which means you won’t have to spend money on workers at all, or it will be enough to hire several people who can finish the installation in a few days. The specific price will be determined by the dimensions of the building, the number of pillars depends on them. This option is only suitable for areas with sandy soil.

House made of bricks or blocks

The cheapest foundation for a house made of foam blocks will be heavier compared to a wooden one, which means load bearing capacity there should be more grounds. Builders recommend choosing medium or shallow depth options and giving preference to monolithic foundations with a grillage made of beams or reinforced concrete. If the house is supposed to be made of stone, it is recommended to make a strip frame. If the initial conditions are not only a heavy structure, but also complex soil, it is practically impossible to do without such a foundation.

By choosing the cheapest foundation for a house made of foam blocks or bricks, people save on building materials. This is possible if there is nearby access to natural deposits of stone suitable for construction. Such a base will have good load-bearing capacity. It is important to remember about weight: if a cubic meter of blocks is on average no heavier than seven centners, the same volume of brick weighs about one and a half tons.

Monolithic structure

No matter how much you would like to use the cheapest foundation and save a lot on this, by choosing a monolith, you will have to remember that it requires a full foundation, that is, a strip type of base is required. An alternative is a concrete monolith; this is more often chosen if the soil is mobile, groundwater are high. In such conditions, tape requires a supporting sole. Due to the substrate, the pressure of the building on the base will be reduced, which means the load-bearing capacity will be significantly higher.

To reduce the costs associated with the construction of a strip foundation, you can use it for its manufacture concrete blocks. This way you can reduce expenses by almost a third.

Piles as a base

It is reasonable to choose metal piles for the foundation if construction is planned on moving soil of increased complexity. With relatively small financial investments the foundation of the building will be quite strong. Screw piles are often chosen for construction on rocks or very high water levels in the ground. True, when determining for yourself which foundation is the cheapest and most suitable, you need to remember that the piles will not support much weight, which means the structure must be light and compact. Stilts are often used when it is necessary to build a house from panels or panels. Such a foundation is suitable for constructing a garage, shed or other auxiliary premises.

The main savings of this option are due to the absence earthworks, requiring the involvement of heavy equipment and specialists. All elements can be installed by hand, and the materials are relatively inexpensive.

TISE

Opinions differ among professionals regarding which foundation is the cheapest. Some argue that TISE is optimal choice. The abbreviation hides the foundation on pillars or piles with supports with a cross-section of 25 cm. Under the pillars it is necessary to make 60-centimeter extensions, called soles. They significantly reduce the pressure of the weight of the structure, that is, they minimize the risk of land subsidence.

TISE is suitable for building a house from blocks, bricks, stones, and is suitable for frame buildings. The base can be placed on sand, clay and other soils. The reliability of the finished building will largely be determined by the quality of the grillage. Often, rolled metal is used for its production. An alternative is a concrete monolith.

Plate

Although this is not the cheapest option, it is the only one applicable on highly complex soil. The basis of the house with this construction technology is a concrete monolith up to 170 cm deep. Builders often call it a floating foundation. For this, a frame of increased rigidity is taken. The finished base can easily cope with strong pressure and significant load. And to save money, you can choose the cheapest method at home - for example, just plaster.

The advantage of a slab as a foundation is that the structure will not be affected by seasonal changes in the soil or high level water. Uneven terrain or moving layers will not become an obstacle to the long service life of the building.

Eternal classic: strip foundation

This method benefits from ease of implementation, but requires considerable effort. A non-professional can create the base of the structure, but he must be a strong and resilient person. The finished base will be quite reliable under reasonable load conditions. The budget version of the foundation built using this method involves saving on size - the width is made no more than 40 cm, and the height is up to one and a half meters. It should be remembered: the foundation must be above the water in the ground and below the freezing point. Additional expenses may be due to difficult soil conditions. For the work you will need concrete and reinforcement, materials for insulation from water, concrete additives to improve the quality of the finished result.

To create a foundation, a trench is first prepared where it is planned to make load-bearing walls, then everything is completely filled with concrete - a closed figure is obtained. Construction requires preparation of formwork. The reinforcement is poured directly on the construction site, due to which the object becomes solid. In order for the finished structure to be durable and reliable, it is necessary to responsibly strengthen the corners - these are the parts of the building base that will be the weakest.

Frame house: features

The most affordable and reliable option for country house construction is frame houses. Such buildings are undemanding to the base and weigh little. When choosing a base, perhaps the most important factors are the terrain and soil. You can install pillars, make a monolithic base, choose piles, TISE or a combined option.

Having determined the boundaries of the building, pillars are placed under the areas of maximum load - they will act as a support. The pitch of the pillars should not exceed 2.5 m; the cross-section is calculated for each object individually, taking into account the weight of the finished building, the number of floors and the material from which the supports will be made.

A columnar foundation for a frame house will be reliable only if it is made half a meter or taller. The depth is determined by soil and climate parameters. For the bottom trim, use concrete with reinforcement, timber, and pipes. The space under the building can be left open or a barrier made of brick, plywood, or slate can be created.

Columnar foundation: technical aspects

Iron and rubble concrete are used to make supports. You can use building blocks, bricks and special building stone. Sometimes logs play the role of supports, some use round profile pipes. The base is made monolithic or prefabricated, focusing on the characteristics of the material of the supports. If you plan to erect a building on heaving soil, it is necessary to bury the pillars below the freezing point. If the soil is stable, half this value will suffice. A cushion of sand or a mixture of sand and gravel is made at half the height of the pit. If the posts do not require deepening, the level of the base corresponds to the soil.

The grillage is placed above the foundations, ties them together, preventing them from tipping over, distributing the load as evenly as possible. If the soil belongs to the category of increased stability, you can abandon reinforced concrete beams, making do with only the bottom trim laid on top of building materials that insulate from water. The easiest way is to build such a foundation from rectangular pillars, and use plywood for formwork. You can refuse it if the soil density is above average.

Cheap and cheerful: what do we save on?

Choosing among all possible options inexpensive construction, you need to clearly understand what exactly allows you to save in each specific case. The foundation of the building should be simple, requiring a small amount of materials and earthworks. Therefore, it is reasonable to analyze each option of interest according to the specified parameters. You can create a table for yourself that will record the scores on these points, and then compare the amounts.

The smaller the volume of material needed to form the base of the structure, the less money you will have to spend on it - this is obvious to everyone. If the installation technology is quite simple, the likelihood of successfully doing everything yourself increases, without spending a limited budget on paying the labor of strangers. Analyzing market offers will also help you save money. When purchasing in bulk, prices from different suppliers may vary greatly. Therefore, you need to familiarize yourself with all possible offers in advance.

At the same time, you need to realize: construction with minimal costs, and even on your own, is a considerable risk. If you make serious mistakes at the very beginning, the venture will end in failure and the money will be wasted. We will have to build everything anew, and investing much more more money: as the saying goes,

When deciding which foundation is cheaper, you should adhere to the principles of reasonable savings. After all, the foundation is not at all the part of the structure on which you should save.

However, there are still ways to reduce the cost of building a foundation.

And in this article we will show you exactly such loopholes in the gaps in the balanced relationship between the cost of the foundation and its bearing capacity.

How is the cost of the foundation determined?

The estimate for the construction of the foundation consists of the following expenses:

At the same time, when deciding how to make the foundation cheaper, you shouldn’t skimp on the indicated points. After all, refusal geological surveys, high-quality materials and qualified builders will cost the owner of the house being built very expensive. And trying to save money on arranging a pit, reinforcement or formwork will lead to even worse consequences.

However, it is still possible to save on foundation construction. And we will tell you how this is done below.

How to make a cheap foundation - ways to save money wisely

To reduce the cost of foundation construction, you must do the following:

• First, hire a competent geologist.
• Second, hire an experienced designer.
• Thirdly, it will take care of drainage, waterproofing and insulation of the base of the building.

Of course, at first glance, these methods will only require the owner of the site to spend additional money on services and materials.

However, in long term, these expenses will have the following effect:

In addition, a competent designer and an experienced geologist will help you not only save on parameters, building materials and workers’ wages - these specialists will help you choose the cheapest foundation option for your home, optimizing its design.

Which foundation is the cheapest and why?

The cost of the foundation depends not only on the price of the building material used to construct the walls, but also on its weight. Therefore, a wooden, brick, block or monolithic structure has its own options for ideal foundations - durable, strong and cheap foundations. Examples of such structures will be presented below.

Foundation for a wooden house

The cheapest foundation option is undoubtedly shallow a columnar foundation designed for a wooden grillage made up of the lower crowns (or beams) of the building.

The cheapness of this design is due to several reasons. Firstly, a full-fledged pit, in this case, can be replaced with half-meter pits. Secondly, it will take a minimum of building material. And, thirdly, the arrangement of such a foundation can be done even on your own, saving on workers’ compensation.

Foundation for a block or brick house

But a cheap foundation for a frame house or a log dwelling is completely unsuitable for a brick or block structure. The problem is the need to build a monolithic grillage - essentially a tape poured over the pillars or over a sand bed. After all, bricks or blocks must rest on a solid surface - the upper edge of a horizontal beam that can withstand lateral loads.

Therefore, the cheapest foundation option for a house made of blocks is a columnar, medium-depth foundation, with a monolithic beam-type grillage.

A reinforced grillage will hold the wall of a low-rise building made of foam blocks. After all, the weight of a cubic meter of this material is only 600-700 kilograms.

A brick house needs a more solid structure. What is needed here is a full-fledged, buried strip-type foundation. After all, a cubic meter of dense brick weighs up to 1.5 tons. Therefore, the grillage of such a foundation must resist the corresponding lateral load.

Well, how much a strip foundation of this type costs is up to the designer to decide. After all, as we have already said above in the text, only this specialist can influence the final cost of such a design. After all, only he is able to optimize the geometry of the cross-section of the tape, influencing the labor intensity and material consumption of the base.

Foundation for monolithic construction

You can also place a deep strip under the monolith, resting on an expanded base and a full-fledged slab, on top of which a foundation wall for the basement floor is built. There are very few opportunities to save in this case. And all of them are related not to design optimization, but to construction methods (technologies) . For example, the same strip foundation can be built from blocks and using monolithic filling