slab or post & pier

[EightFingers]

Dennis,
Those things are about ten feet long with 4" fangs. (Well that's what everyone tells me!)

Google Hawaii centipede, you'll get tons of info.



BTW, they aren't really that big............are they?

[missydog1]

Generally 7 inches or so, which some people would call 9 inches. As happens so often when people measure certain things and want an impressive size. ;-)

It's not the size, it's the bite. The little blue ones are worse than the adults.
Here's a photo of an 8 incher laid out to measure, so no exaggeration there.
http://margaretdilloway.files.wordpress....tipede.jpg

[Dennis]

Yikes, that's BIG!! Better bring bigger boots![]

[Blend]

Bravo Mark P. Could not have said it better myself. What I'm planning is a robust footing / slab with downstairs garage, pool - family room and upstairs living quarters. My lot is decently level in this area. I would not attempt this with P & P. Not to say P & P isn't the right method for particular applications and cost savings.

Closer To Free

[bjbTay]

Closer To Free!!! We are feeling the same way. [8D]

Our house will have a similar layout for the 1st level and second. Can I ask how you came to the conclusion you have with regards to a slab foundation?

Thank you,
Barbara Taylor



Hawaii Dreaming

[Blend]

Barbara,

In my opinion when you set out to build a home choosing the type of foundation comes after choosing what and where you're planning on creating.

One might say you actually work backwards with considerations being the type and style of home you wish to build, site specific details, will it be multiple stories, elevations, soils report, seismic zones, building codes and budget to name a few.

Once you blend the above worst case might be your engineer of record might not give you a lot of options in choosing your foundation if you desire his stamp.

Not to confuse the issue but I think the basic Slab vs. P & P debate really revolves around the single story Hawaiian home possibly dating to the older beautiful Plantation style homes. Nothing wrong with P & P here. Many benefits as previously stated with cost savings an important factor.

In my case, I'm looking to pop up with a 3rd story office - deck, my site is level where the house will be placed, considering that my living quarters will be elevated I'm not concerned with elevating my lower floor as one would with a single story home. As well viewing plans for over 30yrs in CA I've come to realize strong footings & slabs are how it is done in seismic areas. Possibly what has not been mentioned in the previous posts is the slab does not support the house, the footings do. The slab just ties the whole mess together as a unit. Especially in pre-stressed slabs as Mark pointed out. P & P sitting on individual piers does not typically benefit from this but could calc just fine for a single story home.


Closer To Free

[David M]

Barbara
When we went thru the design process for our house one of the first steps was to create a written list of features we wanted and attributes we didn't want. This was before any attempt at drawing. For us, this lead to single story slab. That list also served as a sanity check during the drawing phases.

David

Ninole Resident

[bjbTay]

Blend and David,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write, I really appreciate your input.

It has been a long process of narrowing down what we want, how we wish to live in the house, space requirements, air flow, big eaves, large lanai and then wrapping it up in a cohesive design. David, I am such a visual person, so I went about this somewhat backwards...not a lot of sanity check...Oh DEAR! We did however have criteria for the house established before I started drawing, but as I drew and drew I could see more possibilities, then each revision, and even new concepts also revealed new possibilities to fine tune the house’s livability. I know, the problem is I could go on with this revision process forever... not a good approach. However we have finally hit upon a design that works on so many levels. Although we are still not sure we can afford to build it, or how much we may have to take on ourselves.

Thank you Blend, I hear what you have said with regards to the strong footings and slab tying the whole house together. Now I clearly see the picture of why a slab is appropriate not only for seismic stability but also in our case, for two stories on a flat lot. Thank you very much. Plus I now understand that the final specifications of the footings and slab will be based on soil results and will be the responsibility of the engineer to specify.

I was concerned about the slab cracking and letting in termites, plus centipedes. However perhaps if we use a sill sealer www.protectowrap.com to take care of any unevenness between the slab and the mud sill, to help keep out the critters.

Then I also read about using Basalt rock as a termite barrier under the slab. http://www2.hawaii.edu/~entomol/research/r_btb.htm I know many punaweb bloggers are using construction materials that are not food for termites, but I think we are going with conventional framing, and then just tent the house as we do here in CA.

On any exterior wood we are considering using Permaflex-Al as a coating. http://www.sanitred.com/permaalqualities.htm I became familiar with this through a European architect who covered a whole house with it. It’s very expensive but if it lives up to what they say about it, then having a permanent water proof solution would be worth it.

Any in-put on the above three website information would be greatly appreciated. We’re trying to do the best we can on our budget. Thank you for the help!

Oh, one more thought Blend, what are you using for floor joists - timber or engineered joists? As it stands now we have only one joist span over 12'. In that particular location an engineered beam will be necessary to carry the load, otherwise everywhere else is strait forward.

Thanks again,
Barbara

[David M]

QUOTE:
It has been a long process of narrowing down what we want, how we wish to live in the house, space requirements, air flow, big eaves, large lanai and then wrapping it up in a cohesive design. David, I am such a visual person, so I went about this somewhat backwards...not a lot of sanity check...Oh DEAR! We did however have criteria for the house established before I started drawing, but as I drew and drew I could see more possibilities, then each revision, and even new concepts also revealed new possibilities to fine tune the house’s livability. I know, the problem is I could go on with this revision process forever... not a good approach. However we have finally hit upon a design that works on so many levels. Although we are still not sure we can afford to build it, or how much we may have to take on ourselves.

OK, you caught me [] Also being visual, I did many drawings based on Multifacetted, HPM kits, etc with similar results, before I got smart enough to do the list. Even then it was revision, revision, revision, until one day DW says Enough already, at this rate we'll never built!!!! We are owner-builders. Enjoy the adventure.[8D]

David


Ninole Resident

[bjbTay]

OK, you caught me [] Also being visual, I did many drawings based on Multifacetted, HPM kits, etc with similar results, before I got smart enough to do the list. Even then it was revision, revision, revision, until one day DW says Enough already, at this rate we'll never built!!!! We are owner-builders. Enjoy the adventure.[8D]

David

Ninole Resident
[/quote]


Thank you David...yes enough already! We look forward to meeting you someday.

Best regards,
Barbara

Hawaii Dreaming