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Building on a slope or hillside

flyin99

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Nov 20, 2006
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87
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Central Ky.
Wanting to build a shop 40x60 at the largest, but probaby a 32x48 or so. If you are facing the lot, or looking at it from the front, it slopes downward, which would be ok, if you were building a house with walkout basement in the back. What it the best way to handle this, where there won't be future issues, or is it possible to build on a slope like this. I was looking at pole barns and stick built. Just don't want to end up with foundation or floor issues. Thanks, Brad
 
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Daniel Dudley

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Sep 4, 2009
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Well, that sounds like a lot of back fill. And then it has to be tamped and allowed to settle. There are different ways of doing this where you build it up and tamp it every four inches or so, and different types of fill.

Or you go with a full foundation. Then you fill that. Excavators do this all the time. My excavator suggested letting it settle over the winter, and building in the spring. If you do it right, you don't have to wait. That means correct fill and correct tamping.

I built my site up about five feet over a 30 foot span. Put a floating slab over that and stick built on that. It hasn't settled in 14 years. It cost me as much to fill and pour the slab as it did to build the structure. More in fact.

In the end it would have been just as easy to go with a full foundation, but this way I get to walk all around the building, and I have a back equipment shed that leads out to the side of the property. I was happy with the floating slab, as it has a huge footprint to spread the load. My excavator was not familiar with this type of foundation back then, so I had to spec everything and sign off on it.

I was comfortable doing that, but this is in fact why they have engineers. In a situation like yours, if I wanted to back fill and build a pole barn, I would probably back fill to a known depth and four two long footings to carry the poles on each side of the barn. Then I would back fill the rest and dig out the holes to the footings later. I do stuff like that, and have in fact done that in the past. Because I am not an engineer, I tend to overbuild things that no one can question later on.

You, OTOH, should have an engineer, or at least the advice of an excavator and foundation specialist. The leaning tower of Pizza was in fact already leaning before they even finished building it. You don't want that.
 

MDSPHOTO

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Nov 10, 2011
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Location
Oz
How about a drive under garage with a top floor for storage, bar, pool table or bedroom?
 
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flyin99

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Nov 20, 2006
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Central Ky.
Thanks for the info, help and ideas. I just wasn't sure what would be involved or could be done. If pole barn would suite better then stick built in this situtation, etc. I talked to the guy that does pole barns around here and he just said, no problem, it just takes more gravel..............that's fine I guess, but "it just takes more gravel", leaves me wondering what else, I suppose. Thanks again!!
 

theoldwizard1

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Feb 22, 2011
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SE MI
How much does it drop off in the 60' from where the front of the structure ill be !

Your pole barn guy's "no problem" really is "not MY problem", meaning it is YOUR problem ! He won't care if the gravel slides out of the back and the level drops a 1-2' in a year.

Re-read what Daniel Dudley wrote, he is right on the money !! Especially
It cost me as much to fill and pour the slab as it did to build the structure. More in fact.
He must have done it right because
It hasn't settled in 14 years.
 
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flyin99

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Nov 20, 2006
Messages
87
Location
Central Ky.
How much does it drop off in the 60' from where the front of the structure ill be !

Your pole barn guy's "no problem" really is "not MY problem", meaning it is YOUR problem ! He won't care if the gravel slides out of the back and the level drops a 1-2' in a year.

Re-read what Daniel Dudley wrote, he is right on the money !! Especially

He must have done it right because



Was told by the guy with the transit, that it was just over 6' sloping down, from front to back.........Tells me little, as I don't know if 6' makes or breaks the deal with being able to build, but that's where we are.....
 

Kevin54

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Jan 12, 2005
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Urbana, Ohio
With a 6' drop in elevation, you may be able to reduce that by shaving some off the front, but without a picture it's hard to tell. With it being a 6' drop and with nothing being done to the front as far as elevation, you can have block laid, or a poured laid up at the back, but I would want a few dead-men put in to help tie it in so you don't end up with the back wall bowing out after a period of time. Personally, it it were me, I would have poured walls with a couple of dead-men coming in from the back wall, before any fill was put in. There will be extra cost for the concrete though. And a solid wall with that height will be stronger than block with all of the mortar joints.

Can you post up a pic of the terrain?
 
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CobraJake

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Nov 18, 2012
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186
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Mass
prob more extreme than your looking at but here is mine when I bought it. overall its 30x40....Id guess the grade is 9 to 10' in a 27-28' length



DSC_6556.jpg


 

jdieter

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Nov 17, 2007
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320
Location
Northern Indiana
I had a 15-20dg. grade to deal with on a 40x70 pole barn. I cut the 40' depth into the slop with enough room for a drainage swell along the 70' length and carried around each end of the barn. Half the barn has a slab and the other half gravel floor. No issues with either one.
 

theoldwizard1

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Feb 22, 2011
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SE MI
Personally, it it were me, I would have poured walls with a couple of dead-men coming in from the back wall, before any fill was put in. There will be extra cost for the concrete though. And a solid wall with that height will be stronger than block with all of the mortar joints.

Can't say it any better.

That back foundation wall should be 5-10' behind the rear wall of your shop. You will need a lot or rebar in that wall and properly designed and install dead mans are key. Proper compaction of the fill is also very important.

Don't forget about drainage underneath the shop. Gravel is self draining, but it still needs a way to get out from behind the wall.
 

zcar751

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Apr 15, 2013
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837
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Knoxville, TN
Build your retaining wall with interlocking block. The big one that are 3'x2'x2' the compact every 2' of fill and you shouldn't have any problems.
 

prairieman

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Joined
Dec 18, 2012
Messages
3
Location
OKC
Use the downhill grade to your advantage. I almost purchased a home last year on a couple acres that had a downhill grade where the shop had to go. Calculated the amount of fill to bring the back end up to the grade at the front and did not like the result nor how it would look. Finally had an epiphany. Shop front half would park cars and be a single story. Halfway back, the floor dropped 5 feet and a second story was incorporated above - all with the same roof height. Make sense ?
 
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