Examples of post frame with stepped foundation wall?

[Supergumby5000]

As the title states, seeing if there is anyone on here that has (or has experience with building) a post frame building on a stepped foundation wall. I cant seem to find any examples on the ol' internet which makes me a little leery but I cant see why this would create any sort of problems/challenges.

Long story short: bought some property, building a house and detached shop. It's a steep hillside lot that will require quite a bit of sloping, cutting and filling. In the process of engaging site planners to assist with defining developable area. A retaining wall foundation in combination with some landscaping retaining walls is going to be the way to go.

The shop (tentatively in the ballpark of 40x48x18 to 56x56x18 pending site analysis) will be cut into a hillside at the top of the property. The rear wall of the shop would likely be a 8-10ft retaining wall to a footer. Frost line is 22 inches. Retaining wall would step all the way down to a standard perimeter frost footing for the rest of the building. When I say post-frame, we would be using a little more modern construction from the traditional pole barn building (sturdiwall brackets to foundation, etc).

What am I missing? Why cant I seem to find more examples of this type of installation? Stick built is always an option here but I cant seem to find a reason to justify the added cost.

 

[Rusted Nut]

I don’t have an example showing what you’re trying to do; but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Depending on your building dept., you may have to get some additional engineering on wall/post connection. Seems like a good idea to me.

 

[Supergumby5000]

I don’t have an example showing what you’re trying to do; but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Depending on your building dept., you may have to get some additional engineering on wall/post connection. Seems like a good idea to me.

I'm sure I'll need fully engineered plans which is no problem. My biggest challenge is going to be snow load/trusses (design ground snow load in this area is 142psf.... probably going to need a helluva roof pitch).

 

[speed bump]

Not a common way of doing it but it should work fine. Building pole barns on piers is also pretty uncommon which is likely why you aren't seeing much.

Around here you see a lot of metal buildings built the way you are describing though.

 

[strutaeng]

I've looked at buildings like that with stepped foundation walls. Not uncommon in sites that have drastic grade changes. Waterproofing would be essential.

On the roof snow loading, just the truss company engineer the trusses. They'll make adjustments as necessary to meet the loading requirements.

 

[SCMO]

As the title states, seeing if there is anyone on here that has (or has experience with building) a post frame building on a stepped foundation wall. I cant seem to find any examples on the ol' internet which makes me a little leery but I cant see why this would create any sort of problems/challenges.
...
What am I missing? Why cant I seem to find more examples of this type of installation? Stick built is always an option here but I cant seem to find a reason to justify the added cost.

It is far easier and likely the same cost to just pour your wall the same height all the way around. I was planning a very similar stepped wall and my concrete guy explained how much better it is to just make it the same all the way around. He was right.

 

[speed bump]

I'm sure I'll need fully engineered plans which is no problem. My biggest challenge is going to be snow load/trusses (design ground snow load in this area is 142psf.... probably going to need a helluva roof pitch).

Considering that I would be leaning towards either a metal building or stick built. That's 300000 lbs worth of roof loading you are looking at. I've seen one set of trusses for a 16x20 building with a 140lb snow load and they were massive compared to your average 30 psf truss, I can only imagine what something trying to hit your width will look like.

Also is that a legit snow number because that screams you own a bulldozer or a massive snow blower just to keep your road open in the winter.

 

[Supergumby5000]

Considering that I would be leaning towards either a metal building or stick built. That's 300000 lbs worth of roof loading you are looking at. I've seen one set of trusses for a 16x20 building with a 140lb snow load and they were massive compared to your average 30 psf truss, I can only imagine what something trying to hit your width will look like.

Also is that a legit snow number because that screams you own a bulldozer or a massive snow blower just to keep your road open in the winter.

Roof snow load and ground snow load are not one in the same... the pitch and material used for the roof will reduce effective load so the roof snow load will be substantially less than the ground snow load. Basis of design for determining load factors is always based on worst case, which is the ground snow load.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Considering that I would be leaning towards either a metal building or stick built. That's 300000 lbs worth of roof loading you are looking at. I've seen one set of trusses for a 16x20 building with a 140lb snow load and they were massive compared to your average 30 psf truss, I can only imagine what something trying to hit your width will look like.

Also is that a legit snow number because that screams you own a bulldozer or a massive snow blower just to keep your road open in the winter.

I thought it was a huge number too but I looked.

https://www.washoecounty.gov/building/Files/Files/Ground%20Snow%20Loads%20Table.pdf

That's alot of snow.

EDIT: OP was posting as I was reading.

 

[larry4406]

My last house I built a detached shop with a stepped foundation, but was traditional 2x6 exterior framed walls on 8" concrete wall. Rear wall was stepped.