Boulder foundation. We save more than 50% of the cost of the foundation for a wooden house or a fence

The cost of building a foundation is a significant part in the construction of a house, bathhouse or garage. The main types of foundations, depending on the budget and soils: slab, strip or pile foundation. Everything is reinforced, monolithic, and often they are for light wooden houses with a huge margin of bearing capacity and strength.

At one time, I poured TISE piles under the bathhouse. Yes, they cost in 2011. only 16 thousand rub. on a perimeter of 8x4 m, but not without drawbacks. Now I would consider another option:

In ancient times, there was no concrete based on Portland cement (and Roman concrete was forgotten) and almost until the end of the 19th century. used a lime mortar with which the masonry was fastened. The foundations and inner parts of the walls were made of rubble stone on this mortar. Why not apply this forgotten technology for light buildings now, having received economy and aesthetics of appearance from natural stone?

We dig a trench for a shallow strip foundation, reinforce it with 4 rods and fill it with concrete to ground level. It is better to pour it a little lower so that the "fungus" shape does not form and the frosty swelling does not push out such a tape for the thickening. Before pouring, at least polyethylene must be laid in the trench for waterproofing and preventing concrete from absorbing into the soil.

At this stage, we get savings on formwork and on the time of its installation and dismantling.

Next, we deliver a rock or river boulders - which is cheaper in your region. For example, we have cheaper large river ASG of 5-10 cm fraction. Machine 18 m3 has a cost 10-12 thous. rub. And the large rock is already 22 thous. The price for the material is obtained - from 600 rubles / m3. From the volume of coarse ASG when sifting it, the sand will go to the solution, medium stones with sand onto the concrete tape, and large stones - to the upper part, the base.

An example of the cost of river boulders and stones for the aboveground part of the foundation for a bath of 8x4 m, 0.5 m high and 0.3 m wide: 3.6 m3 volume of stones. Taking into account the mortar and reinforcing mesh, the costs will not exceed 10 thousand. rub. The same amount is the underground concrete part with reinforcement. This is at least a third cheaper than screw piles, which also need to be closed with something along the perimeter. And in comparison with a full-fledged strip foundation made of concrete, the savings will be from 50% or more.

Even if you buy a shoe for $ 22,000. rubles / 18m3, then the savings will be at least 30% of the cost of concrete M250 - M300.

We mark the perimeter of the foundation and make masonry on the concrete tape, picking up stones with the greatest coincidence of geometry. Someone raises the foundation from the ground level with brickwork. But, in my opinion, masonry on rubble stone or from boulders absorbs moisture less and is more durable.

Probably these photographs show the finishing of the basement with river boulders. But the view will be the same.

If there is any doubt that the boulder masonry will not withstand and will fall apart, then every three meters it is possible to fill in monolithic concrete columns inside the rubble masonry. According to this principle, the load from a log house or frame will be distributed on them, and rubble masonry will act as filling and carrying a minimum load.

Laying on rubble stone or from boulders will save you considerable money if your building is located on a slope. We fill the strip foundation with a "ladder" with reinforcement below the ground level, and lay out the above-ground part of natural stone. If the height of such a basement is more than 0.5 m, then it is better to dress the stones with a masonry mesh.

I believe that this technology is an ideal option for building tape under the fence and retaining walls. No formwork, reinforcement, concrete delivery or self-mixing work is needed. I remember that I was building a 100 m fence with a concrete tape under it for the entire 2017 season. This technology would save some of the funds and efforts. Moreover, I have a fence with elements of "washed concrete" and these two styles complement each other.

There are examples where a whole fence is built from large river boulders.

You can make a foundation or a tape for a fence entirely on rubble stone or from boulders. Then the shape of the foundation should be with a decrease in the area towards the top and with backfilling with soil - to prevent pushing out by frost heaving. Brick houses of several floors, built in the 18-19 centuries, still stand on such foundations.

As I wrote above, if you build it like that, then for wooden houses from a bar or using frame technology. And under the bathhouse and the fence, I would do just that now.

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Photo taken from open sources, from Yandex. Pictures

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