What is a Pier and Beam Foundation?

Hey there,

Have you ever questioned what kind of foundation the house you want to buy has when you were house hunting? This may be fantastic question to think about posing given the variety of foundation kinds. Whether or not you want to buy a home depends on whether it has a

pier and beam foundation vs slab

. You might wonder what a pier and beam foundation is. It's a substitute for a slab or a floor foundation, I suppose. Crawl space is usually present underneath the house.

What is a pier and beam foundation?

In order to address the rising need for new, inexpensive housing during the post-World War II era, the transition between pier and beam foundations to slabs on grade foundations began.

Brick, stone, or cement piers and wooden boards form pier and beam slabs, which bear the load of the house. Pier and beam foundations are raised, typically 24" above the ground, in contrast to slab foundations, which rest immediately on the surface.

Pier and Beam house plans – Pros

Housing projects on pier and beam foundations are much less likely to flood than homes built on slab foundations because they are elevated.

Additionally, pier and beam design makes it simpler to access plumbing and electrical systems that are tucked away in the home's crawl space. In slab construction, piping and some power cables are embedded in the concrete, which limits access to them in the event that repairs or adjustments are needed.

Pier and beam foundations might be simpler and less expensive to fix than slab foundations, based on the location and severity of the damage.

Last but not least, houses with pier-and-beam foundations can be moved if necessary.

Raised pier and beam foundation – Cons

Insects and vermin, which can spread disease and harm wiring and structural parts like beams, are known to infest crawlspaces. By covering the access openings with lattice or hardware cloth, bigger vermin can be prevented out of the crawlspace. To prevent animals from digging, lay the lattice or building material just a few centimetres into the ground if the approach opening is below ground level.

Screeching and squeaking floorboards are prevalent in homes with pier and beam foundations because they provide less support than floors resting on a concrete slab. Shims can typically be placed between both the floor boards and flooring to reduce these noises.

The sensitivity of pier and beam bases to moisture is another possible disadvantage. A pier and beam foundation must be surrounded by earth that slopes down and away from it, as with all other foundations. Installing a French drain or ravine to evaporate moisture from the foundation periphery may be necessary in some circumstances.

Finally, due to the air circulation that occurs inside the crawlspace, the flooring of houses constructed utilising the pier and beam technique tends to be cold in the winter. Even though subflooring often separates the oxygen in the crawlspace from the walking surfaces in pier and beam homes, it's not unusual for flooring to be installed directly on the joists.

I hope now you know about the pier

and beam house plan.