House Construction
(Foundation Plans)
Objectives:
► Compare
various construction techniques/
materials
► Design a foundation plan based on a 2-story home
floor plan design
► Analyze how the weight of a house affects the
foundation
Video: House Construction
Animation of Home Construction (3:47)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQvFzdFIp08
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Preparing a Lot for Construction
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First, the lot is excavated (a hole is
dug) with machinery
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Reinforcement may be necessary.
depending upon the size and load
of the building as well as the
ground soil conditions -- for
example, if the ground is wet and
is therefore prone to swelling.
Reinforcement comes in the form
of a mesh constructed from
reinforced steel bars. These are laid
at the bottom of the trench, slightly
elevated by spacers to allow the
concrete to flow beneath.
Preparing a Lot for Construction
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Plot plans provide necessary dimensions required for
staking out a house location on an empty lot
The corners of the house are located and stakes are put
into the ground
Preparing a Lot for Construction
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Stake out the house: Put a stake in the ground for each
corner of the house
“Staking” requires a measuring tape and contractor’s level
Preparing a Lot for Construction
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Batter boards are marks placed for use as references or
guides during the initial excavation and rough grading of a
building construction
They consist of 2 x 4 inch wood stakes with a crosspiece
of 1 x 6 inch lumber nailed to it
Building a House on the Lot
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The structure of a house carries the weight to its
supporting element - the ground. The structure is what
makes the house stand up. A house is constructed from
the bottom up.
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These are often called load-bearing elements or systems.
(Here is the construction sequence):
 Footings
 Foundation
 Flooring
 Walls
 Ceiling
 Roof
Footings
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This is where the house meets the ground. It’s the first
member of the load-bearing structural systems. Also
called the “footer.”
The footings are placed under all load-bearing parts of the
foundation, i.e. piers, columns, foundation walls, etc.
Pouring Concrete Footing
http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=Mq4kE9BbKvc
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Footings
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Footings are almost always
concrete poured into a trench
and constrained by some kind of
forms (often wood planks)
Typical footing dimensions are:
8" deep and 16" wide. If the
dimensions aren’t just right.
Reinforcing the footing with
steel rebars is helpful in
strengthening the footing before
the concrete is poured
Foundation
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Consists of walls and other vertical elements needed to
support the floor (piers and steel columns)
The foundation needs to bear a considerable amount of
weight and provide a flat and level base for construction.
Foundation
To reinforce the foundation,
concrete is poured into the
trench over a mesh layer.
► The strength of the concrete is
determined by the calculations
made during the design stage.
► Once the concrete is poured, it
will need to be "tamped",
which is the process of hitting
the surface of the foundation
with a plank of wood to
remove trapped air that could
compromise the strength of the
concrete once dry.
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Types of Foundations
T-Shaped
•A traditional foundation method
to support a structure in an area
where the ground freezes
(Northern US). This method
has stood the test of time.
•A concrete slab poured on the
ground down at the bottom of
the hole (also called “stem wall”
foundations)
Types of Foundations
T-Shaped or Basement
Construction
•A footing is placed below the
frost line and then the walls are
added on top. The footing is
wider than the wall to providing
extra support at the base of the
foundation.
•We will be using this method
for our foundation plans
Types of Foundations
T-Shaped or Basement
Construction
•The foundation walls may be
formed concrete, treated wood,
or masonry (brick or concrete
block)
•Concrete block foundation
walls are typically 8 inches thick
•Video- How to build the walls (2:20)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U
bB5Cre3-ng
Types of Foundations
T-Shaped or Basement
Construction
•Section Drawing through the
center of a house showing
basement foundation with
footers and concrete block
walls
•The only difference is the
garage (will have a slab
poured, b/c cars are too
heavy for a basement!
Types of Foundations
Slab on Grade
Construction
•No below-ground basement. Most
popular in southern states, where
ground doesn’t freeze. (Can be
used in the north if it’s properly
insulated.)
•Slab floor is poured as one single
layer several inches thick. The slab
normally rests on a bed of crushed
gravel to improve drainage.
Types of Foundations
Slab on Grade
Construction
•It is waffle-shaped steel that is
reinforced with a concrete
sheet. A single layer of concrete
is poured several inches thick.
•The slab is poured on crushed
gravel to improve drainage.
Types of Foundations
Pier and Beam
Construction
•Used in areas with heavy clay content
in the soil, such as Texas & the
Southwest
•Also called a “Crawlspace” foundation
because underneath is an accessible
space with limited headroom, between
the soil and the bottom of the first floor.
•They typically have a concrete wall that
goes around the outside with a wood
floor that spans from one side of the
wall to the other
Types of Foundations
Pier and Beam
Construction
•Spaces are usually only 16 - 18 in.
between the bottom of the floor
joists and the soil
•Considered the most economical.
The space underneath allows easy
installation of plumbing and heating
utilities for accessibility
•However, if the space isn’t insulated
properly, water vapor can cause
severe mold problems.
Types of Foundations
House Construction Documentary (23:11 – stop after 5:00)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTiWdnoAir4
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Fast-Motion: Building the Foundation (Stop at 1:15)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3iI6S7TuCA
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Flooring
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Floor systems are either wood
or concrete.
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The wood floor consists of the
supporting members - beams
and joists - and the flooring
material, usually a plywood
product.
Flooring
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Typically, there is a beam
supporting the floor joists. The
beam is supported by the
foundation walls and
intermittent piers or posts in
the foundation (the latter must
have their own footing).
Beams are made of a variety of
materials including wood and
steel.
Walls
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Typically he walls are framed
(assembled) on the ground,
and then raised into place.
The 2x4s (pieces of lumber)
are placed 16-inches on-center,
meaning that the center of one
2x4 is 16 inches away from the
center of the next.
Add plywood sheething layer
for rigidity (bottom image)
Ceiling and Roof
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We will talk about those structural elements when we do
our roof plans!
Foundation Plan (with dimensions)