Slab on grade / Discussions

...on't have a rebar slab to ride it out up here in Iowa.  The site sits on top of a hill with great drainage, is why I'm considering this method. Thanks! There is no reason to excavate under a slab, and no, you would not find frost under a slab we built. Any slab foundation (frost protected shallow foundation) needs to b...

...one exterior foundation insulating because I have never seen a good looking and long lasting finish. Even parging on concrete only lasts so long depending on the methods and materials in application. I have always tried to use new form ply where it had to look really good. It is also the reason I have to done any styro...

...on rate of heat into concrete slightly, and perhaps even more than were you to run it through tubes. And that would be a far more simple manoever and much cheaper with about the same benefits likely. Important to note - this is not to rip on your idea here, the way I came to the conclusion that the benefits are not wor...

...ong. Most basements are not properly sealed against moisture, they are poorly insulated, and prone to rot due to the standard practices of basement construction. I would read here first on our pros and cons pages –  Choosing between a slab on grade and a basement, which is better and cheaper? Should you choose a home w...

...slab to the one below. Thanks, Keri   There are many ways to build a slab on grade foundation on sloped building lots, but doing three separate slabs isn’t necessarily the cheapest option. Did you specifically want a 3 level house or is that something you have chosen simply to adapt to the terrain? I ask this because i...

...on a slab on grade with a base of 6 inches of EPS foam insulation, which is also a sensible return on investment for energy efficiency given the cliimate. You can see a time lapse video of it here –  Solar air heated slab on grade time lapse install video  That slab has air tubes instead of hydronic and it is a raft sl...

...slab on grade be a problem without in floor heating?  We will just be putting a Woodstove in and don't want in floor heating but I'm concerned with moisture from the slab and having flooring over the concrete causing mould issues.    A polished concrete slab on grade, or any basement concrete floor, will feel cooler to...

...on a Legalett air heated slab foundation to do an analysis of its effectiveness? I'm wondering what the numbers are on using the solar air heated collector to provide supplemental heat for the in floor heating system Legalett is known for. My question is does the extra cost of adding the solar air collector and additio...

...ondering the cost for a 1200 square-foot home roughly Hi Walter, Do you mean the slab on grade prefab kit? If so, see this page on Legalett Geoslab foundation kits and air heated floors and you can contact them through there. If that's not what you mean let us know but I can't think of any other system you'd be referri...

...on right on the ground seems like a risky move. Here are a relevant pages you might find valuable -  Choosing the right insulation for the right application All about hemp insulation Slab on grade construction - the definitive 'how to' guide It's obvious you are conscious of the materials you use and are aiming for n...

...on what your desired finished floor is. We built a slab on grade with 8 inches of sub-slab insulation, and even with that much, it was still a bit cool on the feet. So personally, I am all in for warm floors. Life is too short (or perhaps too long) to spend it with cold feet. If you’re considering your options, you may...

...ons to build our new home.  We have chosen to build the house on a slab on grade foundation. My builder was suggesting that we at least start with the foundation in the fall and then start work back up again in the spring. This may be okay when installing a full basement foundation, but can a slab foundation hold up in...

...slab first, then build ICF walls on top. See the Geo-Slab frost protected slab on grade by Legalett for more information. Legalett slab on grade form kits provide a seamless layer of insulation below the slab an on the exposed above grade portion of the slab. This way you are insulated from below seamlessly up to the p...

...slab, so I would suggest you contact legalett that provides slab on grade prefab kits across Canada and the US. We used one on our last demonstration home builds, here you can see a time lapse DIY  raft slab / slab on grade installation video.  And if you're interested in the definitive history of ICF Construction and ...

...only fits with their slab on grade system.  Is there a similar product that can be used as a threshold to not only support the weight of the sliders but also be tough enough to act as a threshold on the exterior on the house?  Thanks, Shaun   The Legalett Thermalsill insulated door sill for slab on grade floors is only...

...onverting to a slab foundation and how might I go about it?  Yes, you can convert a crawl space into a slab on grade foundation, it just isn’t a particularly cheap process. You would need to jack the building up, and depending on the situation either remove the existing foundation or fill it in, then pour a slab on gra...

...on? The section where the thickened edge of the slab meets the covered porch must require insulation?  Yes, you can do a mono-pour for a slab on grade even with an exterior porch. You would need to include a thermal separator between the interior and exterior portions of the slab, but as long as the entire slab foundat...

...on of a top view looking down but still working on a side view but not quite sure on what section and how much reinforcement I would need to hold the structure I want to build.  Can you help? Where are you building? And are you talking about the air heated raft slab form kit from Legalett?