Geotech Report Results

Tue, Nov 13, 2018

We received our geotechnical report today. There isn’t much here that we hadn’t already discussed either on site or over the phone. The main update is we now have some specific numbers the structural engineers can design against. The numbers aren’t looking so good.

If we use pilings, each piling can hold up to 10 kips (A kip is 1,000 pounds of force). If we use a traditional footing, the earth below the footing can withstand 2,500 psf. In either scenario, the pilings or footings must rest on native bedrock. The structural engineers need to do some math to figure out how far apart these footings can be. We are hoping that can be at least 8’ apart. Anything less and I fear the ground will start to collapse in on itself.

The report also included a recommendation to include 4’ of freeboard. This is the amount of vertical rise the basement wall extends above grade. By having at least 4’ of concrete there, we protect from moisture (there is several feet of snow on the ground for half the year), but more importantly, from rocks that may come tumbling down the hill. We don’t have to include this, but it is highly recommended.

To get 4’ of freeboard, we have to increase the ceiling height in the basement from 10’ to 12’. I think we will keep our finished ceiling height at just over 10’, and use the extra room to run duct work for the HVAC, and waste pipes. This way we don’t have to worry about cutting through any joists.

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