Ask DS: Conventional vs Slab Foundation

[stitch]

If you were building a house.......assume that the location you choose would accomodate building on a slab or conventional foundation.....which route do you go, and why?

[novacaine]

Slab.............. i dont plan on ever crawling under a house ever again.
Your heat and air can be run in a slab fairly easy.........at least easier than it was years ago. The products are better now.
Just the opinion of someone who has lived (and worked under) old houses in the past.

[bowbird]

We are currently looking to build and our contractor was against conventional but mentioned a raised slab to get that lifted look. That is probably the route we will go.

[gps4]

When I lived in convent foundation house, I swore the next house I got was going to have a slab.

Now that I've replaced 2,000 ft of glue down wood flooring, fought backed up air conditioner drain problems, and have had rusted out drain pipes that had to be replaced, I'm starting to think crawl space is the way to go...

[Deadeye]

Currently building a slab foundatation... didn't even consider anything but. Good Lord willing, I'll have a poured slab by the end of the week.

Dead

[JLT]

I have a conventional mainly for the look, but there are some great benefits. You can get the raised look with a slab just like you can a conventional. Conventional will always have a softer feel and things are easier to add in the future.

[jacksbuddy]

Two questions:

1) Where are you building? If you are building on a hill with this lovely Yazoo Clay for foundation, I would strongly recommend a conventional foundation. It is going to shift, and foundation repairs to a slab are a real B%$#@.

2) How long are you planning to stay? Eventually, there will be issues with things under the slab. I.E. - water lines, drainage pipes, duct work, etc. (Again, this is if you are building in this Yazoo Clay.)

I mention the above as speaking from experience. MY suggestion is that you go conventional. But then, opinions are like noses...

[RNAIL]

I have a slab in Hattiesburg and with earth shifting it broke my main drain line. They had to bore under the slab and pull out pvc and replace. It gets expensive.

With a conventional I could have repaired it myself. Just things to think about depending on what part of the state you live in.