Creating the right Elevation
The original elevation of our lot was 9 feet 7. To reach the elevation of 12 feet, which is required per municipal building code, we had to fill up 52 loads of dirt. Dirt has become expensive lately, as most building materials have. Each load cost us $400.00.
Drilling the well
Since our lot is located north of Tropicana Parkway we need a well and septic system. City water and sewer in our area is not planned by the city for the next 8-10 years. Well water is considered to be even better quality than city water, especially when you are close to a lake. Drilling the well costs around $6,000.00.
Building the foundation
After the right elevation is reached, you have to build stem walls or a monolithic slab and pour the slab. Beneath the slab runs the water piping in a culvert. The water pipes and sewerage have to be in their exact position for bathrooms, kitchen, laundry etc.
Stem Wall vs. Monolithic Slab
In short, the stem wall foundation is a type of raised foundation, comprised of cement walls, that provides structural support by transmitting the load of the home to the footing and often keeps the home above flood level. There are two versions of stem wall foundations: Block built stem walls and poured concrete stem walls. Most custom homes here in Central Florida are built using a single-pour concrete slab foundation. It’s the best type of foundation for our warm climate and soil conditions.
We could chose a single-pour, concrete slab foundation since our ground was compacted and fully leveled. This will save you time and labour costs compared to a stem wall.
If however you are building in a flood zone or on land that can not be fully leveled out, then a stem wall foundation will be the best choice.
Slab being poured
Slab is finished
Ready for the next step….
