What is the best site preparation recommended for setting a replacement home.
There is a existing 12' X 65' home being removed and from what I can see the ground under the home is considerably lower (one foot) than the surrounding landscaping on one side and level on the other.
The home is presently on block piers set on grade and the new home will be the same.
I do not want to simply place the home in the same location without raising the level under the home to the ground level on the high side. The home has always had water issues under it due to the grade and I wish to correct that problem.
Do I level with dirt, gravel, sand or what. Should the new fill be compacted. What else should I consider doing to make the job trouble free in the future.
Also as the land slopes do I slope the fill under the home or fill it level and grade/slope beyond the low side of the home.
My concern in sloping the fill under the home is the different depth of new fill may in time cause uneven settling of the home.
Aside from concrete piers or a concrete slab what is the most desirable method to prep a old or new site for best results.
I have one shot at this and it will probably be in place for 40 years so I want to do it right.
Also what is the best height to set the new home at for accessibility to water and sewer connections while maintaining an attractive appearance in your opinions. Access is important.
Thanks
Greg.
Site Preparation
Moderators: Greg, Mark, mhrAJ333, JD
"Block piers set on grade"
I assume that mean you are just sticking some concrete blocks underneith.
sounds like a bad Idea for a long term placement with wet ground, but if you just gotta do it that way, DO NOT disturb the ground under your blocks at all! leave some blocks in place, then dump your fill around them, then put the trialer in place. The ground under your current blocks is well compacted. If you disturb it at all, it will probably settle on you some.
I wouldn't consider this type of placement unless your ground is pretty good, and freshly dumped fill would be about the worst type of ground to do that with. anything that will hold water like you are describing sounds less than ideal to me.
If you are honestly looking to have it sit there for 40 years, don't do the site prep half-assed.
as far as height, It would be much easier if you can crawl under the I beams at all spots. If you leave your axles on, you'll probably be safe. If you take off the axles, you might be ably to drop it down lower if you are willing to crawl the length of the trailer to do your work. If all your plumbing is near the back of the trailer, that makes it much easier.
Were I set mine up, there was a little slope. I actually dug down a bit for the tunge, but there are several feet under the frame near the back. the dog clears about 1/3 the way back, and I can crawl under at about the half way mark. Honeatly, the only stuff below floor is a little bit of duct work, plumbing and gas lines.
I assume that mean you are just sticking some concrete blocks underneith.
sounds like a bad Idea for a long term placement with wet ground, but if you just gotta do it that way, DO NOT disturb the ground under your blocks at all! leave some blocks in place, then dump your fill around them, then put the trialer in place. The ground under your current blocks is well compacted. If you disturb it at all, it will probably settle on you some.
I wouldn't consider this type of placement unless your ground is pretty good, and freshly dumped fill would be about the worst type of ground to do that with. anything that will hold water like you are describing sounds less than ideal to me.
If you are honestly looking to have it sit there for 40 years, don't do the site prep half-assed.
as far as height, It would be much easier if you can crawl under the I beams at all spots. If you leave your axles on, you'll probably be safe. If you take off the axles, you might be ably to drop it down lower if you are willing to crawl the length of the trailer to do your work. If all your plumbing is near the back of the trailer, that makes it much easier.
Were I set mine up, there was a little slope. I actually dug down a bit for the tunge, but there are several feet under the frame near the back. the dog clears about 1/3 the way back, and I can crawl under at about the half way mark. Honeatly, the only stuff below floor is a little bit of duct work, plumbing and gas lines.
It would be nice to leave the existing piers in place however most are shifted and crooked. IN addition I am bringing in a wider home which I believe will mean the beams will be set at a different width (I think). So it will likely mean relocating all of the piers or re-leveling one row and moving one row. Probably not a good idea to have one row on new ground and one on original ground.
All of the homes in my park have piers set on grade and although there is some shifting do to out northern winters even piers below frost will shift so although piers below frost is a option it is not necessarily a better option. I just can't decide.
For now I will plan for piers on grade and need to figure out the best method to prepare the existing bed which at the very least needs to be regraded to correct the water problem. This is my dilemma. How do I prep for grading and at the same time create the very best bed possible.
If I do not disturb the existing ground what do I add on top and how do I insure it is both good for drainage and stable for new block piers on grade.
All of the homes in my park have piers set on grade and although there is some shifting do to out northern winters even piers below frost will shift so although piers below frost is a option it is not necessarily a better option. I just can't decide.
For now I will plan for piers on grade and need to figure out the best method to prepare the existing bed which at the very least needs to be regraded to correct the water problem. This is my dilemma. How do I prep for grading and at the same time create the very best bed possible.
If I do not disturb the existing ground what do I add on top and how do I insure it is both good for drainage and stable for new block piers on grade.
An individual must enforce his own meaning in life and rise above the perceived conformity of the masses. (Anton LaVey)
Greg, if it were me I would do a lot of concrete work. I would use a concrete pad and pour below the frost line concrete piers.
The pad will give you a dry smooth / level surface under the home and the piers would all be level and you could have set "J" bolts in when they are poured to bolt the frame to after the home is placed. Since the piers would be below frost level ground heave will be a thing of the past. I had a home set up on piers years ago, it was great, NO shifting in the winter!!
To set the piers, I would use an earth auger, 12,81 or 24" that way the earth is disturbed as little as possible. then use sono tubes to form the piers. Since you are going to need at least 12 holes I would look at renting a skid steer with an auger, Going 4-5' deep with a hand held auger will be a killer. Greg
The pad will give you a dry smooth / level surface under the home and the piers would all be level and you could have set "J" bolts in when they are poured to bolt the frame to after the home is placed. Since the piers would be below frost level ground heave will be a thing of the past. I had a home set up on piers years ago, it was great, NO shifting in the winter!!
To set the piers, I would use an earth auger, 12,81 or 24" that way the earth is disturbed as little as possible. then use sono tubes to form the piers. Since you are going to need at least 12 holes I would look at renting a skid steer with an auger, Going 4-5' deep with a hand held auger will be a killer. Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
you do realize you are basically asking "whats the best way to do the job wrong?"
if piers below the frost line are shifting, its because the ground is shifting, probably due to too few piers or piers with too small of a footprint.
as it sounds like you are addament on the block method, get the largest base possible, and/or use more piers than you used last time. a newer wider house will be heavier than an older narrower one.
if you are bringing in fill, leave the old sunk blocks in place, and dump gravel.
if piers below the frost line are shifting, its because the ground is shifting, probably due to too few piers or piers with too small of a footprint.
as it sounds like you are addament on the block method, get the largest base possible, and/or use more piers than you used last time. a newer wider house will be heavier than an older narrower one.
if you are bringing in fill, leave the old sunk blocks in place, and dump gravel.
I live in the land of the frozen north, everything shifts up here, However my property is mainly sand loam and the 33 homes, all on piers set on grade, are as solid as anything mainly due to the soil.
I did not wish to mess with a proven system so was not tending to risk doing it different at this point in time.
Anyway thanks for everyone's advice I will ponder my options. Maybe talk to the township building inspector for advice as well.
I did not wish to mess with a proven system so was not tending to risk doing it different at this point in time.
Anyway thanks for everyone's advice I will ponder my options. Maybe talk to the township building inspector for advice as well.
An individual must enforce his own meaning in life and rise above the perceived conformity of the masses. (Anton LaVey)
Its colder up here than were you are at.
if all the others in the area are fine, and its just your site that has shifted blocks, then there is something wrong with your soil or grade locally. Sandy Loam should drain quite well. you might have something alse going on with your standing water.Talking with the "local expert" would be a good move.
ever consider putting the new place down on a new site?
if all the others in the area are fine, and its just your site that has shifted blocks, then there is something wrong with your soil or grade locally. Sandy Loam should drain quite well. you might have something alse going on with your standing water.Talking with the "local expert" would be a good move.
ever consider putting the new place down on a new site?
The problem was created by a home owner that decided to add fill on one side of the home raising the grade on that side by 12". This eventually caused a water problem under the home.
I will be regrading the lot and raising the homes location by that much and more to make sure it is a high point for water to drain away from.
It should be fine as long as I prepare the new base properly.
I will be regrading the lot and raising the homes location by that much and more to make sure it is a high point for water to drain away from.
It should be fine as long as I prepare the new base properly.
An individual must enforce his own meaning in life and rise above the perceived conformity of the masses. (Anton LaVey)