Slab Foundation

[Joyce Christian]

My husband and I have been looking to buy a home and came across a beautiful one. The only thing is is that it has no cellar – it’s on a slab. My husband is very leary about that and, so am I now. What are the bad things about a slab? Joyce.

[Moderator, Steve]

here in Texas 95% of all homes are built on a slab, either floating or not. We have such unstable soils that a cellar is not feasible. Our soils shift so much that during a dry spell and then a torential rain, the slab may move over 1 inch in 24 hours.

With these shifting soils, mainly all clay, we do have to do another regional thing: that is to water our foundation.

You need to direct your question to the targeted region that you are intended to live in.

[Dodgeman]

Building on a slab promotes the conduction of heat out the edges of the slab, and the floor around the edges can feel cold in the winter. Than is, unless it has been insulated around the perimiter.
The lack of storage space is another negative. Access to plumbing, wiring is more difficult.
But, if you really like the house, why not? As Steve stated, a LOT of houses in this country are built on a slab.
Good Luck!
Dodgeman

[Nands]

I am planning to buy a house in Charlotte,NC and I have liked a couple of houses. But they are built on SLAB. My question to you is shd I be worried abt this SLAB foundation and avoid it or it does not make nay difference?

I am tilted more towards crawl-in space foundation as here in Charlotte there are very few houses with basement and the ones which are there are very expensive. The difference between a slab vs crawlin space house is also almost 15k. Shd I even consider going for a SLAB house? How safe (defect wise) these houses are made?

[Author]

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