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Thread: When it rains, We pour!

  1. #16
    Different areas of the country require different things. Here in eastern KY we have to dig below the frost line to 24 inches, and the footing has to be 12 inches wide and the poured concrete must be at least 12 inches deep in the 24 inch deep ditch, and have rebar in it too, and the rebar must be electrically grounded to the breaker panel as well. That last rule is ridiculous but they require it anyway.
    Last edited by Duane Bledsoe; 10-06-2012 at 9:48 PM.

  2. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Duane Bledsoe View Post
    .........and the rebar must be electrically grounded to the breaker panel as well. That last rule is ridiculous but they require it anyway.
    Ufer ground. Must be installed if rebar present. A lot of building inspectors think its silly, too.............
    *** "I have gained insights from many sources... experts, tradesman & novices.... no one has a monopoly on good ideas." Jim Dailey, SMC, Feb. 19, 2007
    *** "The best way to get better is to leave your ego in the parking lot."----Eddie Wood, 1994
    *** We discovered that he had been educated beyond his intelligence........
    *** Student of Rigonomics & Gizmology

    Waste Knot Woods
    Rice, VA

  3. #18
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    Great fun to see it happening!

    I do remember when I did my foundation. In may part of the world I have to go 4 feet below grade. The forms I made myself ( and did a half ass job). Then ipwe caught a torrential downpour as we were about half done. What a mess and mad scramble.

    Concrete trucks got stuck in the yard on the way out..... But the foundation is done and although a little wavy.... Its all underground.

    I'm with you, a lot of work hustling and pushing concrete around......

  4. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Jones View Post
    Ufer ground. Must be installed if rebar present. A lot of building inspectors think its silly, too.............
    Here it's not just the building inspector that has to be satisfied. The electrical inspector has to see it and sign off on it as well. If he doesn't see the job until its already under roof and wired internally and then discovers that the rebar wasn't grounded he will say "get out the jack hammers" and make you ground it. Rebar is required here so he will know it was used.

  5. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jaromir Svoboda View Post
    It does not look to deep.I had to dig below frostline.
    It looks more like a ratwall than a foundation. Not sure how far south Westfield is, and what their code requires for foundation depth vs ratwalls. I had a full 42" deep foundation around my attached garage, and the chipmunks still found a way to get under the slab. When I pulled up the old slab to install a new one, there were chipmunk tunnels everywhere. Ah, those little buggers are easy to trap, they are really stupid, compared to squirrels. Now I keep them in check. Those little guys are cute, but can really screw up a foundation.

  6. #21
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    Our planning and building inspection departments are very diligent here, to say the least, and I'm sure the structure meets code. I'm not sure what depth the frost line is located at but by the time the foundation is backfilled I'm sure it will have adequite depth. We are in central Indiana, I've heard the frostline is 18" here.

    More mud flowed today, they poured the forms for the stem wall or what ever it's called. I'm certainly glad we went with the solid concrete foundation and not block. Next is the pea gravel and slab. The framers hope to stare next Monday and I'm very happy to see the workshop begin to take shape. Chipmonks around here seem to succumb easily to rat poison, I hope no one calls the SPCA on me but I can't see having my property destroyed by rodents, cute as they are.

    I threw in a couple of photos showing the background and setting for the workshop.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  7. #22
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    I'm just a bit north of you and our frost line is 36"--I can't imagine yours would be that much different.
    Jason

    "Don't get stuck on stupid." --Lt. Gen. Russel Honore


  8. #23
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    Apr 2010
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    Westfield, Indiana
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    The footings are 12" wide and 24" deep. Took 13 yards of concrete to pour for 24'x36' footings so a little math shows plenty of concrete for the size. No rebar in the footings, but the walls have rebar. I'll check with the builder as far as grounding. To the best of my knowledge the only grounding required is the 8' rod where the power comes in.

  9. #24
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    I believe that the frost-line in KY are close to 30 inches

  10. #25
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    You are coming right along. You will have a shop in no time. What is the size of your shop? Keep the photo's coming.

    Sam

  11. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by Duane Bledsoe View Post
    Here it's not just the building inspector that has to be satisfied. The electrical inspector has to see it and sign off on it as well. If he doesn't see the job until its already under roof and wired internally and then discovers that the rebar wasn't grounded he will say "get out the jack hammers" and make you ground it. Rebar is required here so he will know it was used.
    I was using the term "building inspector" loosely. It's how I announce myself, altho' it's said "Building Inspections", like the department. I wear all the hats. There's no way I would ever mandate damage a footing just to install a ufer ground. Two ground rods not less than 6' apart has worked admirably for years. Stuff happens, the ufer ground may get damaged, removed, etc. And the biggest problem for me hasn't been addressed: A footing contractor, without an electrical license, is allowed, nay, if I may, required, to perform electrical work. Just doesn't make sense for something that has been deemed by NEC as mucho importante............. Not everything fits in a box.

    I believe you said concrete walls so no worries with that darn braced wall panel crap..................

    Have you thought about roughing in a radiant loop or two, just in case?
    *** "I have gained insights from many sources... experts, tradesman & novices.... no one has a monopoly on good ideas." Jim Dailey, SMC, Feb. 19, 2007
    *** "The best way to get better is to leave your ego in the parking lot."----Eddie Wood, 1994
    *** We discovered that he had been educated beyond his intelligence........
    *** Student of Rigonomics & Gizmology

    Waste Knot Woods
    Rice, VA

  12. #27
    Join Date
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    Westfield, Indiana
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    I have thought about putting tubing for heat in the slab, however my builder convinced me that since I will use the shop intermittantly it would take too long to heat up and would not be efficient.. The thought of a warm floor in winter does sound good.

  13. #28
    Plus, worth more if you ever sell it...................

    Couple of solar panels on the roof would make a nice passive system.......................
    *** "I have gained insights from many sources... experts, tradesman & novices.... no one has a monopoly on good ideas." Jim Dailey, SMC, Feb. 19, 2007
    *** "The best way to get better is to leave your ego in the parking lot."----Eddie Wood, 1994
    *** We discovered that he had been educated beyond his intelligence........
    *** Student of Rigonomics & Gizmology

    Waste Knot Woods
    Rice, VA

  14. #29
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    westchester cty, NY
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    Quote Originally Posted by Glenn Kotnik View Post
    I have thought about putting tubing for heat in the slab, however my builder convinced me that since I will use the shop intermittantly it would take too long to heat up and would not be efficient.. The thought of a warm floor in winter does sound good.
    nice warm socks, toe heaters and thick sole insulated work boots for cold weather shop work will save you money that you can put towards the shop or the equipment in it.

  15. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Jones View Post
    I was using the term "building inspector" loosely. It's how I announce myself, altho' it's said "Building Inspections", like the department. I wear all the hats. There's no way I would ever mandate damage a footing just to install a ufer ground. Two ground rods not less than 6' apart has worked admirably for years. Stuff happens, the ufer ground may get damaged, removed, etc. And the biggest problem for me hasn't been addressed: A footing contractor, without an electrical license, is allowed, nay, if I may, required, to perform electrical work. Just doesn't make sense for something that has been deemed by NEC as mucho importante............. Not everything fits in a box.

    I believe you said concrete walls so no worries with that darn braced wall panel crap..................

    Have you thought about roughing in a radiant loop or two, just in case?
    Oh they solved that problem here about the footing contractors doing electrical work. You will love how they did it too. First they dig the footing and then install rebar. Then they're done for the day and the electrician comes in then just to install one wire, which holds their job up. After this it all gets inspected by both the building inspector and the electrical inspector before continuing on. Then the footing guys can come back and pour the concrete, after which it gets another inspection again by the building inspector.

    Aside from the two stage footing inspections, it sucks for the footing guys cause they could dig and pour all in the same day otherwise, but that single useless wire holds everything up.

    I was licensed as an electrician in my state several years back but when they started that business about the grounded rebar and our continuing education said we had to bust the foundation to install it if the builders forgot to allow time for us to do it before hand, and then we had to assume the foundation warranty for doing so, I dumped my license and got out of the field. I figured it was the first of many more stupid rules to follow. I was warned that the footing guys sometimes take the attitude that the wire is nothing to them cause they want paid and out of there so they'd pour it without the wire. The building inspector isn't looking for the wire, just that the concrete is poured to specified dimensions. It's only later that the electrical inspector and electrician (me) would find out the hard way it was left out and I was told that I'd be required to add it in if it was by the state's continuing education instructor. He even went far enough to say that even if I put the ufer ground in and it got broken off before I come back after the structure is built to rough in the wire, that I'd have to break concrete and repair it. This voids the foundation warranty immediately and makes me responsible if it cracks later.
    Last edited by Duane Bledsoe; 10-10-2012 at 10:18 PM.

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