Poured or block, concrete walls need reinforcement
Tim Carter
Q: I've been researching foundation types for both new homes and room additions. I've narrowed it down to either poured concrete or concrete block. Many websites say poured concrete is better than concrete block. What's your opinion? Have you worked with both materials?
A: Poured concrete and concrete block are the two foundation types that dominate the residentialconstruction industry.
I've built buildings using both materials. The last home I built for my family had a poured concrete foundation, but in the backyard I used concrete block to build a magical serpentine retaining wall that looks as good today as the day I built it decades ago.
Here's the truth. You can build a poured concrete foundation that can crack and cave in within a year, and you can build a concrete block foundation that can last for hundreds of years with no failure whatsoever. Reinforcing steel is what determines success in the battle between the foundation walls and Mother Nature.
If you want a super-strong concrete block foundation, you need to include both horizontal steel-reinforcing wire and, in the cores, vertical reinforcing steel that extends up from the concrete footing. The cores of the concrete block need to be filled solid with strong concrete that has pea-sized aggregate.
Poured concrete foundations also require reinforcing steel if you want the walls to resist the horizontal forces of wet soil. Another key point to remember is that foundation walls buried in the ground are nothing more than retaining walls. They stop the soil from cascading These forms are used to create a poured concrete foundation. Concrete block also is a viable building material if it is reinforced properly.
into your basement.
Modern poured concrete foundation forms have revolutionized foundation construction. An experienced foreman with a small team of semi-skilled laborers can set poured concrete foundation forms in the morning, and pour the concrete in the afternoon. The next day the forms can be stripped off and carpenters
can get to work.
It would take a small army of masons to achieve the same results building with concrete block. Poured concrete is a huge time saver. Be sure you use lots of steel no matter what material you decide to choose.
Q: My house was built in 1972 in a floodplain. Twice in the past nine years, it's had two feet of water in it, most recently from Hurricane Florence. I'm desperate to sell the house, but I doubt anyone will buy this turkey, nor should they. I didn't understand what I was buying at the time. Can you help? What are my options?
A: Countless people have this problem. Watch the news after each natural disaster and you see images of destroyed or flooded homes. Recently, pictures in the news showed nothing but concrete slabs next to the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico along the Florida panhandle. Hurricane Michael's storm surge ground up the houses like a blender purees vegetables.
There's little I can do to help, but I suggest you schedule a meeting with the top three realtors in your neighborhood. They'll be able to outline your options.