4 Reasons To Choose Stump Foundations Over Slab Foundations For Your New Home

The vast majority of newly-built houses you see these days are constructed on top of contiguous foundations of solid concrete slabs, and many individuals and families looking to construct a new home may be unaware that any other kind of foundation even exists. However, there is an alternative foundation type that is more rarely seen, but may be ideally suited to the needs of your new home -- stump foundations.

Stump foundations consist of a series of raised concrete stumps that hold your home securely above the ground beneath. Compared to conventional slab foundations, these foundations can be more expensive and difficult to install. However, under certain circumstances these foundations will perform significantly better than slab foundations:

Building on steep gradients

Building a home high in the hills or mountains can be a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban life, or the dreariness of many modern suburban developments. However, finding a perfectly level piece of ground to build on in these locations is understandably difficult, and many mountain homes are constructed on remarkably steep gradients.

In these situations, stump foundations excel. Because the individual stumps of stump foundations can easily be constructed to different lengths, they can be used to build a perfectly level and stable home on the steepest of inclines, without the massive excavations and large amounts of concrete required to build slab foundations on similar ground. The gap left between the base of your foundation stumps and the floor of your house will also allow rain run-off to pass harmlessly underneath your home.

Taking advantage of views

Sometimes you just want to build your home a little higher to take advantage of some fantastic, yet partially obscured views. Although stump foundations are generally more expensive than slab foundations, they are significantly less expensive than adding another storey to your building, and are more likely to be accepted in areas with strict planning permits and homeowner's associations. 

Building in expansive soils

Some soil types, particularly absorbent clays, have a tendency to expand and shift during wet weather; as you can imagine, the forces created by hundreds of tons of earth expanding can wreak havoc on a solid slab foundation. Stump foundations are much more adept at dealing with these shifting soils, as the force of expansion is distributed across a large number of individual stumps rather than one solid mass. If your foundations do become damaged, replacing one or two damaged stumps is significantly easier (not to mention quicker) than repairing or replacing slab foundations.

Adhering to local flood regulations

Waterside properties are always desirable, but come with the implicit danger of flooding, and many waterside developments have strict rules regarding the minimum elevations homes can be built on. By constructing a home on raised stump foundations, you will find it much easier to adhere to local flood planning regulations, allowing you to build closer to the shore and take full advantage of the water. Raised foundations will also help any flooding that does occur drain away from your property more quickly. 

To learn more about when this type of foundation is useful, speak to stump home builders near you.

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