4 ms·
I'm not an architect, but my understanding is that the foundation has to be far enough down that the ground does not freeze under it, which is why houses in the
by stanferder 7y ago
I'm not an architect, but my understanding is that the foundation has to be far enough down that the ground does not freeze under it, which is why houses in the Northeast US and Canada have basements.
- wolco 7y ago6 ft so the ground does freeze/melt and the structure become uneven.
- sgc 7y agoIt's actually calculated based on the frost line for the area. I don't think when building on solid rock it matters, since the point is to avoid expansion and contraction of freeze thaw cycle pushing the house up.
- jefftk 7y agoThis depends enormously on where you are: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/ltpp/08057/07.cfm https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructur... Go farther South and it gets down to eventually nothing. Go far enough North, to permafrost country, and you not only need to dig down to the permafrost but you need to have insulation so the permafrost doesn't melt.
- jacquesm 7y agoYes, you want to go low enough that frost heave will not affect your footings. But if you anchor into bedrock then shallow is fine.