footers

[bryan]

My new home has been brought in and set up on the footers.My question is if they did the footers correct.The house is 26x76 and there is 4 rows of footers poured the length of the home.These footers are about 2ft round about 2 ft down into the ground.What concerns me is the blocks that sit on the footers and then the house sits on them.At the 4 corners of the home and 2 spots in the middle where the 2 halfs come together.The blocks are 2 wide stagered to make a square 4 blocks high.At all of the other footers there is just a single stack(one right on top of the other) these blocks are 4" solid blocks.They used wood wedges to level the home on top of all the blocks.There is no morter holding any of the blocks together.There is a footer about every 8 ft the length of the home in 4 rows from front to back and two footers in the middle where the 2 halfs come together.Does this sound like the right way to do it? I think stacking the blocks in a single stack one on top of the other and no morter anywhere just doesnt sound or look right.What do you think as you know alot more about these homes then me.Also would it be difficult to add to this blocking now that the house is set up if they tell me it cant be changed.Thanks for all the help!

[Bill Fry]

This sounds pretty much like a standard set with the exception of the single block piers.
The better way is to double block all piers though single stacking is acceptable.
There is rarely mortor used between the blocks unless the home was set by a crane and the piers were set prior to the home be rolled in.Treated wood shims are the way the home is leveled on the piers and your footers sound like they were poured correctly.All in all you should be OK.If the home is set to code there not going to do anything more for you.

[rmurray]

I agree with Bill....as a matter of fact with the higher cost of concrete...many dealers are only using individual footers rather than runners...

If you are unbcomfortable...you can have the block piers shearwalled...basically a special stucco that bonds the blocks..often better than mortor....any foundation contractor would do this for little money...

You did not mention a vapor barrier...The whole ground under the home should be covered with visqueen..

[bryan]

Thanks alot for the qick answers you guys are great.Im really trying to watch every step of this prodject to make sure its done correct but if it wasnt for this site I wouldnt have a qlue to what is exceptable or not.A friend of mine is a foundation contractor so I will have the blocks shearwalled or have him show me how its done and I'll do it myself.Im not sure what visqueen is , I am aware of plastic placed on the ground for a vapor barrier.I was planning on doing the plastic myself when the home is complete.Is the visqueen something I can roll out and cut under the home myself?I just found out that the septic will have to be a mound system or at least a partial mound system.Looks like the back yard will be riuned.Do you guys have any ideas on making the mound wich they say will be 40' long 7' wide and about 18" high less notecible.The dang thing is smack dead in the middle of the back yard.The gas company put flags in the ground where they plan on burrying the tank,sure enough right where my pool is going to be.So i have to get in touch with them and tell them it cant go there.I know I will have to pay for the longer run of copper.If I could give any advice to a new home owner it would be to stay on top of every little thing being done to your home.Ive been under my home,and in the home every day when I get off work.When I get there the workers are gone and I take a look at everything that has been done that day.Man I cant wait to move in!

[Bill Fry]

Your septic sounds like a ultra shallow set-up.These are used in areas where there is a lot of clay,gumbo in the soil,you are in a low lieing area or the soil just doesnt perk well.If you want to mimimize the humps bring in about 6 dump truck loads of fill(perferably a sandy mix type) in the area where the tank and drain field will be.Have it leveled off to raise the elevation in this area before they start the septic and drain field instalation.They will bring in fill after as part of their setup but the higher you get it before they start the less noticable the tank and drainfield humps will be.(and the better the drainfield to boot)
You are right,you have to stay on top of things.Unfortunely many contractors don't care how well it gets done as long as it gets down.

[rmurray]

You could just tell every one you have a small native american burial mound in the yard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!