Foundation height above ground level (balance required). Base / plinth height from the ground according to the standards Minimum foundation height above the ground SNP

Building concrete foundations in Moscow, the region and throughout the country begins with a detailed and technically correct calculation of all the nuances and features. To establish the main characteristics of the base of the cottage, the design of the cottage, the features of the relief and the state of the soil, are taken into account, and the meteorological situation in each specific region is also taken into account. All these subtleties are needed to calculate the height of the foundation in its aboveground part - that structural element on which many are trying to save money.

The specialists of InnovaStroy, based on the requirements of GOST and SNiP, create such structural elements that, on the one hand, will save the developer's money, and on the other, will ensure the safety of the building, its supporting structures and finishes, no matter what materials they are.

The height of the foundation above the ground - what is it?

As you know, the base of any cottage is buried in the ground at a certain distance, depending on design features buildings, design loads, characteristics of the soil base and the location of groundwater. Naturally, the underground part of the foundation can be of very different depths, up to 1.2 meters with no space involved. With the creation of a basement or a well-equipped basement, this depth can reach 3 meters. The question naturally arises about that part of the base that protrudes above ground level - that is, above zero mark heights. Many believe that this part can be neglected and significant savings can be made on more than one cubic meter of monolith or brick.

In fact, those few tens of centimeters separating the surface of the earth from the beginning load-bearing walls, are designed to provide increased protection of the entire structure from adverse external influences. The height of the foundation above the ground level is determined at the design stage by our architects and designers. This part of the building foundation is processed in the same way as all other elements - waterproofing, insulation, decorative external cladding... But in addition to aesthetic beauty, the basement distance also carries a functional load, which we do not advise to be discounted if you want your country mansion to stand for a very long time and does not require repair.

House foundation height: what is it for

The distance from the ground to the bottom edge of the load-bearing walls and exterior trim is designed to provide several protective functions, for which it is actually created by architects and designers. Below we describe the main functions of the basement, excluding the option with a full basement floor, since in this case, according to GOST, more than 1 meter of distance from the ground to the first floor is required. So, the main functions of the aboveground part of the foundation:

Leveling the relief of the site without making changes to the topography of the territory, with the absence of large volumes earthworks... With very large differences in the height of the site, it is best to order a pile foundation at InnovaStroy to minimize any excavation operations;
Opposition to the heaving of the soil layer in the process of freezing - thus, the soil acts only in the horizontal direction on the walls of the base, and does not apply efforts to the supporting structures of the walls of the cottage;
Protection against waterlogging during the critical amount of precipitation. Since the above-ground part of the foundation is slightly recessed in relation to the plane of the wall, it is easier to drain rainwater and condensate from the walls, which helps to prevent the appearance of dampness and mold;
A defined foundation height above the ground minimizes the effects of capillary moisture and vapors. In the process of atmospheric exposure, microscopic foci of moisture appear in the surrounding space and on the territory - dew, for example, they evaporate and can cause detrimental influence to the house, settling on surfaces. The distance from the ground level of construction allows you to retrace given type moisture in drainage system even before it settles on the walls themselves;
The height of the foundation of the house provides airflow in the base to improve ventilation of the underfloor space. Another functional load is work in the form of an additional waterproofer, together with a blind area;
Do not forget about the aesthetic beauty of the building, which has a small distance between the ground and the walls, finished, as a rule, in contrasting materials in relation to the outer facade of the walls.

How high should the foundation be above ground level?

This issue is very relevant, since most of the protective processes are not visible during operation, and all the advantages appear only in the long term. Based on this, many developers are trying to save money on this structure and exclude it from construction and estimate documentation.

However, many generations of builders and architects have already tried different variants constructions country cottage, which led, as a result, to the widespread use of the above-ground basement distance in the construction of all houses. For each type of building material, from which the cottage will be erected, there are certain requirements about how high the foundation should be above ground level, which must be taken into account by the designers.

The most common parameter is in the range from 30 to 50 centimeters - which optimally provides protection for a house built in middle lane Russia. If the maximum level of snowfall reaches 20 centimeters, then the distance can be increased.

It is also worth considering the fact that about 10 centimeters of a given height will be occupied by a blind area with a surface finishing material - so you will have to increase the distance to the ground. Naturally, there are cases when 20 centimeters of the height of the aboveground part of the foundation is enough - this is in those areas where the soils are not heaving and the maximum snowfall does not exceed 5 centimeters - in the south of our country.

It is impossible to ignore the fact that during the construction country house the height between the ground and the base of the walls is used to give the building originality and a unique style - for example, terraces are made below floor level with wide steps, or the platform can be built on piles, which will give the house a charm and light sophistication. The entrance block also acquires several steps with railings and a veranda, which also affects the image of your country residence. Perhaps the height of the above-ground part of the foundation is that rare case in architecture when the purely functional details of the house could be turned into its zest and an unusual decorative element. There are even cases when the basement part is made protruding, in the form of an old "rubble" - there are no restrictions on design and engineering thought, as long as this part of the foundation regularly performs its main functions of protecting the house.

What is the optimal height of the foundation above the ground for the types of structures?

Based on the main material from which it will be created Basic structure structure, the parameters of the distance from the zero mark are also selected. For example, the height of the strip foundation at shallow bedding is almost always equal to its underground part - that is, about 50-60 centimeters. At the same time, there is no particular difference where strip foundation in the Moscow region will fit, since the approximate soil profile is the same for the entire central region and most of the surrounding areas of the country. By type of structure, you can present approximate figures for the distance from the edge of the wall to the ground level:

30-40 centimeters - for brick and monolithic structures;
40-50 centimeters - when using gas-foam blocks, large-sized ceramic materials;
Over 50 centimeters - when constructing a frame, prefabricated or wooden house, since the material is most strongly susceptible to external influences.

What is the height of a monolithic foundation to make?

This question arises most often, since in the strip base there is a rather small area of the foundation surface, which can be increased with the help of various building materials. In the pile and screw version of the foundation, the technology itself provides for at least 20 centimeters from the extreme point of the ground to the bottom of the grillage strapping. Since a monolithic foundation slab, the price of which is already quite high, requires homogeneous pouring to a certain height, it is best to consult with our company's specialists on how to simplify the basement structure and reduce the financial costs of creating a slab foundation. contour building of the basement with the help of bricks, and fill the interior space with a more accessible floor screed. In any case, professional help never hurts when creating a reliable and durable foundation.

Exactly what the height of the foundation will be sufficient for your particular cottage can be determined exclusively by a trained specialist of InnovaStroy. More than 7 years of practice and our own developments in the field suburban construction allow to provide each customer with objective and substantiated data on all the nuances of building a foundation for a cottage, not only in Moscow, but throughout Russia. Use the services of professionals to prevent premature and unexpected costs of repairs and restoration of the load-bearing parts of the cottage.

The height of the basement of a country house above the ground can be very different. It is influenced by several factors at once, ranging from the type of foundation and ending with the depth of the groundwater. Many homeowners who are engaged in construction on their own do not pay due attention to the issue of the height of the basement part of the building, because they are sure that it is enough to make the basement slightly raised above the ground in order to continue construction work.

However, this is not enough. You need to understand that the basement is the aboveground part of the base of the house. The higher it is from the surface, the more difficult it is for moisture from the ground to penetrate into living quarters. The basement walls must be separated from the walls of the first floor with a waterproofing layer. This is done so that moisture that could penetrate the base material does not penetrate through the capillaries into the wall material. The humidity level in different parts of the house can vary significantly, and this must be taken into account when building.

If the walls of the building are too low, the structure and the main Construction Materials will constantly get wet, they will be worsened thermal insulation properties, and internal destructive processes will begin to occur. Gradually, these processes lead to complete destruction building material from the inside. As a result, the service life of the structure is significantly reduced, and the owners sometimes cannot determine why this is happening. And the answer is simple - insufficient height of the base above the ground.

Standard height

In the usual country house the basement should rise above the ground by about 30-40 cm. If the building is built of wood, then it is better to take a higher height (about 60-80 cm). If the presence of an underground floor is provided in a country house, then the height indicators can reach 1.5-2 meters.

When determining the height of the basement, it is necessary to take into account the weather conditions on the ground: indoor and outdoor temperature in winter, snow level, abundance of precipitation, the likelihood of flooding, the level of groundwater. It is quite difficult for a layperson to take into account all these factors. Therefore, even if you are building a house yourself, it is best to turn to specialists for correct calculations. One-time insignificant costs at this stage will help to avoid serious financial losses in the future for repair and re-equipment of the structure.

Typical dimensions and layout of a strip monolithic base.

In order to clearly understand what the meaning of a certain basement height is, it is necessary to consider several main functions performed by this part of the building:

The plinth prevents getting wet internal structures Houses.
The plinth protects the finishing materials of the building (for example, plastic panels) from contamination.
Compensation for soil shrinkage observed due to the effect of the weight of the house structure.
If a strip or columnar foundation was used for the construction of a house, then the distance from the ground to the floor will affect the duration of the operation of the floor, which is often made of wood. In addition, the thermal insulation characteristics of the subfloor will depend on this indicator.
The plinth helps to ventilate the subfloor efficiently.
Among other things, the base is architectural solution that influences the overall visual impression of the building.

Experts recommend paying special attention to the height of the base in wooden buildings, because when the lower rims rot, it becomes very difficult to carry out any repair work. That is why developers are striving to reduce the likelihood of wood rotting by increasing the height of the plinth. But with independent construction, the owners often, on the contrary, reduce the height of the basement part, trying to make the exterior of the house more aesthetic. Thus, they are making a serious mistake.

The main disadvantage of a high base is that with its increase, the cost of holding construction works.

Types of plinths

The methods for constructing a basement will differ depending on the type of foundation of the building. In our country, either a tape or a pile base is most often used. The monolithic foundation is also very popular.

Plinth made with brickwork.

If it was erected strip foundation, then the base can be made in two solutions:

Monolithic. In this case, the foundation is made in the form concrete wall... Such a plinth must be built together with the pouring of the foundation.
Masonry. When implementing a basement from masonry, the foundation is made to the level of the soil, then brick (or from other building material) masonry is made. Such a structure cannot boast of a high level of protection against various influences (when compared with a monolithic alternative), therefore it is necessary to carry out additional cladding and finishing.

When using a pile foundation above the ground, there are some difficulties. The height and thickness of the base in this case is determined depending on the above-ground part of the piles. The basement with a pile foundation can be hinged or made on a strip foundation.

Home decoration with siding.

The principles of finishing in this case are as follows:

Finishing work should begin with surface preparation. It is not necessary, but highly desirable to remove all the defects of the rough wall. If the walls have significant irregularities, then it is recommended to make a high-quality lathing, and not spend extra time on leveling.
After that, the starting rail is installed, which is mounted in a horizontal position (approximately 40-45 mm above the bottom point).
Further, the siding sheet is mounted in a guide rail and secured with self-tapping screws or special fixing elements.
Then you need to insert the second siding sheet, sliding it to the previous one. It is recommended to leave a minimum gap at the joints so that the material can expand without problems when heated. The minimum temperature, by the way, will slightly reduce the thickness of the trim elements.
Subsequently, it is necessary in the same way.

Naturally, the basement of the building can be finished with any other modern or traditional cladding materials. The main thing in this case is to ensure the protection of construction materials from moisture and cold air. In addition, attention must be paid to the arrangement of the blind area and the drainage system on the site. With their help, it will be possible to exclude the flooding of the underground premises of the house, as well as the effect of moisture on the structures.

What does height affect?

From everything that has been said above, we can conclude that the security will depend on the height of the base indoor spaces country house and building materials used for its construction. At the same time, you need to determine the height with intelligence and calculation, because with every centimeter of the aboveground part, the cost of construction work will increase. In addition, special attention should be paid to protecting the basement of the building from the cold by placing it in the space between the wall and finishing materials high-quality thermal insulation layer.

The higher the base, the better if the material for building a house is subject to biological effects and moisture. This, of course, is about wood. When erecting wooden houses it is best to make the most reliable base / plinth with effective waterproofing and thermal insulation layers.

If you are having difficulty calculating the height of the basement of your country house, then you should seek help from specialists. Of course, this type of assistance is not free, however, it is better to bear the costs at this stage of construction than to spend money on renovating the house in the future.

The socle is called outer wall the foundation on which the facade rests. It is also the upper part of the basement walls, if it exists. The height of the base depends on the type of base, common project at home, the nature of the soil, the purpose of the basement. There are certain building regulations in this regard.

Some homeowners believe that if there is no basement, then the basement is useless, you can make the foundation flush with the ground.

house project without base

This is mistake. The main task of the plinth is to isolate the facade from contact with the ground. And so that soil water does not rise from the ground along the concrete by a capillary path, a layer of roofing material is laid between the front and basement walls.

Base / plinth scheme

The basement must be high enough regardless of the facade materials: wood, foam and cinder concrete, bricks are equally affected by water.

In addition to protecting the walls of the house from destruction, the basement solves other problems:

protects the facade from pollution (due to the proximity of the ground, the lower part of the house suffers from them the most);
protects the skin from mechanical damage ( basement cladding orders of magnitude stronger than the front);
compensates for shrinkage due to the load from the house;
isolates from harmful effects basement overlap (most often wooden);
increases the thermal insulation characteristics of the basement;
gives the appearance of the house aesthetic completeness.
provides its full ventilation (air vents are usually located in the basement of the foundation);

When designing a basement, one should take into account the climate (average temperature in cold weather), average annual rainfall. You can determine the minimum basement height for your site empirically: over several winters, measure the depth of the snow cover and add 10 cm of stock to the average value.

note

Minimum height basement above the ground according to SNiP for the southern regions - 20 cm (preferably 30-40). If the house is wooden, preferably the distance from the surface of the earth is from 50 to 90. If there is a basement floor, the recommended height of the basement can be up to 2 meters.

A high base is more expensive than a low base due to the increased volume of concreting work. But in the calculations, savings are in second place, in the first place - strength and performance characteristics, which largely depend on the material of the facade.

The height of the plinth is also influenced by its position relative to the facade wall. There are three options:

western - the plane of the base is recessed inward relative to the facade. Possible only if the thickness of the front wall is large enough;

flush with the facade;

speaker. This option is the only possible one if the thickness of the facade walls is small, and also if the project provides ground floor.

The advantages of the third option are increased thermal insulation characteristics (a necessary property when constructing an exploited basement). In all other cases, the first option is preferable: the overhanging facade wall reliably protects the base from atmospheric factors and mechanical damage. Obviously, the height of the plinth of the descending one should be minimal, since with its increase, the degree of protection decreases.

Foundation options for the height of the basement in a private house

There are structural differences in plinths on low foundations (tape, pile-tape, slab) and elevated (pile, columnar). In the first case, no air layers between the ground and the overlap of the first floor does not exist, the internal space is completely closed with a concrete or brick tape - either the upper part of the tape foundation, or a superstructure around the perimeter of the slab. In the second case, a gap remains between the ground and the floor, the height of which is determined by the height of the above-ground part of the pillars or piles.

basement at a house with a pile foundation

The choice of the type of foundation depends on the characteristics of the soil, relief, and the mass of the building. This issue is resolved at the design stage of the house.

With a low foundation, the basement part can be monolithic or prefabricated - from blocks, bricks. The second option assumes less protection of the base from harmful factors.

brick plinth scheme on a strip foundation

Increased attention is paid exterior decoration, not so much for aesthetic as for protective reasons. In any case, a blind area is performed (at least for diverting atmospheric waters from the base), and with a high bedding groundwater- drainage system. The maximum height of such a plinth is limited mainly by economic considerations.

The pile foundation can be low (the grillage lies directly on the ground) or raised. Columnar, usually elevated. Since it is considered the most unstable, the height should be at least 20 centimeters (to compensate for heaving of the soil). To ensure sufficient thermal insulation interior space houses, the gaps between the posts / piles are laid with bricks, covered with asbestos-cement slabs or wooden / plywood boards.

example of warming the basement and strapping pile-screw foundation

example internal insulation pile foundation base

example of basement insulation outside the pile foundation

example of finishing the basement of the pile foundation

The maximum height of such a plinth is structurally limited: the above-ground load-bearing part cannot be too high.

What is the best basement height?

All of the above does not depend on the availability of an exploited basement. The basement floor is an important decision from the point of view of the rational planning of space in the house and on the site. Suitable for solving almost any task: if desired, here you can equip not only a cellar or boiler room, but also a study, home theater, bedroom. Even taking into account the additional costs of the foundation, a large basement height for a one-story house will cost less than installing a second floor.

note

The total height of the basement floor (according to SNiP) is not less than 2.5 meters. More details.

Floor characteristics according to standards:

overlap height relative to ground level - within two meters;
deepening the basement floor into the ground - no more than half the basement height.

The height of your home's basement floor will also depend on the purpose of the basement. If you are planning to make a bedroom or a room for comfortable rest, it is better to be guided by the maximum value; when arranging a utility compartment at a height of ceilings, you can save (within reasonable limits).

Tags: basement height snip basement basement floor

The plinth is the lower part outer wall a building that is erected on the foundation and plays the role of a barrier between the wall and the destructive effects of atmospheric phenomena. A building devoid of basement is at risk from mold and decay and is less likely to retain heat inside during cold periods. The main condition for a brick base on a strip foundation is high strength. Its structure must withstand the entire mass of the walls of the building. To achieve the required indicator will help quality materials with a high level of resistance to frost, moisture and pressure resistance.

Varieties of basement used in construction

Today there are three options for the basement, which are used in the construction of residential premises:

Exiting base. From the name it can be understood that such a coating extends beyond the outer walls of the house. This type of base will be used if they want to achieve additional heat resistance in frost or the style of the building itself requires it, because from an aesthetic point of view, this option is more attractive. So that water does not linger on the surface of the base, it is usually equipped with grooves or a drainage system.
The plinth end-to-end with the outer walls has recently been used extremely rarely. Conditioned given fact, first of all, the absence of any useful properties in this type of base.
The recessed base is used in the construction of residential buildings. Erected 6 cm deeper than the plane of the outer walls, this type of base can save money on organizing a drain for water, and also ensure the safety of the waterproofing layer.

What should be the width of the base

The dimensions of the basement directly depend on the material from which the walls of the building will be erected. Such information is always contained in the general plan and on the project drawing. With walls made of a foam block (which is sometimes also called a gas silicate brick) with a long surface of 60 cm, a width of 30 cm and a height of 20 cm, the masonry must be at least 30 cm thick.

If further construction involves the equipment of an additional insulation layer on top of the walls, then the width of the basement should ideally be 38 cm.However, in the case when a brick is used as decorative element, built over the walls of foam concrete blocks, the thickness of the basement increases by another 22 cm, after which it will be at least 60 cm.

Determining the height

Until now, the construction masters do not have an unambiguous answer to the question of what the height of the basement should be. As the level at which the upper point of the masonry should be located, it is best to take the height of the dropped out for several recent years atmospheric precipitation. This masonry technology is the most reliable and guarantees future construction, erected on a strip foundation made of bricks, with a long service life.

But in practice, most often there is a basement masonry with a height equal to the floor of the first floor in the building. This technique also applies to structures with a basement floor. Fashion and style trends in our time imply the presence of a high and massive basement in the house, which are able to highlight the living space, giving it grace and elegance.

Insulated brick plinth on strip foundation

We remind you that all work on the organization of the basement is carried out on the erected strip base.

Outline the corners

One of the most important rules in the construction of not only the basement, but also any building in general, can be considered the correct definition of the corners of the structure. Negligence in this matter will certainly lead to the curvature of the surface of the walls, which ultimately will lead to their partial or even complete bearing capacity.

Several technologies are used to correctly align the angles, but the following technique is considered the simplest:

A row of bricks is laid in all corners of the building's base without using cement mortar... In this case, the planned width of the future structure must be observed. The corners are inserted using a building level.
Next, measure the length and width on both sides, as well as the diagonals. All readings must match to the nearest centimeter. Measurements are carried out using a tape measure or twine.
It does not hurt to check the future walls for irregularities again. To do this, use the same twine.

Waterproofing the base surface

To provide reliable protection the basement masonry from groundwater should take care of organizing the upper part of the foundation with an insulating layer, the functions of which can be performed by roofing material folded in half. It is glued to the surface of the base with bituminous mastic, a burner or heated bitumen. Also, glass insulation, euroruberoid or an improved type of roofing material is used as a waterproofing layer, which is based on cardboard - rubemast.

Bricklaying

Having provided the foundation surface with a waterproofing layer, you can start laying a brick base. For stapling the bars, a solution of cement, sand and water is used. When erecting a basement, only red brick is used without holes and cavities.

To lay out the basement, start from the corners, placing the rows opposite each other, and covering the surface of the material with a solution 2-2.5 cm thick. After laying out several radars, the surface is checked with a level.

Having reached the minimum base height of 4 rows standard brick, you can start building walls. Finish the surface of the base decorative stone or siding. They often resort to decorating the basement with finishing tiles. With the help of the basement, the strip foundation is leveled with a brick.

If there is a basement in the room, openings in the basement should be provided for ventilation. They are located at a height of 10-15 cm from the soil. The dimensions depend on the diameter of the vent pipe. From above, the basement is covered with a waterproofing layer, the same as the surface of the foundation was covered earlier.

Video about laying bricks on a strip base:

A plinth can be a useful room

In the distribution of the costs of building a house, the foundation can take up to 30% - 40%, therefore, if you want to save money on this part, the minimum basement height must still be observed, as a necessary condition for the long-term operation of the building. The elevation of the supporting structure above the ground has a number of important functions, and it is provided for in all types of foundations. A correctly made basement fulfills its tasks regardless of whether it is a basement, a cellar, or simply pillars sheathed with siding for light outbuildings.

Basement elevation tasks

To the height of the basement above ground level in case of self-construction own home often pay less attention than the depth of the foundation. It is not standardized so strictly and is described in the requirements of GOSTs in less detail.

In the foundation, this part, in addition to transferring the load down to the support, performs 2 of its own tasks:

hydraulic fracturing between soil and walls;
ventilation of the underground.

The prevention of the capillary rise of moisture along the materials (concrete, brick, wood) ensures the laying of waterproofing along the upper plane of the base. The height to which the basement wall is raised protects against water falling on the outer surface of the building in the form of secondary drops, contacting snow cover, soil sediment and debris, as shown in this figure:

A clear answer to the question of why it is necessary to observe the minimum required height of the basement above the blind area near the walls of the house is shown on practical example the specialist in this video:

Insulation

Regardless of, cottage or has several tiers, wooden or brick, the basement is combined into a single whole with the underground part of the foundation with a heat-insulating and waterproofing coating.

The lift height above the ground is calculated taking into account the protection of the internal floor structures of the first floor, as shown in this drawing:

V this example the plinth is raised above the zero mark by 0.6 m, since 0.2 m is the thickness of the floor slab. The second component of 0.4 m may be due to the thickness of the snow cover characteristic of the area and the size of the air ducts, which are located 0.1 m above the snow.

Concrete tape built up with bricks

Monolithic strip foundations to maintain the required height are often made in a combined (by materials) version. To do this, the above-ground part of the tape with air vents is laid out of red fired brick, as in this photo:

At the same time, one should not unnecessarily arrange a high base (with a margin), since the cost of insulating the base increases. Depending on the type constructive solution heat loss from the surface of the protruding base reaches from 10% to 15%. In the case of a high non-insulated basement made of concrete, brick, rubble stone, this value can grow up to 40%.

The influence of the blind area

In design solutions for a house of light or medium weight, the basement is usually an extension of an underground support made of the same material. The minimum height above the ground, permitted by SNiP, is 0.2 m. Support belts with a size of 0.4 - 0.7 m work practically effectively. The insulated blind area along the perimeter of the building allows to reduce material consumption by reducing the total height of the foundation.

One of the parameters that determines the depth of the foundation is the depth of freezing of the ground in a given climatic region. The indicator is shown in the following reference table:

The total size of the support (tape, pile, pillar) in height in the project will be greater by 0.5 m (the requirement of standards).

Minimum base

Accept a shallower support depth of the house, allows the option of local insulation, mounted under concrete blind area around the building.

With an appropriate thickness of insulation, the absence of basements in the project for the construction of basements in most areas, to obtain a stable capital support for the cottage, you can limit yourself to pouring MZLF with manual digging of trenches and installing low formwork, as in the following photo:

The concrete blind area protects against the penetration of water from the surface of the earth to the foundation materials, but it is necessary to provide effective protection from moisture that flows down the wall during rain down to the basement. It will depend on the selected type of wall and base fillet:

Speaker. The basement part of the foundation is wider than the walls and requires additional installation of a visor along the upper edge, which protects the surface located under it from precipitation flowing down. Another function of such a visor is decorative decoration facade of the building.
Western. Most reliable option, in which the junction of the outer wall and the plane of the basement is made with a step. Kali are torn off the edge without wetting the foundation, which increases the safety of operating conditions for the base material in combination with a waterproofing coating. This type does not need to install fenders for drains.
In the same plane with the wall. It is not popular, since it still requires the construction of a protective visor, which sticks out on the surface.

In order to understand the need for this event (protection from water from the walls and its diversion along the blind area into the drainage), you can calculate the average amount of flowing liters in your area: the average precipitation rate × wall area × 30%.

Useful base

If desired, it is possible to arrange a cellar or a large basement in the underground space of the foundation, if the result of the conducted surveys of the engineering and geological characteristics of the construction site allows.

For specific building conditions, you can calculate how to equip a useful room even for a private house standing on screw piles, a support in the form of a slab, flooded soils or flood rises of groundwater to an elevation of less than 2 m from the ground level.

SNiP 31-01-2003 RF considers the ground floor to be a room located below ground level at a depth not exceeding 1/2 of its height. The height of the above-ground part cannot exceed 2 m.

Structurally, the device of such a foundation with a basement level differs little from ordinary deepening.

View base concrete slab is poured to the calculated depth and walls are erected on it. The strip base is made monolithic or from foundation blocks, its deaf underground part evenly passes into the basement wall with windows and vents.

Monolithic plinth on a slope

An example of installing a monolithic first floor on a slab can be seen in the photo:

The characteristics of materials for such construction will depend on the characteristics of the soil and climate in a particular area. On dry, stable soils, you can take hollow blocks with a low mass. Their main advantage is low thermal conductivity, which, when building an exploited basement level reduces heating costs.

A foundation with a technical room, a cellar or a garage, laid down in the conditions of the assignment at the stage of drawing up the project, allows to obtain a useful room for various needs without increasing the area allocated for the construction of a private house.

If the placement in the plinth useful rooms provided even before the start of construction work, then you can get a tangible effect on the investment costs. But when the building has already been commissioned and is in operation, the need to maintain the stability and bearing capacity of the finished base imposes significant restrictions on the possible layout of the basement space and technological operations for its equipment.

The plinth is the outer wall of the foundation on which the facade rests. It is also the upper part of the basement walls, if it exists. The height of the basement depends on the type of base, the general design of the house, the nature of the soil, the purpose of the basement. There are certain building regulations in this regard.

What is the height of the plinth?

Some homeowners believe that if there is no basement, then the basement is useless, you can make the foundation flush with the ground.

The basement must be high enough regardless of the facade materials: wood, foam and cinder concrete, bricks are equally affected by water.

In addition to protecting the walls of the house from destruction, the basement solves other problems:

protects the facade from pollution (due to the proximity of the ground, the lower part of the house suffers from them the most);
protects the cladding from mechanical damage (the basement cladding is orders of magnitude stronger than the front cladding);
compensates for shrinkage due to the load from the house;
insulates the basement overlap (most often wooden) from harmful influences;
increases the thermal insulation characteristics of the basement;
gives the appearance of the house aesthetic completeness.
provides its full value (usually located in the basement part of the foundation);

note

The minimum basement height above the ground according to SNiP for the southern regions is 20 cm (preferably 30-40). If the house is wooden, preferably the distance from the surface of the earth is from 50 to 90. If there is a basement floor, the recommended height of the basement can be up to 2 meters.

A high base is more expensive than a low base due to the increased volume of concreting work. But in the calculations, savings are in second place, in the first place are strength and performance characteristics, which largely depend on the material of the facade.

The height of the plinth is also influenced by its position relative to the facade wall. There are three options:

western - the plane of the base is recessed inward relative to the facade. Possible only if the thickness of the front wall is large enough;

flush with the facade;

speaker. This option is the only possible one if the thickness of the facade walls is small, as well as if the project provides for.

Foundation options for the height of the basement in a private house

There are structural differences in plinths on low foundations (tape, pile-tape, slab) and raised (pile,). In the first case, there are no air gaps between the ground and the overlap of the first floor, the internal space is completely closed with concrete or tape - either the upper part of the tape foundation, or a superstructure around the perimeter of the slab. In the second case, a gap remains between the ground and the floor, the height of which is determined by the height of the above-ground part of the pillars or piles.

The choice depends on the characteristics of the soil, relief, mass of the building. This issue is resolved at the design stage of the house.

With a low foundation, the basement part can be monolithic or prefabricated - from blocks, bricks. The second option assumes less protection of the base from harmful factors.

Increased attention is paid to external decoration, not so much for aesthetic as for protective reasons. In any case, a blind area is performed (at least for the removal of atmospheric waters from the base), and with a high occurrence of groundwater, a system. The maximum height of such a plinth is limited mainly by economic considerations.

It can be low (the grillage lies directly on the ground) or raised. Columnar, usually elevated. Since it is considered the most unstable, the height should be at least 20 centimeters (to compensate for heaving of the soil). To ensure sufficient thermal insulation of the interior space of the house, the gaps between the posts / piles are laid with bricks, covered with asbestos-cement slabs or wooden / plywood boards.

example of basement insulation and piping of the pile-screw foundation

example of basement insulation outside the pile foundation

The maximum height of such a plinth is structurally limited: the above-ground load-bearing part cannot be too high.

What is the best basement height?

Floor characteristics according to standards:

overlap height relative to ground level - within two meters;
deepening the basement floor into the ground - no more than half the basement height.

The height of your home's basement floor will also depend on the purpose of the basement. If you are planning to make a bedroom or a room for a comfortable rest, it is better to be guided by the maximum size; when arranging a utility compartment at a height of ceilings, you can save (within reasonable limits).

Construction Materials

Peter Kravets

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When building a house, the height of the basement is taken arbitrarily, based on the wishes of the owner, who decided to make a room in the basement for different purposes, for example, a kitchen with a vegetable store. But when calculating, they still use data on the type of soil, the type of foundation and the materials used.

There are times when, when building a basement, they do not pay due attention to it, sincerely believing that it is enough to just bring it beyond the surface of the earth in order to continue the construction of the house. But this assumption is fundamentally wrong.

It must be understood that the basement is the part of the house located above the ground. And the higher the basement height, the less moisture penetrating inside. Groundwater, flood, precipitation - there are a lot of sources of wet impact on the base, and this process occurs constantly.

The foundation walls must be separated by layers of waterproofing from the main part of a two-story (or more) residential building, since moisture still penetrates through the smallest capillaries into the material, and significantly increases the level of humidity in the premises.

If a kitchen is installed in the basement, then it is necessary to isolate from moisture from the inside, since the steam from the processing of products will form condensation.

When erecting a basement, you can use SNIP 2.08.01 for residential buildings and SNiP 2.08.02 for public buildings.

If you place the walls of the building too low, then the lower parts of the structure will constantly get wet, which will lead to their slow destruction and loss of thermal insulation properties.

As a result, the terms of use of the building will begin to decrease, and it will not always be clear due to what factors. This explains the importance of the basement occupying the required height from the earth's surface.

Typical parameters of the height of the base from the ground according to the rules

To find out what the maximum height of the technical underground can be, it is necessary to clarify the minimum parameters. According to the requirements of building codes, in a residential country house, the minimum basement height should be approximately 0.3-0.4 m.

When installing with a wooden beam, this distance should be increased to 0.6-0.8 m. If the presence of a zero floor is provided, then the minimum height of the technical underground will be from 1.5-2 m.

To determine the height in a particular case, take into account climatic conditions construction sites, the likelihood of flooding by melt and groundwater, the frequency and abundance of precipitation, indoor and outdoor temperatures (especially in winter).

If it is possible to take into account all these factors, it is better to seek the help of professionals, although in theory, these calculations can be carried out independently.

This issue touches upon the moments of the emergence of risks of repair and re-equipment of the structure, as well as significant financial expenses.

In order to understand what it is calculated for optimal height basement of the house, it is necessary to define several of its functions:

Preventing the interior of the house from getting wet;
Compensation of shrinkage phenomena of the soil arising from the pressure of the weight of the house structure on it;
Protection of building facing materials from contamination;
High-quality ventilation of the underground (when arranging kitchens, additional ventilation ducts are made);
Increasing the service life of the overlap when using tape or columnar foundation, in addition, the thermal insulation indicators of the subfloor depend on the height of the basement;
Improvement appearance buildings, since a house with a plinth visually looks very presentable.

It is necessary to pay special attention to the height of the plinth when building from timber, which is prone to decay at the ends of the logs, which greatly complicates the repair and restoration work.

With this type of construction, they try to reduce the likelihood of wood decay; for this, the height of the basement above the ground is increased. Practice shows that some builders make a huge mistake by trying to reduce this height and neglecting the plinth for the sake of aesthetic reasons.

Of the disadvantages of increasing the height of the basement, one can only name the rise in the cost of building a residential building.

Important! To focus not on the advice of builders and your own considerations, it is important to know regulations, where the verified minimum height is indicated with a decoding of the origin of these verified values.

For example, SNIPs 31-02-2001 and 2.08.01-89 (basement floor height), set a height of at least 0.2 m for columnar and pile foundations. Such an indent is necessary on heaving soils in order to avoid their impact on the house. The greater the slope of the ground, the higher the zero floor should be.

Types of plinths

The construction of the basement may differ in the type and sequence of work, depending on the type of foundation. Most often they use tape or pile foundations... In some cases, the base of the house is filled with a monolithic layer.

When choosing a strip type of foundation, the basement can be monolithic (in the form of a concrete wall) or masonry (in this version, the foundation is made to the level of the ground surface, and then the masonry is erected - it is not enough to protect against various influences, therefore it is necessary to carry out insulation work and decorative finishing).

Relative to the walls of the facade, the basement can be executed as a sinking one (for buildings with thick walls), protruding (the only possible one for buildings where the basement floor and thin walls ( apartment buildings)), and flush (part of the basement smoothly passes into the facade, all parts of the house are located in the same plane, usually one-story houses or summer cuisine in the country).

Influence of the type of base on its height from the ground according to the norms

The most expensive but necessary option is the protruding view. It is the only one possible for buildings with a used basement. The maximum height is taken for such a case, otherwise it is impossible to achieve acceptable thermal insulation characteristics the buildings.

For buildings without basements and basements (most often this is a summer kitchen on personal plot) it is worth choosing the falling option. Facade overhanging wall will optimal protection from mechanical and atmospheric damage. In this case, the minimum height is taken, the lower it is, the better the protection will be.

The basement of a house on one of the low foundations is usually made of blocks or bricks. It should be noted that the use of blocks significantly increases the characteristics of a building in terms of strength and stability.

Both types of execution require finishing works and carrying out insulation works. If groundwater pass close to the surface, then they equip the drainage system, and if it is deep enough, it is enough to make a blind area.

The base on piles can be low (if the grillage is located at ground level), or raised. Columnar, as the most unstable, requires a height of at least 0.2 m.

The gaps between the posts are laid with bricks or shields. Due to design features, an unnecessarily high base cannot be. The location on piles with different heights can be found in the photo in the public domain.

Features of waterproofing and insulation at different heights

But no matter how thoroughly the strip foundation is erected, its effectiveness can be reduced to zero, if you do not equip ventilation holes around the entire perimeter at a distance of no more than 3 meters from each other. They provide good ventilation as well as internal partitions and walls.

Cover such openings with ventilation grilles to keep out debris, dirt and small insects inside the room. It is strictly forbidden to use plugs for this purpose, since the inherent basements moisture can lead to mold and mildew growth.

If a kitchen is being set up in the basement, then the steam from the processed products should also be taken into account. Examples of this use of underground can be found in a variety of photos in open sources.

Important! V public building technical basements should be divided in order to fire safety, with partitions for compartments of not more than 500 m2, in non-sectional residential buildings, and in sectional ones - in sections.