Any experts here knowledgeable about this type of foundation? I have a relative that's getting a house built but it will be elevated on wooden piles driven or placed into the ground. So my question is what type of wood is used for this and what's the average lifespan of such a build?
I'm definitely no expert...but if the wood is properly treated before installation and moisture is kept out, I don't see any reason why it shouldn't last for at least 40-50 years without concern (probably longer). Proximity to salt water or exposure to weather will have an affect on beam life expectancy.
I'm not an expert either, but was there a reason they decided on that? Like there's pros/cons and soil/area can play a major factor on why one is used over the other. So as mentioned above, like for a beach house it would be ideal or somewhere where the soil shifts. And then wood it's probably pressure treated or possibly some moisture resistant - like a pine type is probably used in some spots. The real advantages to this build are it won't crack like a concrete slab, and it's cheaper to repair - assuming you don't let it rot out. If done correctly they can last a really long time (as mentioned above), ie it'll be someone else's problem when there's a real problem. The only reason it wouldn't last long is if the builder didn't account for weather/drainage/environment so the right materials are used etc. One other thing to point out is depending on the wood from the builder, if it's not treated, you'll want to treat for termites/watch for rot probably more often than a slab style. Or make sure to spray areas that aren't treated. Like assuming it's wood steps into the house those can be areas to watch.
I listed the wood type above but how do you maintain pilings that are going in 10' deep? Wouldn't they rot at some point? They spoke about 100 years and all that but I don't see wood deep in the ground ever lasting that long.
So I really hadn't thought much about pressure treated wood, but you're right in my experience it'll eventually rot, with that said though, I just learned a little more on the subject and the 0.6 rating is for marine applications so I think it will hold up a lot better than some of the other treated wood we've seen (at least I hope...) I found this and thought it was interesting regarding the grading of the wood used - https://home-partners.com/articles/pressure-treated-wood On a side note, I've seen the same thing mentioned before on how long it lasts, like quotes of 50-100+ years if done right.
I'm guessing it's all about treatment...not only the wood, but the soil environment. My home here in Oregon is built on the side of a hill...so it is exclusively on "stilts"...which drives me nuts fantasizing about hillslides and such. But watching how they build these hillside homes, they pour a significant amount of concrete before setting the load beams. And all of the homes here must have gutter systems that collect stormwater and return it to a catch system at the street. While we see a crap ton of rainy weather, we're nowhere near as humid as East Texas/Gulf Coast...so I'm sure the builder is going to provide appropriate preparation for support. There are local codes that you can check on and see what the minimum requirements are and hold the builder to those standards (which they should anyway or else it won't pass inspection)...or ask them to go above and beyond for the longevity-sake of those support beams.
They said they'll have the house up in 4 weeks. That does seem hella fast to me I'm guessing since they've completed the same blueprint multiple times they can do that and the house will still be solid?
That is wood treated with copper arsenic salts and rated for salt water splash. Are you building in a marine environment? In general wood like this is rated to last about 60 years. If it's been treated well you shouldn't have to worry about rot. A bigger issue might be steel connectors connecting the house to the foundation might react with the treated wood. If you're building along the coast I would be more worried about wind uplift rather than the piers. {edit} I see CCity posted some of the same stuff.
Most of the houses on the East End of Galveston are Victorian era on Pier and Beam. As long as the wood isn't actually touching the ground, it can last a long, long time. The only issue in the Houston area is termites, but you can treat the wood for them.
My house was built in 1920 something in Montrose and it has original pier and beam. They also skipped on spacing of joists and whatnot back then, but the house has survived everything Texas could throw at it. The thing with pier and beam in our soil is over time it tends to shift more than a slab, so you get more shift in the floors, but because it is so much easier to access it is easier to fix. Critters also love that crawl space because it stays close to the same temp all year long. I had a guy go under to look at my pipes and he told me it looked like there was an opossum war crime under there because of opossum skeletons everywhere. The extra 4 feet off the ground is pretty nice when it floods.
It’s crazy that houses have shelf lives even with regular maintenance and yet there are 30 year mortgages to pay for them. My house is nice, but old. Will it be here in 30 years? I read in Japan they tear down old houses and build new ones which I wish we would do.
Seems like it would be a pain in the ass to replace piles 10' in the ground 60 years from now but I'll be dead and gone by then. But hey women do live longer so we'll see if she has luck at 91 to get it done.
Houses can last well over 100 years if built properly and maintained they can last longer. What kind of shelf life do you think they have?
Up to 150 years? But I assume most are 60-90. Like if the foundation goes bad, I assume you’re hosed. And I feel like water is the devil for keeping a house standing.
