Tiny Home Elevation
#1
12-06-22, 12:42 PM
Tiny Home Elevation
I wasn't quite sure where to post this question.
Several years ago, I built a clubhouse for my son. I built it on 6 X 6 posts about 12 feet off the ground. A few years ago, I added a slab under the clubhouse to use to store mowers, etc. Footprint of the slab/clubhouse is about 18 x 8. The slab sits in an area that would flood (maybe 3 inches) in a heavy rain if not for the french drains we installed 2 years ago. I intend on dismantling the clubhouse and building a 2-story tiny home. If my drain system should ever fail, I don't want water getting inside the tiny home. I only need the floor to be a few inches above the slab. I thought I would rest my floor joists on a wall of standard bricks placed on the slab, that should give me enough room to stay dry in a worst case scenario. I have a few questions. Should I use something other than bricks? i.e., use PVC joists and rest them directly on the slab. Should I leave the space open between the bottom of the joists and the top of the slab, or enclose the space (bring the siding down all the way)? If I enclose, should I ventilate the space? To assume no water will get under the floor, even if I construct a barrier that's supposed to be water tight, I think is a mistake. My questions are kind of out of order and aren't all applicable depending on the option(s) used. Basically, just looking for advice on what to do on the bottom floor, avoid water getting in.
Several years ago, I built a clubhouse for my son. I built it on 6 X 6 posts about 12 feet off the ground. A few years ago, I added a slab under the clubhouse to use to store mowers, etc. Footprint of the slab/clubhouse is about 18 x 8. The slab sits in an area that would flood (maybe 3 inches) in a heavy rain if not for the french drains we installed 2 years ago. I intend on dismantling the clubhouse and building a 2-story tiny home. If my drain system should ever fail, I don't want water getting inside the tiny home. I only need the floor to be a few inches above the slab. I thought I would rest my floor joists on a wall of standard bricks placed on the slab, that should give me enough room to stay dry in a worst case scenario. I have a few questions. Should I use something other than bricks? i.e., use PVC joists and rest them directly on the slab. Should I leave the space open between the bottom of the joists and the top of the slab, or enclose the space (bring the siding down all the way)? If I enclose, should I ventilate the space? To assume no water will get under the floor, even if I construct a barrier that's supposed to be water tight, I think is a mistake. My questions are kind of out of order and aren't all applicable depending on the option(s) used. Basically, just looking for advice on what to do on the bottom floor, avoid water getting in.
#2
12-06-22, 04:00 PM
Group Moderator
First, "tiny home" implies a few things for me. The biggie is that they are built on trailer frames and are therefore not permanent and avoid most cods.
Your slab is a patio and nothing more. It is not footer with the strength to support a two story structure.
I know of no structural PVC "joists". There are a lot of PVC lumbers but most rely on a underlying structure, usually wood, to provide the strength. But if you have a PVC joist available this would be a good application.
If water is any concern I would not build that close to grade. You say "tiny house" but it's going to be a proper structure that people sleep in with electricity and plumbing. "Tiny house" doesn't give a side step around proper construction.
Your slab is a patio and nothing more. It is not footer with the strength to support a two story structure.
I know of no structural PVC "joists". There are a lot of PVC lumbers but most rely on a underlying structure, usually wood, to provide the strength. But if you have a PVC joist available this would be a good application.
If water is any concern I would not build that close to grade. You say "tiny house" but it's going to be a proper structure that people sleep in with electricity and plumbing. "Tiny house" doesn't give a side step around proper construction.
#3
12-07-22, 10:53 AM
I guess "tiny house/home" would be the incorrect description then. Let's call it a 2-story clubhouse. There will be electricity, only one 20 amp circuit. I only need enough power for a TV and LED light(s). No plumbing, just a portable toilet for number 1. The concrete is 5 inches thick and poured over pea gravel. I would think that would support a 2-story structure 18' x 8'. I'll also have six 6" x 6" columns buried 36" in concrete to tie into. It's basically going to be a fancy 2 story storage barn (fancy meaning I'll insulate the walls). I'll have bunk beds on the second floor. Second floor will be accessed via a ladder through a hole in the second story floor. Couch, maybe a chair or 2 and a TV on the first floor. I think I'll go with the PVC lumber for joists resting on the concrete. This is going to be my man cave, LOL. It's at the back of my yard. No one will come out there and bother me when I'm there, a structure seperate from the chaos of home.
