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Myrtle Beach - Conway area Horry County
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Old 10-29-2011, 11:43 AM
 
Location: A place Santa seldon visits
84 posts, read 391,878 times
Reputation: 65

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Hey forum family

I have a few questions for anyone that may have lived, owns, or maybe has knowledge of homes built on stilts.

Other than the obvious that the water level would have to rise x amount of feet before your belongings got all wet,
what other benefits or drawbacks does this building design have over a slab, is it harder to heat or cool, less bugs,
is the cost higher or lower, is there more movement on the structure during storms, if so do you see more wall cracking.

I'm just trying to get views good or bad.

As the French would say, Gracias amigos!
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Old 10-29-2011, 02:59 PM
 
Location: Surfside Beach, SC
2,385 posts, read 3,648,500 times
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A realtor friend of mine told me that the main reason they build these houses on stilts is because they take up less land. You park under the house instead of beside it in a garage. Makes sense to me when you look at how close some of them are and how small the lots are. Bugs climb and fly, so I don't think the height of the house would deter them. Same with squirrels and other rodent house invaders.

The other thing to consider about buying one of them is your own aging and ability to climb stairs, especially when carrying groceries, etc. Or, if you would break your leg or something. If I ever bought one, I would want an elevator also.

You might want to consider taking some French lessons, mon ami!
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Old 10-29-2011, 04:00 PM
 
460 posts, read 983,975 times
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Don't have a lot of experience with them, but I know of stilt homes that are 50+ years old and still going strong. If they are built well and maintained properly, they should last a long time.

Besides flood protection, being up on stilts also offers some protection against wave action. A large wave hitting the flat wall of a house, can cause it to totally collapse. Often, people build a room on the ground level below a stilt home, called a "blow out" room (for obvious reasons). And of course, the building codes in some areas may require a home to be built on stilts. Plus, there may also be some benefits when it comes to purchasing flood insurance.

And sometimes, stilts are your only option.
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Old 10-29-2011, 07:24 PM
 
192 posts, read 491,523 times
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When we built our home, local building codes had us build 6' up, went 8' so we could use the space underneath for parking. Yes the cost to build is much more expensive. Before the crash in the housing market we were being quoted $200 a sq ft to build, after the crash we were able to build for less then $150. Our post were sunk down 30' to bedrock, others in our area had to go as far as 80' down to reach bedrock. I have never felt any swaying, in fact it feels very solid.
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Old 10-29-2011, 07:53 PM
 
Location: A place Santa seldon visits
84 posts, read 391,878 times
Reputation: 65
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fripper View Post
Our post were sunk down 30' to bedrock, others in our area had to go as far as 80' down to reach bedrock. I have never felt any swaying, in fact it feels very solid.


80 feet down

Is there timber even that long, or are they pouring concrete posts, or ?
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Old 10-30-2011, 02:02 PM
 
192 posts, read 491,523 times
Reputation: 209
They use metal rods encased in concrete, plus they strap your roof supports to the posts.
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Old 11-12-2011, 10:55 AM
 
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
11,936 posts, read 12,993,985 times
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Homes are built on stilts because in a flood zone you must be 17 feet above sea level.

They are built on wood pilings and concrete and rebar pilings. My house in Garden City Beach was the first home there built on pilings and it survived Hurricane Hugo. It was built in 1956.

All property by the beach must have the first floor to be break away.

FWIW, they aren't built because they take up less room. The zoning decides that and all property has a five foot set back.
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