New Houses on Slab....Comments ?

[pioti]

Slabs should be OK if dne right and dependant on area and preference.
- Most newer houses are done on slab as cost efective.
- Check if soil treatment for termites is done required in SC.
- are compaction tests done? we ususally require 95% COMPACTION. There are several tests that fulfill this requirement? Ask for test results - written.
- Drainage of property- worst case scenario of flood or heavy rain where will water drain?
-Pads are ususally elevated which mean fill material- what is the material and once again what is the compaction
- I prefer a raised floor or basement (waterproofing) as the utilities are accessible. I can fix stuff my self.
-Raised floor leads to more possibilities of insect and termite infestation as well as insulation neds or heat/cooling loss.
-My mother in california who has a house built in the early 60s on a slab when the codes were c*** and the workmanship even worse had a under slab water leak and a kitchen drain go bad. It cost her about 5k only because i redid all the water piping overhead. A new house done properly should have no problem if done right.
-Do not depend on inspectors from the county,city etc. Codes are the minimum a builder has to build to and inspectors are usually overwhelmed.

any more questions PM me.

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by ALML

LauraC if you are like me... I do not like bugs of any kind! I have heard of several infestations out here. The worst was a couple of years ago some parts of Vegas had problems with scorpians getting into homes. I also hear (more often) of problems with silver fish. However, some of these may be related to rapid expansion into the critters territories and some just catch a ride on the lumber...I don't know if it due to the slabs or other issues...whatever.... it sure isn't funny!

I really only had a cricket problem...every August, they would get inside my apartment and drive me nuts for a full month and those suckers are fast in addition to being noisy. It wasn't a brand new development. I just presumed it had something to do with the slab although maybe it had something to do with how the golf course grass may have been chemically treated. I didn't see any other bugs, just crickets every August.

[hoosier07]

Originally Posted by pioti

Slabs should be OK if dne right and dependant on area and preference.
- Most newer houses are done on slab as cost efective.
- Check if soil treatment for termites is done required in SC.
- are compaction tests done? we ususally require 95% COMPACTION. There are several tests that fulfill this requirement? Ask for test results - written.
- Drainage of property- worst case scenario of flood or heavy rain where will water drain?
-Pads are ususally elevated which mean fill material- what is the material and once again what is the compaction
- I prefer a raised floor or basement (waterproofing) as the utilities are accessible. I can fix stuff my self.
-Raised floor leads to more possibilities of insect and termite infestation as well as insulation neds or heat/cooling loss.
-My mother in california who has a house built in the early 60s on a slab when the codes were c*** and the workmanship even worse had a under slab water leak and a kitchen drain go bad. It cost her about 5k only because i redid all the water piping overhead. A new house done properly should have no problem if done right.
-Do not depend on inspectors from the county,city etc. Codes are the minimum a builder has to build to and inspectors are usually overwhelmed.

any more questions PM me.

Thank you Pioti...you're an expert on this area....I believe if everything is OK after checking what you mentioned above.....I should be fine with a slab.

[Brax]

If the builder is only offering slabs I would be suspicious on the rest of the quality of the homes he is building. Not to say you can’t build a nice house on a slab, but look for other corners he may be cutting to save money.
Look at the quality of windows, pluming fixtures, furnaces, cabinets, insulation, electrical system and such he uses. I guess what I am trying to say is look for an inexpensive house, not a cheaply built one.

On another note, be sure to consider all the expenses when buying a newly built home. The cost of landscaping, driveway, sidewalks, drapery and such can be quite costly if not budgeted for. Many of the things you take for granted with an existing home are extra when you build a house.

[hoosier07]

I agree Bax and thanks for the comments....the builder is Landview Properties and I have seen some very nice homes from them in other subdvisions (specially in the Ferragut area, with basements, etc), however on this subdvision in Carter they're not offering other option than slab. I will investigate further the builder reputation.....regarding the cost of new homes vs. used homes, it depends, a lot of times you end up changing things on used homes also or having to replace appliances, etc....I think it's about the same.....and I don't think houses come without driveways.....

[hoosier07]

Pioti or anyone on this forum...do you know the reputation of a builder called Landview Properties ?