Base - rising above ground level outer wall, which is a kind of transition between the foundations and the facade of housing construction. This top part buildings can serve as walls for basements, semi-basements and ground floors.
The design and construction of the basement part of the building requires a thorough approach. A parameter such as height deserves special attention. A base that is too low will not be able to protect living spaces from moisture penetration. This negatively affects the integrity and service life of the building and makes living impossible.
The height of the base depends on the following parameters:
- type of base;
- house construction project;
- characteristic features of the soil;
- the intended purpose of the basement, if provided.
Construction regulations are also important and should not be ignored.
The costs of building the foundation and plinth make up the majority of the estimate. And if the project does not provide for a basement, some believe that the base can be made flush with the ground. This, of course, allows you to save money at the construction stage, but inevitably harms the building itself. The basement is an essential part of houses in the construction of which moisture-sensitive materials are used.
The main function of the basement part of the building is to protect the facade from contact with the ground. A barrier to soil water, rising through capillaries from the base, becomes waterproofing, which is laid directly between the walls of the facade and the base.
Along with isolating the building from the effects of groundwater, the plinth is assigned the following functions:
- protection of the facade from pollution;
- protection of the casing from mechanical damage;
- compensation for shrinkage under the weight of the structure;
- insulation of basement floors from negative influences;
- ensuring complete ventilation and increasing thermal insulation qualities;
In addition, the basement part gives the house aesthetic appeal and a complete look.
In order for the basement part of the building to perform all the functions assigned to it, it must have sufficient height. Otherwise, moisture will penetrate into residential premises, and the façade of the building will remain unprotected from pollution and mechanical stress.
According to building regulations and rules (SNiP), this parameter should not be less than 20 cm. This is the minimum indicator. It is better not to save money and build a base with a height of 30 to 40 cm. Structures built from wood are more susceptible to moisture, so the distance above ground level for the lower part should be at least half a meter and reach up to 90 cm.
The parameter from 20 to 90 cm is the recommended plinth height for buildings in the design of which there is no basement. If a house is being built with a basement, it can reach 2 meters. Taking into account climatic conditions and average precipitation allows you to calculate a more accurate indicator of the required height.
Doing this on your own is quite difficult, but possible. For this purpose, the average depth of snow cover over several years is calculated, and 10 cm is added to the resulting value. This data can be obtained by analyzing weather forecasts.
Main types of base
The construction of a high base leads to an increase in cost estimates. This is not a reason to save money. The main thing that outer wall, rising above ground level, was durable and had high performance properties.
The height indicator depends not only on the soil, foundation, project, but also on the position of the plinth relative to the facade wall. It can be made in one of the following options:
- Those who are sinking. The outer wall is located inside the façade. This option is suitable for buildings with fairly thick walls.
- To the speakers. The base plane is moved forward. This solution is the only one possible option for buildings with thin walls and ground floor.
- Flush. The basement part of the building smoothly transitions into the facade, that is, both the upper and Bottom part located in the same plane.
Each type has its own characteristics, influencing what the base will be like.
How does the type of base affect the height?
A protruding base is the most expensive option, but is necessary in cases where the project provides for a usable basement. The height in this case should be maximum. Otherwise, it is impossible to achieve good thermal insulation characteristics. There can be no savings in this case.
For buildings that do not have a basement or ground floor, it is most advisable to choose a sinking option. The facade overhanging wall becomes an ideal protection for the foundation of the house from mechanical damage and adverse atmospheric precipitation. The height of such a base is kept to a minimum. The higher it is, the lower the degree of protection.
Base height and foundation type
The basement part of the building on a low foundation (slab, strip, pile-strip) is made of bricks or blocks. The first option is less reliable. Blocks allow you to achieve a higher level of security.
Both plinth options require a high-quality finish that provides protective functions. If groundwater lies close, drainage is installed, and if it is low, a blind area is installed. The height of the plinth is made no less than the minimum recommended if there is no basement. The minimum rate is taken solely to save money.
The pile foundation can be low, if the grillage is located directly at ground level, or raised. The most unstable is the columnar one, which requires mandatory compensation for soil heaving. For this purpose, the height is made at least 20 cm.
The gaps formed between pillars or piles are filled with bricks and covered with shields or asbestos-cement slabs. Due to the design features of the foundation itself, the base cannot be too high.
The height of the base when constructing buildings with a ground floor or basement
Buildings with usable basements are most widespread in private housing construction. The rationality of this decision is due to the possibility of using this part of the building as a economic needs, placing a laundry room, pantry, boiler room, cellar in the basement, and to expand the living space, arranging a study, bedroom, gym, and so on.
Sometimes both of these purposes are combined. It all depends on the expected building area. The main thing is that this approach is more economical than adding an additional floor above ground level. The total height of the basement here is much greater than in buildings without a basement. According to SNiP, it is equal to at least 250 cm.
The amount by which the base will rise above ground level depends on the purpose of the basement. If it is intended to be used as a utility room, it is permissible to take the minimum limit. You cannot save money on the ground floor for living rooms, so a small margin must be added to the recommended height.
In a private house it is a basement, which serves as the first floor. Others consider it a standard ground floor, which is located below ground level. In any case, its creation remains unchanged and requires compliance with certain rules.
Flaws
It is worth noting that the construction is characterized by higher costs compared to conventional ones, and in some cases more economical option there will be an expansion of the construction area.
The approximate cost becomes clear after carrying out geological and engineering surveys, establishing soil type, level groundwater. Sometimes it turns out later that there is construction in this place similar building impossible.
Basement floors in private houses require the creation of drainage, high-quality waterproofing and insulation, so it will not be possible to get by with simply forming an extension of the foundation. Failure to comply with waterproofing rules or use low-quality materials increases the likelihood of flooding.
To carry out such work, builders must be highly qualified, since negligence in this case is more likely to have undesirable consequences.
Lighting and ventilation
Since the installation of full-fledged windows in the basement is most often impossible, the premises will have insufficient space. Therefore, the location of living rooms is preferably on the ground floor. The most popular arrangement options are entertainment and sports premises: home cinemas, billiard rooms, swimming pools, saunas, gyms.
It is worth remembering that operation also involves large investments to maintain the space in the required condition. Forced ventilation the ground floor of a private house is especially relevant in gym and premises with high level humidity, and creation will be required for saunas and showers. The pool located below ground level is also difficult to arrange.
When you can't do without a plinth
It is most often necessary when there is insufficient floor space above ground and it is impossible to accommodate all the planned premises.
In some cases, the size of the construction site contributes to the creation of a plinth. It may be small or have a narrow shape, while the owner has the means to construct big building, and the space on the upper floors is no longer enough.
The arrangement is also common when there is a site characterized by the presence of a slope with a noticeable difference in height. In this case, the relief becomes the accent of everything landscape design and allows you to build a very original building.
The ground floor in a private house, the photo of which is presented above, gives respectability to the entire building and can accommodate various rooms, basement or utility areas. It is also worth noting that such a building has higher thermal insulation properties. With proper arrangement, you can reduce costs and speed up their payback. Thanks to it, you don’t have to worry about the loads that fall on the foundation, and the house itself becomes more reliable. in accordance with established rules, must be within 2.5 meters.
Varieties
There are three main types:
- recessed ground floor in a private house;
- speaker;
- located flush with the base.
The first option has become most widespread. This is facilitated by less exposure to moisture compared to other types. Also in this case, humidity does not have such a detrimental effect on other parts of the building, since the water quickly drains from the base.
The protruding type is optimal for houses with thin wall structures. This way you can arrange rooms that will be located almost underground. Sometimes it acts as a place to store seasonal and rarely used items.
Arranging the basement floor of a private house on the same level as the foundation is not always rational, since it will have insufficient protection from moisture and at the same time act as the beginning of the wall. The use of additional waterproofing materials will be required, which entails extra expenses. It is also worth noting the impossibility of improvement appearance building.
Materials
Due to the fact that the base is a continuation of the foundation, it is built from a material similar to that used to create the base. Sometimes it is possible to choose the materials from which they are composed wall structures. Most often used ready-made blocks, brick and monolithic concrete. Regardless of the choice made, proper calculation is required. Special attention should be given to determining the thickness of the walls.
Screed and concrete slabs act as the floor. The base can be formed from ready-made iron concrete slabs. Often used for cladding work wood material. If the basement floor in a private house rises significantly above the ground, it is possible to create full-fledged windows and doors in its upper part, and it is desirable that they face the south, west or east. Arrangement of openings for north side undesirable, as this may lead to deformation of the frames due to accumulation large quantity snow.
Ladder
It is advisable to start with the stairs to the ground floor in a private house, since it is an integral and important element premises. Three types of staircase structures that provide convenient descent have become most widespread. Arrangement of the classic marching version is possible if there is sufficient space. If the design of the floor and its dimensions do not allow creating such a comfortable descent, a bolt or screw type is suitable.
Waterproofing
Separately, waterproofing work should be noted. The underground structure must be coated on both sides with materials that protect against moisture. This will increase their reliability. Waterproofing elements located above the ground does not require mandatory internal waterproofing.
The ground floor in a private house, which is based on a solid concrete slab, has undoubted advantages:
- it is possible to arrange premises for any purpose;
- the structure is characterized by sufficient protection from negative external influences, for example, humidity;
- requires relatively little time for construction;
- outstanding structural strength.
High-quality waterproofing is the main point during construction. If this rule is not followed, the floor slab will have poor adhesion to the wall elements of the base. As stated earlier, the height of the base should be within 2.5 meters. For its construction, a pit with the required depth is dug.
Design work
First of all, when arranging, it is necessary to establish the required wall thickness. Here you need to build on the type of soil on the site and the location of the building. If the soil is sufficiently reliable, it is possible to create walls with a thickness similar to those of walls in other parts of the house. Otherwise, it is recommended to increase the thickness by 20-30 cm. When using wood to construct a building, the basement floor in a private house can be made from concrete blocks with your own hands.
An important step is drawing up a project, which must take into account the location of groundwater. This is due to the fact that the depth of the pit should not reach the water level. The soil is first surveyed to determine the possible depth.
The height of the base is one of the parameters that have great value when building a house. This is the lower part of the building, erected on a foundation and performing important functions related to retaining heat indoors. The plinth is necessary in order to protect the walls from exposure groundwater, it prevents the formation of fungus and mold on the walls, increases the resistance of the structure low temperatures. Thanks to the presence of the base, the heat exchange between the interior and the street increases.
In order for this part of the house to meet all the requirements and contribute to the solution of the assigned tasks, it is necessary during construction not only to choose high-quality and reliable material, but also take into account the height of the basement being built.
How to determine the height of the plinth
One of the types of base is recessed Efficiency protective functions, which the base of the house performs, directly depends on its height and type:
- The protruding base requires additional finishing and the construction of a canopy that protects the structure from precipitation and moisture accumulation. It becomes a decoration of the facade of any building.
- The sinking one is the most durable. In this option, the junction of the base and the walls of the house is completely protected from moisture, which guarantees increased safety of the foundation and protection of the waterproofing layer. When constructing this type, there is no need to construct mandatory water outlets.
- Level with the wall. The least popular type of base. It requires the construction of a canopy, and when additional finishing is carried out it becomes protruding.
The choice of the height of the basement being built is influenced by the type of foundation, the depth of groundwater, and climatic conditions in the area where construction is taking place. In addition, it is important to have a basement floor ( basement).
When starting work on the construction of a basement, it is worth considering that the higher it is, the less likely it is that interior spaces may be damaged by moisture penetration. Construction begins directly from the foundation of the house, and at the joints with the walls of the building it is required proper organization waterproofing, preventing possible penetration of moisture through the capillaries of the porous material into the walls of the building.
The base is flush with the wall The impact on the base is comprehensive, since it can withstand constant load from the side of the walls. And in cases where the house does not have a basement and the floor is located on the ground, the base is also subject to the pressure of the earth buried inside the entire perimeter of the house.
If, in order to determine the width of the future basement, it is necessary to accurately determine the choice of material from which the walls of the house will be built, and its type depends on the quality of the foundation, then the height will depend on the presence of a basement, temperature regime, weather conditions and the amount of natural precipitation characteristic of the area where construction is taking place. These parameters vary greatly in different areas, so there are no strict guidelines for determining the height of the plinth.
Minimum height
The construction of the base begins directly from the foundation, and it is raised to a height of at least 40 centimeters. It is believed that this is minimum height basement of the house.
High base of the house This height is optimal if there is strip foundation, although on another basis a plinth of this height is erected, based on the decade-average level of snow falling annually in a given area. A basement of this height is erected only in cases where the house does not have a basement.
In some areas, the height of the base of the house is lower than this indicator. In particularly arid zones, the construction of a brick structure is allowed to a height of only 20 centimeters. But even here there is a risk of excessive moisture in the walls of the house when ordinary rainwater gets on them. In most cases, a properly constructed blind area can change the situation. Although, with a low base height, as well as with improper construction of the foundation, the walls of the house may suffer from capillary wetting of the walls with groundwater. This will lead to destruction of the material from the inside and a significant reduction in the life of the building.
Standard height
Standard height plinth The basement floor requires a significant increase in the height of the base itself. Now to the main functions that it is designed to perform this design, we also add the provision of installation in the technical room engineering systems, which include pumps or valves. In some cases, when choosing the height of the base, they are guided by the height of the ceilings of the basement.
The features of the construction of the foundation of the house remain important. If the foundation level coincides with the ground level, then the height of the base cannot be less than 70 centimeters, and sometimes it reaches one meter. Standard height, during construction country house reaches 50 or 70 centimeters. It is this value that is considered optimal for most areas with a variety of climatic conditions and different depths of groundwater.
So, to determine the height of the base when building a country house, you need to take into account:
- depth of groundwater;
- amount of precipitation;
- presence of a basement;
- need for organization technical room in the basement;
- view of the furnished foundation of the house.
Features of waterproofing and insulation at different heights
Efficiency strip base will be reduced to zero if there are no ventilation ducts. These are holes, the distance between which should not exceed 3 meters. They are installed around the entire perimeter, ensuring high-quality air circulation. Internal walls and partitions are no exception. These holes can only be closed ventilation grilles. In the video you will see how to properly insulate and waterproof the basement of a house.
The use of any plugs is strictly prohibited, since the humidity present in the basement space leads to the formation of mold and mildew. When building a brick plinth, to organize ventilation ducts, it is enough to leave gaps in the masonry; in other options, pipes are used that are fixed between the blocks. The jumpers can be sheet steel or ordinary reinforcement.
Reliable protection of the base from groundwater is provided by waterproofing material. It may be roofing material or another type roll waterproofing, such as:
- glass ruberoid;
- rubemast;
- euroruberoid.
Lay it in two layers directly on the foundation, applying bitumen mastic or heated bitumen. Between layers of waterproofing material a layer is applied adhesive composition providing a strong connection.
Find projects online one-story houses with a basement floor it is extremely difficult; most often, they have to be ordered. The ground floor, or simply put, the basement, is a special room that no high-rise building can do without.
Another thing is a cottage or a private house, designed to accommodate one family. Of course, extra square meters They won’t disturb anyone, especially since in the basement our man, out of habit, stores everything that Mother Nature gave him on his six hundred square meters. Potatoes, all kinds of pickles and preserves, and basically everything are dumped there.
Everything that doesn’t fit in the house is thrown there. Perhaps someday old holey galoshes will come in handy, from which you can make so many useful things, it is not yet clear what and how much, but it is clear that there is a lot. It is clear that not a single developer in his right mind and with a strong memory will waste time and money on cottage with the ground floor, hoping to use it in this way.
Usually, when setting the goal of building a house with a ground floor, a person thinks that on this very floor he will keep his car or, for example, create a workshop that he has always dreamed of and never got around to.
In general, in order to take on the task of creating a base, you need to have a clear idea of why it is needed. Not every potential homeowner is capable of just taking the plunge and making a basement under the house. To decide on this you need, at a minimum, to have free money.
Just dig a pit
There are three types of basements: recessed, projecting and at foundation level. To build a recessed type basement, the ground on which it will be built must be dry. Work begins with digging a pit, the area of which must be determined in advance.
The depth of the pit should in no case be below or at the groundwater level. In general, the depth of the recessed plinth should be approximately one meter above their level.
And it is different in each area, and is determined by the water level in the wells in the hot summer. At the same time of year, you need to start building the basement floor in a private house.
Arrangement of the drainage system
The most important element of a house in which this structure is present is the drainage system. The fate of not only the basement, but the entire house depends on how it functions. Since the floor is the basement and is located below ground level, water will be present there by definition.
Drainage system it's quite simple to do. After the pit is dug, it is completely cleared of debris, its bottom is leveled and compacted. Somewhere in the corner of the pit a hole is being dug. It is inserted into metal barrel, the edges of which should be flush with the floor of the future basement.
In order to ensure that the bottom of the pit is as level as possible, it is covered with a layer of fine sand, its thickness should be at least 15 centimeters and no more than 20. After which the sand is leveled again and waterproofing material is laid on its surface.
Placed on waterproofing reinforcement mesh and filled with concrete. At the same time, there should be no gaps between the edges of the drainage barrel and the floor, so that water does not subsequently flow into them. A drainage pump is installed in the barrel. The drainage system can be considered ready.
Installation of plinth walls
Now, when water somehow gets into the basement, it will drain into the drainage tank and be pumped out with a pump. To prevent the walls of the pit from crumbling, they are reinforced with formwork.
Then the walls of the basement are erected. Typically, they are made from bricks or building blocks. A sand-cement mixture is used as a binding solution.
After the basement walls are laid out, all that remains is to make the top floor. One or more concrete slabs are used as such a floor. Their use for this purpose is preferable because they are highly durable.
Ventilation
In order for the cellar to be suitable for storing food, it must have reliable ventilation, otherwise the basement will become a habitat for mold, and storing food in it is out of the question. To prevent this from happening, ventilation in a deep basement should be arranged as follows.
On both sides of the cellar, opposite each other, two vertical pipes(supply and exhaust), they can be either metal or plastic. The purpose of the supply pipe is to draw air from outside into the basement, while exhaust pipe designed to extract air from the basement room.
The lower end of the supply pipe is located at a height of approximately twenty centimeters from the floor, while the exhaust pipe, the lower end of which is located at a distance of thirty centimeters from the ceiling, is located at opposite side, draws air out of the room. A system consisting of these two pipes ensures constant air circulation in the base.
Generally speaking, if the main purpose of your basement is to be a large refrigerator, then your basement can be considered almost complete. All that remains is to make shelves so that all your jars of cucumbers and tomatoes, as well as buckets of sauerkraut fit without problems.
Garage in the basement
Many house designs with a basement are created with the purpose of placing a garage there. They are considered much more complex structures than a basement adapted for storage. First of all, it must be located at a depth of at least two meters, width at least four, and length at least six meters.
Of course, all these dimensions are taken with a large margin, but if you consider that in the garage, besides the car, a lot of other things are stored, then this margin will not be so large.
Unlike a basement for food storage, a garage must be a heated room. Moreover, the temperature in it should not differ much from the temperature inside the house, since if such a large room as a garage is not heated properly, then, being directly under living rooms, it will inevitably cool down housing. In this case, heating costs will inevitably increase.
If to illuminate a food warehouse you only need one light bulb without a shade or lampshade, then the garage will need full lighting.
If in order to get into the basement, with the food stored in it it will be enough to use ladder, then you will need a strong ramp to exit the garage.
Other premises
Even more serious costs will be required to adapt the basement floor into a full-fledged living space or, for example, to equip it with a bowling alley or gym.
Looking at the photo of a house with a ground floor, it is easy to notice that the illumination of the premises is quite intense, at least to the extent that it fully complies with sanitary standards.
The air temperature in it should not be lower than the temperature in the house. Since the base is located practically in the ground, maintaining a comfortable microclimate in it will cost a pretty penny. In general, the ground floor can be used for the needs of the family, both as a utility room and as a main one.
