Slab question for building a house

go ask this on the OT

I know stained floors are trashy

All slabs crack, period. Crack does not mean failure. With that being said, post tension will crack less. Personally I think the hair line cracks give a stained floor more character. If seeing cracks in the slab will bother you, then post tension is what you want. Just note that even then you will still have/see cracks.

Post tension slab will make the slab more rigid overall, causing less cracks. Assuming your house is slab on grade rather then on piles, it's probably unnecessary- though that's also assuming you have adequate bearing capacity for soil, which for SELA is often questionable.

It's really a geotechnical engineering question, rather than a structural one.

Could be that the builder doesn't know how to do it or is worried he won't get the job if you insist on it. Ask a geotechnical for a site visit and/or soil borings if you're concerned about it.

quote:

---

went with a post tension slab

---

Coloring the concrete shouldn't have an effect on what type of slab you are using...

We went with post-tension because its South Louisiana. I used a higher PSI concrete and an additive that made it flash faster. The finisher broke his whirly-bird and ended up with some mess ups. I have basic hairline cracks, I have a sis-in-law whose builder said the same and sometimes you can stick an 8 penny nail in the cracks. In Ascension, you would need a compaction test and an engineer for the post tension. Usually, you use a post-tension contractor. If done wrong, the slab could falter, but a good contractor will not have this issue. I am glad I did it. Between the dry conditions and the rain I have areas of subsidence in my yard, but my house is on 4 feet of river sand and post-tension. No worries.

Are you doing pilings

We really need an all things housing board

It costs me about 3k, but you use less concrete and steel. I don't think it was 1 to 1 though. However, the foundation is the one thing you shouldn't skimp on. So How much is your piece of mind worth.

You can, you can place anchors , or bolts during construction. I would try to drill through it, but really not an issue. There are areas of the grid that allow for that, you woud need to be really good at laying it out though. I think your safe is really what limits you there.