Home On Wood Pilings

[skirby19]

Hi, I have a 4 story home with the ground floor being elevated on wood piles. I'm a little confuse on the correct method to build my ground floor. I have Floors 1,2 and 3 built. I've found 2 links describing methods for designing the ground floor on piles.

http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-01027/creating-an-elevated-structure-on-pilings.html

or this method

 

The ground floor will be unconditioned with 2x8 treated horizontal slat exterior walls. ground floor to be compacted sand.

 

Using Chief X7

 

Thank you for any recommendations.

[Joe_Carrick]

The Pier Foundation is basically intended to be below grade piers, not pilings.  For your project I would use the Post with Footings Tool.  I would add a Floor 1 as the open space beneath the house and make the walls at that floor invisible (except for the storage, etc that you might have under the house).   You might designate that space as Garage, Utility, Storage, etc.

 

IOW, the space beneath the house is a "Floor" even if it isn't surrounded by walls.  You could still use a "Pier with Walls" Foundation but you put Pilings (Round Posts) between the Foundation and the Floor above.

[skirby19]

Thanks for the reply Joe. If you find some time to take a look at my attachment, would you see if I'm on the right track with my ground floor level?

Plans - Lot 2 Blk D Holiday Isle2.plan

[Joe_Carrick]

I made a couple of modifications to your plan. 

 

1.  I changed the 1st Floor Exterior Wall from Invisible to a new Wall Type named "Transparent Wall"

2.  I Built the Foundation

 

This should give you a pretty good starting point to add the Posts, Beams and anything else you need at the 1st Floor

Plans - Lot 2 Blk D Holiday Isle2.plan