Foundation for a DIY Cabin Done The Right Way ! - EP 6

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

You can now get the free DIY Cabin Blueprint at : thediycabinguy.com/blueprint

[@DongThePsychopath]

As a carpenter I was laughing at you figuring everything out. But you got it quick and did it right! That was definitely not overkill. You will thank yourself in 10 years

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks! Nice to hear that from a pro !

[@trehnert]

he should go work with a concrete crew and pick up some skills

[@bigal25938]

As a retired design/construction engineer you did a great job. No overkill at all. After I retired and became a farmer again I love to get down in the dirt and build things by hand. It’s not necessarily about whether it’s overkill or not, sometimes it’s just about the satisfaction of doing something in the best way possible and doing it well enough that future generations will get to enjoy the fruit of your labor. Congratulations.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Really appreciate the kind words! I do see it the same way you do! The satisfaction of a job well done.

[@happytomeetyou.3027]

I love when you come to the realization of "moving the materials" which I consider 80% of the construction process. Great video and Thanks from Texas !

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Yeah it’s silly how I never saw that coming 😅

[@firsnamelasname6629]

This was super helpful to see you doing this all by yourself. I’m probably going to have to mostly work alone too so seeing how much work is actually involved, especially from someone who also doesn’t have much experience is priceless.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Glad you found this helpful 😀

[@samlogosz8422]

I've done carpentry work for a long time. Your spot on brother about having a good footing. I worked for a contractor for a short time many years ago and he didn't know what a frost line was. He had been a contractor for 30 years. Really.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks Sam, damn, that’s kind of scary!

[@joecallahan3379]

Excellent foundation, now you see why everyone doesn't do them correctly, a lot of work. good to see you're doing it the correct way

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Definitely a lot of work! Maybe will use some earth moving equipment next time!

[@sofiannetliche5980]

Very helpful sering you building all from the beginning I have 4acr of land and I will star5 working on it by next month. Thank you for the great ideas and the courage

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Glad to help

[@publika6883]

I like how you embrace the overkill. Everything nowadays is made for short-term profit, we are mortal beings, so I appreciate you doing something for posterity.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Hi Leonardo, I appreciate your comment! That’s a refreshing point of view.

[@Jordan-tq2jc]

I live at 8,000 feet in Colorado. Where I work we have a bunch of cabins and there are a few slabs that remain from cabins built there in the 40’s. The ones that remain from that time are 4” concrete slabs... directly over compacted ground… that’s it. We get 8 feet of snow every year and have a freeze thaw cycle regularly. We had 14” of snow in June this year, all that to say, those concrete slabs have hardly moved a bit, and they’re not even insulated. I think this is great info, don’t get me wrong you are very much correct according to building science and general studies that have been done. I’m just putting it out there that sometimes we overthink things in the modern world of building.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Jordan! I couldn’t agree more, I follow code requirements but just as you’re mentioning, I myself have seen houses at 5000 ft, directly exposed to high winds and being built just with nails and they’re still there, 40 years later… it puzzles me sometimes.

[@Jordan-tq2jc]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy Thanks for the reply, also awesome work it looks great. I applaud your direct adherence to doing this the “right way”. I just wanted to also point out the “overthinking” aspect of building that we normalize in modern society. Keep it up! It’s great to see the detail and pride that you put into your work.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

@@Jordan-tq2jc thanks a lot Jordan!

[@chrisfrank8413]

Slab probably 'Floats' on the soil, as it freezes and thaws. like a raft. As long as the Slab is strong enough not to crack, It'll be ok.

[@irishgful1]

Back then asbestos was used in concrete for tensile strength, fire,etc. I wonder if concrete today is as strong?

[@andrewallason4530]

A couple of points. Your base of your footing should be at least 1’ below your worst case frost level. Using the round version of the square pads is much easier, plus you can use an auger to drill your holes. Hire a skid steer or mini-excavator with auger and your holes will be dug easily in half a day without breaking a sweat! And you will probably use the machine for other jobs on the site while you have it. Most plant hire places have them to hire by the weekday or weekends. I always weld my rebar cages. It’s something you can easily do with a $100 chinesium arc welder, and is probably equivalent to what you’re gonna spend on the rebar ties and the tying tool you then don’t need to buy. Plus you get to keep the welder, which is a pretty useful gadget. Make yourself a concrete vibrator by attaching a hammer drill to a length of rebar (it’s even better if you have a drill where you can have the hammer action without the rotation). Otherwise weld the rod to an old sabre-saw, multi-tool or jigsaw blade, and then use that to agitate the concrete each time you add a barrow load. Wrap plastic around the saw to protect it. Just remember, it won’t have the power of the commercial concrete vibrators, so use it more frequently.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks for these tips!

[@tadcobert1307]

Some say "overkill", you say "done right", I say EXCELLENT! Thank you!

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks Tad! I appreciate it

[@scottmcintosh2988]

9:41 I dug down 5 feet three foot around filled it with Lafarge fiberglass 10:15 concrete up to the top of the ground level let it dry then installed 16;inch Sonna tubes so it is like an upside down mushroom used a water level from Home Depot pressure treated 2 x 10 's on a mile of ocean frountsge at the southern east tip of Nova Scotia in Canada

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Nice

[@JJ-zs3ee]

Excellent work! it is rewarding to know that after all that hard work your cabin is in a very sturdy foundation. Thank you for the material cost tracker, it's very useful!

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks a lot, very glad to hear that you’re enjoying the content 🙂

[@beachtimehawaiibth7222]

I like all your detailed descriptions, costs, tools used and details…nice!

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks! Glad to hear that

[@lufy0629]

Wow, 5 min in and you can tell your videos are very educational compared to others. About to take my journey off-grid and the details and costs are much appreciated!

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Hey Alex, very glad to hear that you’re getting value from my videos. Nice! What size cabin will you be building ?

[@AJourneyOfYourSoul]

It’s a lot of work, but when your done, looking at your foundation, knowing that it is done right with nothing to worry about, it is 100% worth it. Nicely done!

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Agreed! I’m building this for the long haul!

[@johnbeckwith8313]

Excellent build job! It is a pleasure to see someone using modern engineering standards and International Residential Code requirements. 😀

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks John! Really trying to put my engineering knowledge to good use 😀

[@johnbeckwith8313]

Just re-watched the video and read the comments a year after my above comment. It is amazing how many so called "experts" are willing to give advice about engineering that they don't know anything about. Your foundation was done RIGHT! GOOD WORK❤

[@ymvrr]

One sees so many YT videos where 12” diameter concrete tubes alone are used as “footings”. Nearly always, that’s an under-sized support for cabins and shops. Good to see you using real footings with rebar.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Yep! A sonotube alone is rarely ever enough surface area

[@txhoonigan8863]

Honestly props for figuring this out DURING YOUR VIDEO. You did pretty good with (seemingly) no prior experience. Thumbs up, dude!

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks!

[@chrishelbling3879]

I love watching a builder who embraces overkill. Makes me feel less foolish, for doing the same.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

😂

[@jond661]

In Toronto our frost line is at 4 feet 😅 replacing rotten fence posts and digging out piers is the name of my existance

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Man that sounds miserable! 2 ft was already such a pain

[@scotthermance2335]

Nicely done! There's an old saying, a house is only as good as it's foundation. You're concern for deal will give you a life time of enjoyment. Cheers

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks Scott! I do agree with that saying and I hope and believe that this foundation will last for a lifetime!

[@jerryf609]

For future viewers, I have been told to keep rebar 3 inches from any edge of the concrete. I think his is good in that regard with the exception of the vertical cage from the cylinder walls. A three piece triangular cage may work better.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Yes that’s correct, 3” is what people should follow for concrete permanently exposed to earth.

[@latonyalee7821]

Nice Job, but there are a few things I will do differently and that is to lay down 24x24 inch concrete square stone payers (to ensure everything is leveled) in each hole and then place the concrete mold, create all the rebar forms ahead of time (hopefully you this this afterwards, saves a lot of time) and once I figure out the length of the rebar and forms, have them cut at Lowes/Home Depot or somewhere, it doesn't cost that much and I live by the motto "what is your time worth", but that's just me. You did an amazing job explaining everything!

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks ! Appreciate you sharing different ideas, it’s always good to see what people would do differently.

[@ian5780]

Anyone reading, this is not a good idea.

[@timbarry5080]

You may be interested in checking out how "the bearded carpenter" did the footings for his log cabin

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

👍

[@timothycasey5749]

Just downloaded the plans.. Don't know if I will ever do this..but at least I can see how it is done..thank you.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Awesome!

[@Chris_at_Home]

Glad to see you are using concrete below grade. I have seen many people build cabins on wood posts and within 20 years they usually have to replace them.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Yep, not worth it burying wood, even treated, it will decay at some point.

[@griff_9580]

Footings need rebar

[@DmitriDonRU]

cool... we will have to do something similar next year, so learning from you! And very cool idea about openness and showing us dollars spent and days! :)

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Glad you’re liking those features! I’ll make sure to update it in each video.

[@TheGuyOutdoors1]

I just got plans engineered and my design is the same with the plastic feet for the bottom of the sonotubes and rebar. Except I have a tractor, done that a few times with a shovel, it sucks where im at. Lots and lots of rocks, maple trees

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

I was lucky I didn’t have to deal with the rocks and a very limited amount of roots.

[@UtahDarkHorse]

Wow, excellent video and work! I You are channeling the true pioneer spirit that not only built this country, but the whole world. I'm a little hesitant to make suggestions as, at this writing, you've already completed the entire project and have probably figure it all out yourself, but for those that watch the videos later, and might want to do it their selves, here's a couple of things at this point. 1. get or build a couple of saw horses and a piece of plywood to create yourself a workbench of some sort. Easier on the back than using your dolly. Additionally, you could quickly bolt a small bench top vise to the piece of plywood to help hold stuff. 2. Couldn't really tell from the video but cutting the rebar with a grinder is a great idea. I would choose a thin kerf resin-fiber cutting wheel to make the job go as fast as possible. It faster than using a thicker (thickness, not diameter) cutting wheel. 3. for the small squares of rebar that you were using small pieces and tying together to make a square, I'd rig up a jig that would allow you to bend the rebar and make the small squares out of a single piece of rebar bent into a square. Much better than tiny, free-floating pieces inside the concrete. 4. One of the other comments about round holes so you can rent/use an auger is a great time saving idea.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks a lot! These are good advice

[@jafar_albaaj]

I love your cabin I watched the series several times and I love your hard work, I meant to ask you if it’s possible to get the plans of your cabin as I’m planning on building my own one day and I’ve spent the last two years trying to learn as much as I can

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Hi Jafar, thank you for the comment. Yes I have some of the plans available on my website, did you get that already?

[@TeddyAVRIL-m6s]

Les gens sont des jaloux, n'écoute pas les commentaires. Cest du bon boulot Guy! Je m'inspire de ta vidéo pour les fondations de ma maison bois. Bises de Tahiti 🇵🇫

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Merci !

[@SupremeOverlord10]

I watched episode7 first. I thought, dude, your structure is awesome, but your piers are really weak. Then I went back and looked at your earlier episode and you are the master. You did an excellent job. I could relate that to a job I did recently, on a much smaller level where I built a foundation for a solar shade.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Ahah yeah only sonotubes would have been a little light, definitely need footers.

[@jjo1718]

I had to watch like 5 videos just to understand foundation lol and this guy explained it all in one video lmao

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Nice! Glad to hear that !

[@Jesse-fz8pu]

Excelente my friend.. Great job.. Loved it.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks Jesse !

[@sam.man.TX22]

Measure some marks from 12” to 24/36” on shovel and post hole diggers. Save s a bit of time and guess work

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thank you, good tip

[@bigal25938]

Get a heavy slate bar to help in digging. Really helps a lot.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

👍

[@stevanaeastwood8059]

Awesome! Cutting with the grinder!! Get yo self a band saw. Less stress. Way faster ❤

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks !

[@bengtriise6504]

Damn,you guys have it easy. Just dig a little🌞 Here in Norway there is 10cm of dirt and then solid rock!😳 Cool build👏

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Damn that’s rough! So how do you do foundations in Norway ?!

[@bengtriise6504]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy Haha,with a lot of swearing and bolts. I live in Lofoten islands and it's mostly rock🤘

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

@@bengtriise6504 I just looked it up! That is so far up north, how much daylight are you getting during winter ? And what kind of temperatures?

[@bengtriise6504]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy The sun is below the horison now, Jan.5th will be first sunlight again. Since we practically is in the ocean the temp is around freezing with rain every other day so it's the shittiest winters around. Thats why I find anything diy on youtube from warmer places.

[@j.c.m5168]

You clear soil and anchor to stone for foundations, no?

[@tuan-anhnghiem4344]

very nice work!!!

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks a lot!

[@chaselott8703]

Very well done! Great information and incredible work mate ! I learned a heap it was very thorough! Thank you brotha god bless

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks you for the kind words Chase, glad you enjoyed it and learned things along the way !

[@evolution2k6]

Great work and Thanks for this video! Would you happen to know the soil profile with respect to the area of the country you're in (i.e. Limestone, Sand, etc...). Also, as an Engineer "Overkill" is natural.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

No unfortunately I’m not sure about the soil profile. It might be somewhere in my septic permit as they did have to look at the soils to figure out what septic system to use

[@evolution2k6]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy No worries, thanks and look forward to more videos and final outcome!

[@runfayalife]

Great idea with the money counter.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks 😀

[@masucci61]

Concerning the depth of the hole for the post foundation, how much below the frost line do you need to dig? I live in canada and the frost line here is at 49 inches . I'm finding it quite challenging to dig a hole deeper than 48 inches, by hand

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Here I need to be at 24” below grade, man 49 is a lot! Especially if the ground is hard and rocky.

[@masucci61]

do you have a ''frost line'' in NC?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

@@masucci61 yep it’s about 2 ft. That’s for western NC in the mountains. Down the valley, not sure what depth it is, it any.

[@Jarjarjar21]

Ontario, Canada frost line: Northern counties: 5 feet (1.5 m) Southern counties: 3.5 feet (1.1 m)

[@mikeso5963]

Should tie rebar in column with rebar in base. And better to use a vibrator because the size and shape of the

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Makes sense!

[@anrichards149]

I agree this looks much more stable and durable

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks !

[@GentleImpact]

Did you go through your countys planning board for inspection?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Not for the foundation, being a licensed engineer, I signed off on it myself. I will need to get all the rest of the cabin inspected though (about 5 inspections total), framing, electrical, plumbing, insulation…etc

[@slaboutlawdee2428]

All that rebar makes sense ,sure was a pain getting it all set up but well worth it for years and years to come if you plan to make a permanent structure

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Yep! That’s for sure !

[@firescaping1018]

Love the information you provided

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks! Glad you found it useful

[@butopiatoo]

No compaction of the pier backfill? Nice example. Hand dug holes are FUN!!! To bad a friend doesn't have a backhoe or an auger. What is the diameter of the piers?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

I did compact it, well jumping up and down on it 😂 22” square footing and 10” diameter pier if I recall correctly

[@butopiatoo]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy Love your documentation for other to see your process. Well done, Sir.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

@@butopiatoo thanks a lot !

[@Fortburb]

Hats off to you man. It’s a lot of work I know. Are you using 10” or 12” sonotube?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

I used 10” , yeah it was pretty physical!

[@scottmcintosh2988]

Take a sander without sandpapper and vibrate the sona tube no voids of concrete !

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Interesting

[@ndehgan]

You explained this very good 👍🏻 looking forward to see the progress

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks Nima! Glad to hear that my explanations were clear.

[@UKsystems]

I believe that a lot of these videos are doing in such a way that it’s considered temporary and non-permanent. I think that allows them to build it in certain situations. There is one way which isn’t talked about enough. It’s expensive but you can essentially get concrete posts that go on the bottom of wooden fence posts essentially casting them in concrete in holes works to attach joists to this is potentially an option if you want it to be done as quickly as simply burying posts.

[@dralixandretureta2310]

Muito bom seus vídeos, obrigado!

[@kevinmackfurniture]

Your fortunate... In my area of Massachusetts, the frost line is 48" below grade. Big footers are required by code on porches and decks in most towns now...

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Yeah I’m not that far north, we do not get super cold temperatures. I can’t imagine having to dig 48” deep by hand, no way. You definitely would have to get a backhoe for that.

[@kevinmackfurniture]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy Regardless of temperature... large, solid,heavy footings should be the bare minimum in any build. Replacement of them later with the weight of the structure above you, will be far costlier and more difficult.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

@@kevinmackfurniture you’re preaching to the choir 😄 I do agree, not anyone on KZbin will though.

[@stephendemille5424]

Great job bro… next time get some beers and food n invite your buddies to come over to help

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

If only I had friends 😂😂😂

[@stephendemille5424]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy don’t worry buddy, over time u will have friends… if not u still have an awesome cabin lol

[@richpalladiumberg2461]

very helpful. THanks

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks Rich !

[@saneisall1067]

I wonder if it would have been beneficial to use an extra black plastic form, turned it upside down to use as a funnel ontop of the sonotube. Then just dump the wheelbarrow over into it. To save your back from some shoveling.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Could have worked!

[@bigcws4522]

This guy started off pretty serious and now it seems like he is struggling I'm kind of enjoying his I'm second thinking everything attitude.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

😂

[@mrwonderfulhere2]

Nice vid...Am I wrong? but isn't the frost line quite a bit lower in your area? shouldn't the footing be much deeper?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Footings need to be at 24” below grade per code in my area.

[@Presentunity]

We are about to rebuild our cabin that was built directly on the ground about 80 years ago. The ground there is very very rocky, and less than a foot of shoveling its impossible to dig more. (Its almost impossible to pin a tent there without curving the hooks while trying to plan them). No way we can do what your do for your footing. What would you suggest ?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Maybe talk to a local builder to get their input

[@mikem720]

Yes and no. With some ground prep for each placement, you can float a decent sized cabin right on the ground in most normal kinds of ground, especially if the cabin has enough unit strength to move as a unit and you have a reasonable way to adjust level. And yes it can last 100 years.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Would need to have soil check to be sure beforehand

[@theartofplumbing]

great job. I lot of hard work, but werth it

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks ! yes, a strong foundation for years to come!

[@dperk1153]

as long as you're showing costs how much for the home design and septic components - design, permit, hardware, installation?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

I did the design myself, pretty much used free ressources online to get an idea and then drew stuff by hand and got a drafter from fiverr to do it. Septic , $700 Permit fee, 4.5k for the installation including labor and materials.

[@CringePanda]

How is the 10" tube working for the 6x6 post? It's what I want to do as well but every place seems to say I need 18" tubes for 6x6 posts!

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Well what’s their reasoning ? I do have an appropriately sized footing under the sonotube.

[@banditshorthouse2846]

Cabins built without footings have lasted over a hundred years . Rubble trench or gravel displaces the load si.ilar to a footing, likewise friction pilings do the same laterally. Just have to understand the method.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Unfortunately (fortunately?) building codes won’t allow this anymore

[@cinemasanders977]

so where did those counters for the money and hours go?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Good catch ! Now I send monthly updates on Money and hours in a monthly newsletter. Anybody that gets the cabin plans will start receiving the newsletter and can unsubscribe whenever of course.

[@AlexKidmann]

Stylé ! :o Top les explications ca donne envie de faire du bricolage !

[@crosisofborg5524]

This is why I am using helical screw piles. They hold the weight just as well as sonotubes but all 12 are installed in just a few hours without any of this work.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Yep! They surely are a lot easier and faster. Do you install them yourself or a company has to do it?

[@carmel833]

how much is each helical screw pile cost for materials & labor install? 1000 per pier or so?

[@mattr724]

Did you use 10" or 12" sonotubes for your piers?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

10” if I recall correctly

[@DavidLaFerney]

In Cades Cove there are churches that are over 100 years old that are sitting on loose stacked stones. I’m not saying this is a good option for new construction today, but I am saying this - I wouldn’t be too quick to declare that I am “doing it right” as if anything less or different is deficient.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Great point !

[@1.gatuquan]

Overfilled? Perhaps, but I rather do that. Love your videos, mate.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks !

[@bartdurang9296]

Excellent videos. Real down to earth DIY info. Love it. Just one question. Why use foundation forms? What’s the advantage? Why not just fill the foundation, let the concrete settle for a while, put in the pilar forms and then concrete them? Thanks.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

That would totally be a viable option, I just liked the idea of doing everything in one pour.

[@emmanuel4333]

Hello, Could I pour the concrete inside the form, and backfill the hole around the form only after the concrete is dried and set? I can't find the bottom forms anywhere, so I'll have to build a form using wood, but that means I have the top side exposed, so I can't backfill until the concrete is done drying. What are your thoughts?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Yeah finding those footings forms were so difficult! I had to call the supplier directly and when they added some to the Home Depot site, i was able to buy them right away before they were out of stock again two days later. In your case, I would do, footing first, with rebars sticking out straight, let it dry. Install the sonotube above then backfill then pour. If you try to pour without the sonotube being backfilled, I can see the concrete pushing out at the bottom of the sonotube and end up with a big mess!

[@emmanuel4333]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy Wow, now that I've read your comment, I can't see how I didn't figure out that can happen. Thanks a lot mate. I'll do per your advice.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

@@emmanuel4333 no problem 😉

[@ShmaChristianity]

Could you remesh instead of rebar for the column? Seems like it could save some time.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

I would still prefer rebars on a cylindrical pilaster like that.

[@ikrabiche]

What do you thing about screw piles? ( pieux vissé). I know your method is indestructible, but screw piles seems faster to install. I live in Québec by the way, so I would need to make my footing at least 4 foot deep.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Yes, a screw pile also called helical pile could definitely work! I myself did look into it but here was the limit, the hand screw piles that you can buy and install yourself do not have enough capacity to support the loads for this cabin (and I’m not sure how they would do for uplift or lateral loads). The other option is to get a proper helical pile installed (probably has to be done by a pro), these can be torqued to have definitely enough capacity for a cabin like this BUT (in my area) they cost about 2k per helical pile installed! So that would be about 24k for my whole foundation ! Maybe they’re is a way to DIY the installation of helical piles to lower the cost, maybe worth looking into! It surely would be so much easier and faster than what I had to do! Merci et j’espère que ces vidéos vous aideront à construire votre propre cabin au Canada!

[@ikrabiche]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy thank you very much! I didn’t know they were that expensive. My cabin will be way smaller and lighter, 14x16, one floor and no water. I will try to calculate the weight. Maybe I will be fine with the regular.

[@Poppy_love59]

Where I live I have many options, from slabs to crawlspace to full basement. What is required is nothing, because we have no building codes. So generally for small buildings I build straight on the ground with a couple of sled logs. Built my first building 40 years ago and haven't needed a single repair other than a new roof a couple of years ago. Built a house 20 years ago straight on grade with a slab. It has stone siding and a metal roof so it is fire proof. Doing things "the proper way" varies with location and government control. It has nothing to do with sturdiness or what someone else says is the "Proper Way" ! Many building are hundreds and some thousand year old buildings have been built simply by the builders intelligence and true grit!

[@Chiliyip]

Would it be beneficial to add a layer of compacted gravel below the footing?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Brandon, that’d depend on your area. In my case, we always call out footings to be cast on residual soils directly.

[@elim7228]

yes, and put waterproof insulation on top of gravel, under the mold. Rebar would rust otherwise, and crack the cement.

[@cochransgonewildalaska2265]

I’ve done two cabins like this, but my piers go all the way to the treated beams. It’s one less pivot point.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Yes you’re definitely right! But I didn’t know if I could handle dealing with the sonotube sticking 4’ off the ground. I’ll have lots of Y bracing between my posts, I don’t think it’ll move much. How did you manage to pour all of your sonotube exactly at the same height?

[@cochransgonewildalaska2265]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy I used a rotary laser with a measurement stick. I was able to get my piers within 1/4” and made up the short ones with some non shrink grout. You would notice on taller piers that the concrete will settle quite a lot in the tubes and if you aren’t on top of adding more you can get a little short. I was always only able to do one or two a day digging my own holes by hand 3 feet deep. Lots of work but a solid foundation.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

@@cochransgonewildalaska2265 sounds like it would be tough work for sure. Did you have to brace the sonotube sticking out ?

[@nachomoma2469]

so if the part of Alaska i wanna build in, the frost line there runs about 100 inches.... that's how far I would need to dig down?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Pretty much !

[@nachomoma2469]

Ty for replying...love your channel so far...just starting to catch up lol

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

@@nachomoma2469 thanks !

[@emmanuel4333]

Hello, What concrete mix are you using? How much cement to water to sand ratio.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Hey, it’s the ready mix stuff from lowes, everything is already in one bag (cement and aggregates), I just added water. I’m not doing it very scientifically, I just added water until the consistency was right. It’s that simple!

[@emmanuel4333]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy got it. I don't think we have that here, but I guess it's just the basic cement to aggregate mix. Thank you. When are you posting the next episode?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

@@emmanuel4333 yes, nothing fancy, just your average 3000 psi concrete. I’ll be posting one this Saturday and will be on a two weeks schedule now, I cannot keep up with one video a week unfortunately (I have a full time job and a child).

[@emmanuel4333]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy great! Looking forward to the episode.

[@awesomepumashoes]

Do you think you used less concrete than expected because you didn’t pack it enough? Or did you really just not need as much?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

I really think I just didn’t need as much. Originally I thought I was going to take the sonotube all the way up.

[@galiciaart]

Is there a construction code i can see about this?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Footers need to be big enough to support the design loads, that’s pretty much what code says

[@LIBERTY0RDEATH]

Future pro tip. Don’t cut anything until the very end. Set up a line laser at the height you want and cut them all at the same time. Otherwise how do you know your at the correct height you can’t go off the ground since it’s different everywhere. Your string lines don’t look level at all so not sure what your using to measure off

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Andrew, good tip but check out the following videos, I ended up decided not to level the concrete piers but to level the wood posts above it using a 360 degrees laser level.

[@brentkirkness3405]

I live in Canada where permafrost is about a foot underground.

[@williammartin2810]

Thanks for posting, good job. Maybe could have put some plastic under the rebar.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks William! You mean plastic rebar chairs instead of the metal ones I used ?

[@williammartin2810]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy On the bare ground to keep the concrete from drying out too fast

[@daniellemarie9922]

The little piece you put on the top of the form right at the end, can someone tell me what the purpose of that is?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

This was to hold the anchor bolt and two straps where they should be while the concrete is drying.

[@ascensionrecordings]

no gravel or tamping?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Under the concrete you mean?

[@briha3142]

How many bags of 80# concrete were needed for each pier? Thanks!

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

I used a total of 70 bags of concrete, so about 6 bags per pier on average (some were less, some were more as there were two piers that had bigger footings)

[@BLAM777]

Well I know of 2 houses built in northern maine right near where my land is and they are on 3' of gravel with concrete pads and pressure treated posts. The people live there full time and the houses we're built well over 10yrs ago. They have had no problems at all and one of the houses had an addition put on within the last 7 yrs. I know the builder of those places and he has built may camps and houses over the years. He's also fixed quite a few houses others had built. I guess it just depends on where you build and knowing the land your going to build on.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

That’s good to know. I think that lumber under ground could potentially take 30/40 years+ to have issues. Maybe it never will in their case, depends really on how much moisture it will be exposed to. Gravel helps a lot below the concrete at it will help moisture drain down.

[@mjkx_8476]

Thanks for this reply. Starting a cabin in Sumner with my father this summer and I’m looking into what has worked for our area.

[@BLAM777]

@@mjkx_8476 up where we bought our land there are alot of huge rocks, roots, and the ground water isn't far down so building on the gravel makes the most sense for us. The plan is for a 24×32 A-frame with a loft. Hope the build goes well for you and your dad this summer.

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

@@BLAM777 nice! Are you going to hire a builder for that A frame or do the work yourself ?

[@BLAM777]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy me and my family are going to do it ourselves. I may hire the amish to help me with the roof. They have fair prices and the cost will be a fraction of the cost of what a contractor would charge us.

[@usfederalgovernment]

Amazing

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Thanks !

[@HankMorris-el6jg]

That’s one way to do it.

[@richardthomas1566]

All that means nothing with out an engineered coring test. Need to measure the bearing capacity of the soil before you do anything if you want it done right . They come out drill and take core samples .

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Richard, this depends on your code requirements, you’re right that some area do require you to get a geotechnical engineer involved to provide a bearing capacity. In my area, we are allowed to use a code minimum 2000 PSF without having a geotechnical engineer report.

[@haileynevarez5718]

How can I figure out how deep and far apart my piers should be and how far apart my beams should be. I’m building an 18x 36 house

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Hailey, that’s what a structural engineer would do, that what I do for work. Based on the floor plan, we would decide where to locate the foundation and how many to place. 10/12 ft apart is a good start but then the beams need to be sized appropriately. For the depth, that would depend on your local codes.

[@haileynevarez5718]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy there are no local codes. i've spoken to a few different companies and have gotten so many different answers. there has to be a rule of thumb or an equation to figure it out myself. Or even a good textbook?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

@@haileynevarez5718 what state are you in ?

[@haileynevarez5718]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy south texas

[@haileynevarez5718]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy are you saying 10-12 ft apart for the beams?

[@the_atomic_punk487]

You need to invest in a mini excavator or better yet a small front end loader/backhoe combo

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

Trust me I would love that! Do you know how much they usually cost used?

[@the_atomic_punk487]

@@TheDIYCabinGuy my pop picked up a lightly used kubota bx24 for $12,000, that was 10 years ago, I’m sure costs have risen. Great videos!

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

@@the_atomic_punk487 thanks! I’ll look into it if I end up building more or maybe I would just rent one first.

[@kalliste23]

If you insist in digging with manual labour (don't they have tool hire place near you?) you need a pickaxe. Digging holes means a shovel and pickaxe unless you have explosives to take the place of the pickaxe.

[@derrickcalvert5264]

Battery band saw next time for cutting rebar

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

I’m sure that works great! I’m just limited in the number of tools I get. I try to do as much as I can with what I currently have.

[@gary24752]

How did you come up with the size of the concrete footing pad?

[@TheDIYCabinGuy]

I ran the numbers, calculated how much dead load and live load is coming back down at each location and sized the footer accordingly based on a 2000 psf soil bearing capacity. Then I had two sizes, the 22x22 et 28x28 which I used in two spots when the loads from the roof ridge will come down.