Why No Basements in Texas? - (Finally Revealed!)

[@michellemakeuptutorials]

I grew up in one of those original fox & jacob homes off forest area that you mentioned! Our house was the model house that they had they office in so the garage was completely finished out bc that is where they sold the houses from

[@ronsmith7739]

In Houston, we only have 60 feet above sea level and its gumbo clay or just muck, so most homes have no basements. I know I live here !!!

[@ScootrRichards]

I live in SE Houston, near the space center, and we're about 20 feet above sea level. In summers, we get cracks up to 2-3 inches wide in some places when the gumbo dries out, and it swells up and seals itself in a tropical storm, flooding is common. Basements would become indoor swimming pools during hurricane season. Yes, we have a hurricane season.

[@HardRockMaster7577]

They built a Khol's store off of 635 near MacArthur around 2000. But about 3 years later, they razed the store to the ground, because of foundation issues. They rebuilt the Khol's, set back 300 feet to the East. Originally the Khol's had entrances on the East & West. But, the rebuilt Khol's now has only a West entrance. I'd think that Khol's would have had that soil tested before the first build. But even that wasn't enough to avoid disaster.

[@LiveNorthofDallasTexas]

Mistakes are made every day.....the human condition and experience. Phil Martin

[@tweety7353]

WOW! Had no idea that clay could swell like that. And. interesting to learn about the building challenges in those areas of Texas.

[@LiveNorthofDallasTexas]

Glad you enjoyed it! Phil Martin

[@Rexag]

Native Texan and I've wondered this myself.... but grew up knowing to water the foundation. I live a bit south of Houston; a few years ago we went 6 mos with no rain. I couldn't keep the foundation wet enough and the cracks and shifts began. Many hairline cracks and started sloping but then the rain finally floated me back to level. Many people leveled their houses during the driest time and when it floated back, it cracked and busted all the tile, woodwork, built-ins etc... mess for many. Is that because they leveled when the ground was driest?

[@LiveNorthofDallasTexas]

Thanks Phil Martin

[@youthspent]

Concrete is not flexible. Concrete has no tensile strength which is why rebar, wire, or PT cables are used to provide tensile strength. You must wait to stress or ram the cables because the cement leaches into the concrete mixture causing it to gain strength over time. The concrete has a designed compressive strength measured in psi specified by the mix design approved by the engineer. The PT cables are approved to be stressed when the concrete reaches a certain percent of design strength determined by the engineer usually 60-75% design strength. Cylinders of concrete are taken at the beginning of a pour with subsequent cylinders taken every 50 cubic yards of concrete placed. One cylinder from each batch is tested based on the timing requested by the contractor, GC, or Owner depending on who carries testing. I like to test 3 days, 5 days, 10, 27, and a spare. These represent the days the testing company breaks the cylinders. They are literally crushed by a hydraulic press that measures how much pressure was applied up to the point of failure. So a 4500 psi mix has reached strength when it takes 4500 psi to crush the test cylinder. Example : 200 yard slab on grade PT system. Specs call for 4500 psi mix no air, cables stressing to be performed after 65% strength. Owner agrees to test cylinders 3,5,10,27, and a spare. We pour and finish the slab on grade the test company performs breaks on day 3. They break one cylinder from each batch, at one batch every 50 yards 4 batches yields 4 breaks. If the average of the 4 breaks is less than 65% of 4500, or less than 2925 psi, you must delay stressing until you receive an average break strength above 2925. My point is If you stress early your concrete won’t flex, but it could break because it has not reached its compressive strength, that’s not even considering tendon groups, or robbed systems for a deck on grade type pour. I like y’all’s show, but your talking my world and I wanted to correct a couple things.

[@Say-Hello-yall]

My house has a basement. I live in E central Texas. It’s a pain.

[@LiveNorthofDallasTexas]

Thanks. Phil Martin

[@UncouthedChurlishness]

You need to let your guest talk more. He’s giving good info and you keep intruding and cutting him off to fit your narrative.

[@LiveNorthofDallasTexas]

Thanks. Will do. Phil Martin

[@GeronimoLogistics]

Water your house, lol, nice

[@ScootrRichards]

In our clay soil, it's not nice, it's essential to prevent your slab from crumbling like an Oreo stabbed with a fork. My first house slab cracked into 5 main segments in a single summer with record setting heat and a 'no watering' drought. $12K to fix it so the house didn't fall apart.