Weights of Different Construction Methods

[Paul K]

I know it’s kind of a ‘how long is a piece of string’ question, but can anyone give me an indication (or point me to a source) of comparative weights of different construction methods?

 

SE has given me some worst-case foundation loadings using ‘traditional’ brick & block, but I just wanted to compare the kg/m2 for SIPs, timber frame, Porotherm, Isotex, etc

 

Thanks in advance.

[SteamyTea]

I think you will have to work from first principles.

 

I am not an SE, but in reality, I can't see there being much difference in foundation loading for a normal house, it is not worth scrimping on a foundation, it may have to be reused in the future.

[Alan Ambrose]

I would say timber frame with wood rain screen and tiled roof should be ~5 kN/m^2 area loading including live load allowance.

Edited January 22 by Alan Ambrose

[George]

Why do you want this information?

 

The way to do it is from first principles - add up the weight of a particular build up. 

Edited February 6 by George

[Alan Ambrose]

Yeah, quite easy to do - just some simple geometry, look up the densities on ‘tinternet, divide by the floor area. Just take the bulky and heavy stuff, ignore the rest. Add some for live loads (defined in the regs somewhere).

 

Even easier, your SE should have a rough idea in his/her head of the loadings from different construction methods. It won’t make that much difference to the work/cost of the foundations though. Are you building on soft ground with load limitations?

[PNAmble]

I had to have my SE do the calcs as I was trying to avoid a piling solution;  a bespoke built timber frame solution was calculated with dead and live loads including the raft totalling 18Kn / m2.  For a two story/flat roof house with a slab 170m2. 
 

 

[Alan Ambrose]

>>> with dead and live loads including the raft

 

Ah good point, the 5 kN/m^2 I quoted earlier is the load of the building onto the foundation. The foundation will be heavy, so the load on the soil below the foundation will be much higher. Both numbers are important, of course, for designing the foundation.