Concrete Block and Beam Ground floor

[tomie2x]

This will be my second self-build.

 

Having previously built with a suspend timber ground floor I am thinking about using a concrete block and beam ground floor construction, I hope to gain a more solid construction, this method also suits my resources just now.

 

Can anybody give me any advice on building with these materials?  

[PeterW]

Welcome ..!

 

What are the ground conditions below the floor and what foundations..?

 

Any reason for not using a ground bearing insulated slab..??

[Temp]

I persuaded my builder to use B&B on both floors. He'd never done a first floor but said he liked it as it went down quick and no issues with weather. Made tiling our bathroom easy.

[Russell griffiths]

Ours went in a month ago and was very straightforward 

Things I liked. Pipe placement was easy and allowed me to move a pipe I wasn’t happy with, has given me a working platform that doesn’t contain any underfloor heating that could get damaged as I have a hundred fixings to go in the floor to hold up my bracing for the icf walls. 

Things I don’t like. large cold void under the floor, increased height of finished floor. 

[tomie2x]

Hi and thank for your reply.

 

Can you tell me if you had to use a specialist company to design the layout of the beams and do you have a rough cost of materials for the concrete beams?

 

Thank you.

[Russell griffiths]

Hi block n beam company do the design, just send them a floor layout, I picked my company by location as I new delivery would be a large cost, I used rackam house floors. 

160m cost about £2000 without blocks, lightweight blocks 70p each.