Baseplate Construction Everything you need to know

The starting signal for the construction of the house begins after the earth has been dug with a secure foundation. Manufacturers are faced with the first important decision: Basement or attic? Both have their advantages and disadvantages. For cost reasons many people choose the base plate. But this decision is not always the right one. In addition to personal space needs, factors such as location and condition of the property should definitely be taken into consideration. For this reason it is not possible to give a general answer as to which is the best alternative. We have summarized for you how Floor plate construction expires. Here you will also find the crucial ones Advantages and disadvantages of the attic at a glance so you can make the right decision for your home.

Base plate: is it the same as the foundation?

When it comes to the construction of attics, it all depends on the role they play in the foundation. In general, the attic serves as a transition between the ground and the building. A distinction is made between the load-bearing slab of the basement and the foundation slab. The latter is used in buildings without a basement and is commonly called an attic. Unlike the basement attic, this plays a different role in the statics of the house. A floor must meet the following requirements:

• Uniform distribution of the weight of the building on the ground
• Avoid deformation of the ground and cracks in the structure
• Protection against internal movements of the house (caused for example by cold or heat)

The foundation – overview of the types of foundations

The foundation is the basis for building a house. This also decides what role the base plate plays. In general, a distinction can be made between so-called deep and superficial foundations. TO Deep foundations The loads are transferred into the ground via reinforced concrete piles. However, there is one for the base plate Superficial foundation for use. And here there are three different variations to choose from:

The individual foundation

If the load is more concentrated, for example under the supports of a balcony, individual foundations are the right choice. Here the cross section is usually round, rectangular or square. Individual foundations are often found in commercial buildings, such as warehouses, where they are installed in a grid pattern under supports or heavy machinery.

The striped foundation

The strip foundation is considered a particularly simple and economical foundation solution. It is a narrow, elongated foundation that transfers loads into the ground in a linear manner. In ancient buildings the strip foundation was made mainly of natural stone or brick. Today it is largely made of concrete. A thin, non-load-bearing plate is often placed on top. Alternatively, walls can be built directly on top of it. To better distribute loads, the batten foundation must be wider than the wall.

Slab foundation

Today more and more builders are opting for a slab foundation with a foundation plate, or simply simply base plate called. Here the entire surface of the plant is intended as a foundation. The advantage: It should optimally compensate for differences in deformation, thus reducing settlements and cracks.

From excavating the earth to the foundation to the correct construction method – there are many points to consider when building a house. Here you can also read about the individual planning and construction phases of the Rötzer brick building.

Floor plate construction: These are the basic rules

In the construction of floors, the so-called clean layer is applied directly to the bottom of the pit after excavating the soil. This usually consists of crushed stone, gravel or lean concrete. Diffusion-tight films made of polyethylene (PE) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are also used for additional moisture insulation. Furthermore, thermal insulation must not be missing from the base plate structure, which can be installed above or below the base plate. Different insulating materials are taken into account here:

Thermal insulation under the attic:

• Polystyrene panels (EPS or XPS)
• Expanded glass panels
• Expanded glass gravel
• Polyurethane foam

Thermal insulation above the attic:

• Vacuum insulation panels (VIP)
• Rigid expanded polystyrene (EPS)
• Wood fiber insulating panels
• Insulation based on natural raw materials such as cork, hemp or straw

The thermal floor board – for particularly good thermal insulation

If you want an energy saving or passive house, the underfloor heating panel is recommended. And it also makes sense for houses without a basement. A layer of capillary gravel is placed on the ground. This ensures that there is no movement of the ground beneath the insulation layer during freeze-thaw cycles. Furthermore, two layers of pressure-resistant insulation boards are often laid together. They have the purpose of preventing the rise of humidity and cold. When it comes to thermal insulation, special care must be taken to ensure that the thermal floor panel closes all sides well so that no thermal bridges are created. When using the floor heating panel with surface heating, you need to make sure that it works at low temperature. This can lead to the following benefits:

• Possible U-values ​​from 0.17 to 0.10
• Sole, heating and screed in one
• Low heating costs (no thermal bridges)
• Save time during construction

Basement or attic – cost comparison

For cost reasons, many builders opt for a slab. But is it really worth it? There is no general answer as to how high the final costs will be for your basement or attic. We have calculated the approximate costs for you:

Base plate: how much will it really cost?

The costs for a floor slab generally include excavation work on your property, formwork work, as well as concrete and reinforcement. However, it becomes expensive if the excavation work is difficult due to the nature of the soil on your property. Furthermore, the costs for a specially insulated thermal floor panel are higher. In simple terms, for an attic the following costs must be expected:

• Base plate: From 7,000 to 12,000 euros
• Thermal plate: From 18,000 to 22,000 euros

Basement – ​​You will have to pay these costs

As with the attic, the costs of a cellar also depend on various factors. For example, the surface of the cellar, the equipment and the condition of the floor play an important role. If the groundwater level is high and the soil conditions are difficult, a so-called waterproof concrete cellar, a white tank cellar construction, is necessary. This is usually more expensive than the traditional basement. For a cellar, however, you will have to pay approximately the costs between 55,000 euros and 80,000 euros calculate. According to the Fertigkeller Quality Association (GÜF), it is worth investing in the cellar to benefit from it later.

Base plate – these are the advantages and disadvantages

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a basement or an attic – both have their advantages and disadvantages. In terms of costs, the foundation plate can be cheaper, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be! We have compared the advantages and disadvantages of an attic:

Advantages

• Cost savings
• No moisture penetration through groundwater

Disadvantages

• less storage and storage space
• not suitable for every property
• Better thermal insulation is often expensive

Of course, you should also know the advantages and disadvantages of a basement in order to make the right decision to build your house. You can read about these in our blog post “Building a House with or Without a Basement.”

Basement or attic – depends on the property

Ultimately, the answer to the question of which attic is suitable is only possible in detail Soil report receive a response. This measures geological conditions, the height of the water table and the bearing capacity of the soil. For a sloping property, a basement is the only option anyway. In this case a construction with floors would be too complex and expensive. If the floor is generally not stable enough, the floor for the attic structure must also be replaced: in this case the costs can easily skyrocket. Our advice: invest in a professional inspection: this will avoid unpleasant surprises!

On purpose: Design can also play a role in deciding for or against a basement. Due to the architecture of the bungalows, for example, all rooms are located on one level. This leads to a large surface area where a full basement makes little sense from a cost perspective. Bungalows therefore usually do not have a basement.