Flat land is an exception. It practically does not exist in agricultural and wine-growing buildings — and even in industrial zones they are usually built on a slope.
The decision made at the beginning will affect the price of the foundations, the appearance of the building and where the water will flow.
Two ways
A) Level the terrain with an embankment and build the hall on top. Easier to implement. The hall stands on a level, the foundations are standard. Disadvantages: the object stands out in the landscape, the embankment must be compacted and stabilized, and the area around the hall often has to be supported in the same way. B) Sink the hall partially into the slope. More challenging, but the object fits into the terrain instead of sitting on it. Claims: perimeter structures are not only pressured by their own weight and wind, but also by the soil. This must be addressed.
What does it mean to sink into a slope
The recessed part of the structure needs three extra things: 1. Support structure. Most often, a reinforced concrete retaining wall around the perimeter. Its height varies depending on how the terrain slopes — it can be half a meter at one end, two at the other. 2. Waterproofing against soil moisture. The structure in contact with the ground must be protected differently than the one above the terrain. 3. Drainage of water. This is the most important and most often underestimated. The water that flows down the slope must have somewhere to go — otherwise it accumulates near the structure and presses on the retaining wall. It is solved by drainage behind the support structure and drainage of the terrain above the building.
When the hall is sunk more than half
At our own premises in Uherčice, two-thirds of the hall is embedded in a slightly sloping terrain. It was possible to bypass it — fill the terrain and build the hall on top.
We chose a more challenging path, because the result is an object that does not appear in the landscape as a mass built on a hill, but as a building that belongs to it.
The situation is similar at the winery in Bořetice: the building stands at the edge of the vineyard and has a reinforced concrete retaining wall around the entire perimeter, the height of which changes with the terrain.
What will that do to the price?
Adds: support structures, waterproofing, drainage, or deep foundations, if the subsoil is worse. Uber: embankment and its compaction, landscaping around the building, sometimes even the height of retaining walls at the edges of the property.
The difference between the two variants is not as big as it seems — and the decision is made more by geology and how the object should look than pure calculation.
What to watch out for
- Have a geological survey done. A slope often means different subsoil at the top and bottom of the property.
- Address drainage before foundations. Water from the slope is the most common cause of problems with these structures.
- Expect a technician approach. It is more difficult to maneuver on a slope and assembly may take longer.
- Find out where the water will drain from the roof. On a sloping plot, this may not be obvious.
We also build on a slope
We deal with earthworks, support structures, foundations and the hall as general contractor — so drainage, retaining wall and structural anchoring are not three different companies with three opinions.
Look at establishment of halls or write to us.
