What is a stilt house?

by | Nov 5, 2014 | Home Improvement

A stilt house, as the name implies, is a house that is built on stilts, above the ground. Stilt houses have been around for centuries, they actually can be traced back to prehistoric times, they were common in areas of the world that were prone to floods and similar natural catastrophes. Today, stilt houses no longer are built from bamboo but they are as valid today as they were centuries ago for those people who live close to the coast, a custom house on stilts in Galveston TX will provide considerable added protection to homes from hurricanes, high tides and surges.

Typically a stilt house is built on piles which are driven into the ground. The house is built on top of the piles which are typically 10 to 12 feet off the ground, this comfortably allows for high tide and storm surges. Today, stilt houses use water-resistant wood as well as concrete reinforcing as the basic construction materials.

A Custom House on Stilts in Galveston TX Area is normally built on land but it can also be built directly over water. The piles are set into deep holes that are dug; the piles are held in place with a considerable foundation of concrete. In the event the soil is not compatible with this type of pile setting, the piles can be driven directly into the soil using a pile driver, in many cases the piles are driven deep enough to hit bed rock. Once the piles have been set a base is built, the base is essentially the floor of the house that will eventually rise on top of this structure. The piles and base when viewed together form the stilts.

Stilt homes are primarily used in areas where flooding can be expected on an ongoing basis. There are a number of advantages to a stilt house; they are simple to construct and a house can be built on land that otherwise would have gone unused as the ground itself is unsuitable for a house. Having the house rise above the ground is an ideal way to keep vermin at bay and makes it considerably more difficult for those who are bent on breaking into the home. Although the space below the home will often be flooded it can still be used for storage.

Although an existing house can be raised it is far easier to build a custom house on stilts in Galveston TX from scratch.

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