Buyers Want Your Home for as Little as Possible. Are you thinking of selling your home? You should know exactly what it's worth before making such an important decision. Find Out More > View All Offers >
|

We Sold Our House For Asking Price! “After Larissa took over we got two offers in first two weeks.” Jonathan and Esabella Cheng Read Quote > View All Quotes >
|
Compare three mortgages at one time.
Download TripleCalc now. It's free.
|
|
|
 |
Please Sign Up For The Latest Listings and the Latest Real Estate News
Buying Land and New Construction >Beware of Fat Clay
When building a home, you should have the soil on the construction site tested for plasticity to determine how it will change under different moisture conditions. This is important because some soil is so "plastic" that (if the condition is not corrected) it can actually break concrete floors, crack the walls and destroy the foundation of your home.
Highly plastic soil is sometimes referred to as "fat clay" that swells excessively and loses stability when it becomes wet. Fine-grained soils that contain a high percentage of clay are greatly affected by water, turning to mud when it rains and undergoing large volume changes-sometimes up to 40 or 50 percent, as the soil dries. Not only do clays swell and lose stability when they become wet, but they also retard the drainage of water. If plastic soil is found on your building site, the ground must be over-excavated and replaced with clean gravel. Homebuilders often choose not to include a basement, or to protect the basement walls from excess moisture by surrounding them with a layer of gravel. A fine-grained clay-filled soil with a high plasticity index may require considerable treatment, especially if used in a moist location.
|
| Q |
Who received the largest land grant ever given to an English subject for only two beaver skins per year?
|
| A |
William Penn, the Quaker leader, received Pennsylvania and Delaware to settle a debt owed his father by King Charles II. |
See More Real Estate Trivia > |
|
|

Harbor Area Counseling Services We believe that each person has the inner wisdom and ability to solve their own problems and create more happiness and satisfaction in their lives. Find Out More > View All Affiliates >
|
|
|