#monolithic slab

Construction has officially begun in New Mexico!  

The ground has been leveled, the trenches at the perimeter of the addition have been dug, the rebar has been laid and the concrete has begun to be poured.  The family dogs wait and watch as the first steps in building the house begin.  

Due to the location of the house, the addition is designed to be built on a monolithic slab.  A monolithic slab is a flat 4" concrete slab that has rebar (metal rods)  and is poured on leveled soil.  At the perimeter of the slab, the concrete is deeper to stabilize the slab as well as other important features (frost, water).  A monolithic slab is simpler than concrete foundations in colder climates.  Like in New York or New Jersey, where the frost line can be more than a foot below ground, basements or crawl spaces are required so that the foundation is set below the frost line.  In New Mexico, deep foundations are not required.  Therefore, basements aren't common nor are they necessary.  I've posted a drawing of monolithic slab, so you can better understand how it is constructed.