Construction in Haiti - Why Are House Foundations Built with Rocks and Not Concrete?
Lately, I've been paying close attention to how houses are built in Haiti and I am wondering... Why is the foundation of houses build in Haiti made out or rocks and not a concrete slab?
Why is it so darn high off the ground? Sometimes you have to go UP a couple of steps just to get inside the house!
My cousin is building a house in Haiti and she told me she spent so much money buying truck loads after truck load of rocks just for the foundation of the house.
She is building a one story home, typical 3 bedroom house with a car port, but there is more rock on it then on the Citadelle!
Why do Haitian Home builders use rocks instead of concrete?
I am asking because, I was reading How House Construction Works, and they say that houses are generally built on a foundation that is either a basement, a crawl space or a slab. I read the whole thing and nowhere in my reading did it say you have to use thousands of big rocks as a foundation and lay the house on top of it.
I'm no engineer, I am just trying to compare how things are done in Haiti versus the rest of the world.
SO... Can you tell me?
Why do Haitian Home builders use rocks instead of concrete when building houses.
Now that we live in a post-earthquake era, what happens to all these rocks when the ground begins to shake?
Reply with your comments
Read more: Building Homes in Haiti, Houses in Haiti, Real Estate in Haiti, Real Estate
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