Are there any real problems with a home built on a concrete slab, i.e. plumbing,floor cracking,etc. ?

Any information on research, websites to check out, what to look out for or check to insure construction was done correctly would be appreciated.

Public Comments

1. If there is a shift or settle, the floors will become unlevel. It also depends on climate, very cold can make the floor crack. In a tornado or hurricane area, very bad. Can lose whole house easily. No real plumbing, HVAC or electrical issues. Mostly structural.
2. I think the worst part of a concrete slab is that you don't get that "homey" feel that comes when you wake up at 2 am to go to the bathroom and wake everyone up because the wooden floor is making noise.
3. Most new constuction houses are built on a concrete slab. There is a lot of construction criteria involved in pouring a slab correctly. Following the plans is probably the most important, only because your would anticipate that any problems were noted by your architect, building official or plans examiner. Cracking will always occur. There is no way around that. Relief cuts only prevent major separations, but surface cracking always will happen. Hopefully, your drawings indicate a good footer with rebar all the way around and at all of your load bearing walls. Also, all of your plumbing should be sleeved two sizes larger than the pipe size. If it is built per ACI 318(American Concrete Institute) standards, you should be fine. Depending on your state, the International Residential Code and/or the International Building Code or state versions there of can be a great guide. You can always telephone your local building department for some guidance as well. You may also want to ask your question on a reputable construction forum, such as the International Code Council forum. A couple of links to review: ACI: http://www.aci-int.org/general/home.asp ICC: http://www.iccsafe.org/ ICC Forum: http://www.iccsafe.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi