House Sand

Can I build a stable house on sand?

Lets leave all the biblical meanings to this question out please… I am planning to purchase five acres of land, it is near the beach up north in New England…is it possible to build a house with a stable foundation on sand?

It really depends on the following:

Where/how high is the water table?
Is the area subject to earthquake?

From the area You Are describing, it appears you can do one of the two following:
1. Have a foundation based upon piers that goes into the ground (typically to bedrock) or
2. Use a concrete slab foundation that spreads the weight of the house over a larger area reducing any differential settlement.

The biggest problem you’ll be faced with sand is the possibility of liquefaction (ie. the quicksand effect when there is a lot of water in the sand).

Andy in House of Sand and Fog