Is it possible to build with concrete or do houses around Faibanks have to be built on pilings like those north of the Brooks?

I have 7 years left till retirement and I want to get something started near Salcha. What's the good word?

I've been struggling with that one myself. I think it all depends on location. Bottom line is whether or not your building on top of perma frost.
My cabin at lake Louise sets on top of permafrost. I got around that by making several concrete foots that my pileings set on. The foots are 2'x2&1/2' and it's all adjustable by cutting or replacing the upright 6x6's going up to the floor gurters.
I havn't had more than a couple inches of movement with this in the past six years

You need to be VERY Careful where you build in Salcha......In some parts of the O .V .T. , the Tannana is eroding the bank and takeing away peoples land ... And also the flooding is real bad fairley often when there is an ice jam that backs up the river ... Simular to what happened on the Kenai this winter.... There is a company in Fairbanks that will do permafrost testing on your site ....My prefrence is to build on an elevated gravel pad ..It helps keep the heat from the house away from the perma frost..... Remember cold sinks so if you can build up on one of the ridges there,, you are better off , execpt for well water ... That can be a big expense....There are some really great people in Salcha,, and some good land available....

I lived in Salcha for 5 years before moving back to North Pole. Even though we were right in the middle of some of the flooded area most of our property never flooded since it sat on a slight rise. Some of our neighbor's did get wet though. Others closer to the slough and river were evacuated so it just depends where at in Salcha you're looking at. Generally if you stay east of the Rich Highway you're OK. There was no permafrost around my area (between the Old and New Rich near the Knotty Shop) and neither myself or any of my neighbor's were on pilings. There is some near Harding Lake, but most of that is not now open to subdividing and building right at this time.

We're now in North Pole and I don't know of anybody around or near me that had to build on pilings here either. Everybody is on concrete footers or a slab on grade. Permafrost becomes more of an issue in places like the Goldstream Valley, Two Rivers and areas on the north facing slopes around Fairbanks. .

I have built many diffrent houses in the salcha area. If your talking about the Johnson road area you need to look for permafrost and are you able to reach good water. If your talking about closer to the river The first thing to look for is how deep the gravel is and what the base flood elevation is for the piece of property plus is there permafrost. Myself I have one reason for not living in salcha no fire coverage. As far as concrete or pilings stay away from permafrost nomatter how cheap the property is and build on concrete. Just make sure to dig down to gravel and backfill to above flood elevation with pitrun and compact, compact, compact vapor barrear insulation and pour. sorry about my spelling

Cap ,,, totally agree......The fire thing , needs to be addressed much more than it usually is ....A friend in Salcha installed a scrap wood burner outside and away from his house. He ran fluid lines and radient coils in his floors and that seems to be a good idea...Keep most of the fire creating parts out of the house...

Thanks again, that's what I thought. Pilings are more than likely needed.