Footer/Stem Wall on a Slope?

[Anonymous]

I am building a garage, have plans, permits, etc. and am currently planning the foundation. The build site is sloped downward about 4 ft. vertical over the 48 ft horizontal length of the garage.

Can I dig the footing trenches in the current slope and pour the footer at grade (rather than leveling the site and pouring a level footer) and then pour the stem walls on top of the sloped footers such that the top of the stem walls are level?

If so, then I plan on bringing in crushed rock to level the area inside the stem walls up to the floor height, then pour the floor. Will this work?

Would I need to pour some braces on outside of stem wall to support the 4 ft of crushed rock inside the stem walls on the down hill end?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Rone

[Anonymous]

I would suggest not pouring the footer on a slope. Instead do a step footing where it would step down 2' in the middle of the length. If you pour it on a slope there is always a chance of it crawling or shifting. I have no facts to support this but in my opinion it makes more sense to do a step footing. Then you can pour the stemwall all at the same time - you would just need to form up another 2' on the lower end.