I am building in the woods a log house. The area after excavation is shale where the footers and basement slab will be. Will this cause problems? The area is sloping in all directions away from the build site. Thanks Mike

Sometimes when shale is exposed to air it will become expansive if not sealed quicky. Yes! This can lift and break your walls and foundation. I hope you get this in time. More info can be found at www.basementdepot.com and maybe www.basementquestions.com best wishes,
fixitguy