Concrete Foundation Cost

Any major construction today involves concrete. Be it a driveway, a house, a basketball court, an office, and so on. As most of us know, the foundation of any building is made from concrete, so as to impart durability and strength to the whole structure.

When you are getting a home construction done, the person in charge will give you his estimate of the expenses. Being commoners, we hardly know a whisker about this industry. If we have a fair idea about the expenditure, we might save ourselves from getting duped.

The cost of the foundation depends on the type to a large extent. So, let's first check out the types available, before we move on to the cost.

This is the traditional foundation, which is supposed to support and structure in an area where the ground freezes. To this aim, a footing is placed beneath the frost line, and consequently walls are built. The slab is then placed.

Two sheets of rigid polystyrene insulation are the strongholds of this foundation. One of these sheets is laid on the outer side of the foundation wall, and the other one is laid flat on the bed of gravel at the base of the wall. This is done to prevent freezing.

In this kind of foundation, the slab is poured thicker on the edges, and they form an integral footing. Then, reinforcing rods strengthen the edge, which is already thick after pouring a concrete slab. In this case, the slab rests on the bed of crushed gravel for improving drainage.

First, consider the grading of the area where you want to get the foundation built. This is important to make sure that the area you are going to pour concrete on is smooth and ready. In case it turns out that the area needs to be leveled out, be ready to pay around $850 for a 100 sq.ft. area. How much you need this depends on how big your area is.

Before the foundation is laid, there has to be a base to pour the concrete onto. This refers to laying a gravel base before the concrete is poured. This runs into $15 for a cubic yard.

Also, you can't ignore the labor charges while getting the foundation built. If you are hell-bent upon getting your muscles sore, go ahead and build the forms, work on the pour, and do the finishing work. If this idea does not seem to be appealing to you, get some people to do it for you. The labor cost can run in the range of $2 to $3 for a square foot.

The cost of precast concrete foundation varies from poured foundation. Precast costs in the range of $55 to $65 for a linear foot of a wall. The cost is determined by the foundation's characteristics of footings and sub slab drainage.

In addition, we cannot forget the most important aspect, concrete! Yes, the price of concrete! Concrete would cost you around $90 for a cubic yard. Now, based on these numbers, you can calculate the foundation cost and cost of concrete floors. If not the exact amount, you would surely have a rough idea to compare with when the contractor gives his estimate.