Foundations & Footings

Field note 02

Footings for additions and garages

Footings are the concrete under the walls that spread the weight of a building into the ground. For an addition or a detached garage, they're poured first and everything else is built on them. They follow the building's plans for size and layout.

Field note 03

Shop foundations

A shop or barn often pairs footings with a slab floor. Planning both together means the floor and the walls work as one, and the slab can be finished smooth for working on equipment.

Field note 04

Deck footings

A deck rests on posts, and the posts rest on footings. Concrete footings keep posts from sinking or heaving and give the deck a solid base.

Field note 05

Working with your builder or plans

Foundation work usually ties into someone else's plans, whether that's a builder, a framer or drawings you already have. Send Lane what you've got and he can tell you what the concrete side of the job looks like.

Field note 06

Planning footings and foundation work

Footings are the part of a build nobody sees and everything depends on. Whether it is a garage, an addition, a porch or a block wall, the footing spreads the weight of the structure into the ground, so the dig, the depth and the steel matter more than anything poured above them.

Before a footing pour it helps to have your plans or at least a sketch with dimensions, and to know who is building what sits on top. If an inspection is part of your project, plan the schedule so the trench and steel can be looked at before the concrete goes in. Lane can work with your builder or with you directly on homeowner projects.

Ground conditions around Middle Tennessee vary from rock close to the surface to soft clay, sometimes on the same lot. Photos of the site and any soil or survey notes you already have help Lane understand what the dig will look like before he shows up. Text them to (931) 922-1252 along with the town and a rough size.

Footings and foundations are usually one step in a bigger project, so timing matters. Let Lane know when framing or block work is expected to start so the pour lands where it needs to in your schedule.