Building Block Foundation Walls | Stem Wall Installation

[@MasonDixonAcres]

All the details on how much our foundation cost ⬇ www.masondixonacres.com/products/foundation-cost-spreadsheet

[@AF-O6]

Square, level, and mechanicals exactly where you want them without being rushed is worth a lot!

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Absolutely! We are still impressed with how this crew built this foundation so quickly and almost perfectly square and level

[@jordanmercier3616]

​@@MasonDixonAcrescrazy work to see them get that done in a few hours, that's a well established crew.

[@billybike57]

Your channel is one of my top three to follow, great work!

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Much appreciated! You've been a long time supporter!!

[@billybike57]

@@MasonDixonAcres your scope of work fascinates me, your talents are extraordinary!

[@therarebreeds77therarebree7]

wasn't gonna watch this until I saw the section drawing. Finally, someone that gets it

[@thetundra]

Your attention to detail is proving very valuable. Nice work!

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Thank you! The details are important!

[@Eriiic0]

Loving the production and music of the drone shot! Foundation wall looks great!

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Thanks Eric! We agree!!

[@cxsey8587]

Your videos are such a great resource, so happy you document all of this stuff. Really want to build my own little small house

[@MasonDixonAcres]

You can do it!

[@retiredperson4054]

When you did your footings how did you determine the layout for the Vertical Reinforcing bars so they would workout with the CMU Block?

[@MasonDixonAcres]

I may have showed it in the footing form video, but it's a bar centered in the CMU core at each corner (mock up where the block will be) then 4'oc after that. The cores of a block are 8"oc. Worked great, no interference with any of the blocks

[@retiredperson4054]

@@MasonDixonAcres Thank you for the quick reply! I would think that since the standard 8x16 CMU has two cells and the first block on the corner would be set along the outside building line, then the 1st vertical rebar would be embedded in the footer concrete right close to 4 inches to start with and then from that point the verts would be 48" O.C. (unless the code or engineer wants more verts and they need to be closer o.c. like 24" etc) Does this sound about right?

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Yep that's right, 4" offset to get it centered in that corner core. Then you can go in any increment of 8" after that and you'll be good 👍🏻

[@seancasey2444]

I like the brick walls that's what they do in south Florida.

[@gloriaramirez1384]

It looks great

[@kevinhornbuckle]

This is the first video of your which I have watched. Your reasoning in support of a block foundation is well supported. I agree that solid grout of the wall will give you superior results. By now, all that has been done and I anticipate that the videos on subsequent phases show that you are happy you have chosen this foundation system.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Yep it's a super solid foundation! We don't anticipate any settling especially with the stone beneath the footers

[@niveknospmoht8743]

I prefer block walls myself. With the amount of time and labor involved building forms and breaking them down, having to worry about blow outs, getting them square, etc. I think it is a wash. Block goes in, grout it, done. No worries. Plus it looks way cooler than a plain white wall, block gives it character. You could even give it a little more with either a raked face, split face or ???

[@MasonDixonAcres]

True! These guys made it look sooo easy

[@kevinhornbuckle]

Split face looks cheap. This guy could do his own stone facing or parge color finish.

[@glowvid]

Why didn't you escavate out the interior so you have a bigger crawlspace? Looks like there's maybe only a foot of clearance? Or you putting a slab over it?

[@rufelestrada9791]

Great design for projects on sandy soil.

[@BrewingViking]

Great work. I am binging your construction videos.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Awesome! Thank you!!

[@smithfamilyhomestead1515]

New subscriber. Enjoying the videos!! Cheers from the great state of Arkansas!!

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Thank you!

[@smithfamilyhomestead1515]

@@MasonDixonAcres you're welcome

[@jmbigwood]

We have been so impressed with how detailed your planning has been, and sharing it all! Can you share the background to your decision to use stick-frame rather than a post-frame build? Thank you both!

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Thanks! Post frame is great for very simple buildings with a rectangular footprint, simple trussed gable roof, and lean to porches. But it's limited in the ability to do architecturally interesting things without significant engineering and cost, which in most cases it makes more sense just to frame traditionally. The example in our case is the salt box style roof for the walkout deck and extra wide dormers off the front pitch, especially with a 36' building width

[@jmbigwood]

@@MasonDixonAcres Thanks so much!

[@TrendyStone]

In my area of the US I only see concrete foundation walls. I'm curious to know why blocks are used in some areas and other areas reinforced concrete are used exclusively. It seems like concrete foundation walls would be stronger and more water resistant.

[@einarmikkelsenPNW]

What made you decide to go blocks over ICF? I am trying to decide.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Didn't like the exposed EPS on the exterior, wall thickness mismatches would have required additional detailing to avoid exposed foam on the interior and exterior, and higher cost

[@howardkurtus7069]

6:02 leveling

[@bgd5339]

I can't believe 6 guys knocked that out in five hours. That's incredible. Did you consider using ICF? If so, I'm assuming it was more expensive?

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Yeah they were amazing. I looked into it and it was slightly more, but the main things were I didn't like the foam on the exterior and it wasn't worth my effort when I could pay these guys and run insulation on the inside myself.

[@jochimbenschneider1915]

Don’t use boards for footings. It’s more labor and money. Just use the dozer scoop to dig out the correct depth and width. That’s how they did mine and I have a nice smaller luxury home. Absolutely no problems and it was done very efficiently.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Decided not to do earth formed footings for a number of reasons - no loose soil under the footing (compacted gravel instead), easier to get a perfectly flat/level top for the block work, uses less concrete and more precise volume to order with, had to overdig the foundation for room to lay block anyway, etc.

[@JohnKinnen]

That depends on the type of soil you're building on.

[@jochimbenschneider1915]

@@JohnKinnen Nonsense.

[@JeysonOsti]

​@@jochimbenschneider1915 faz todo o sentido sim. Solos arenosos por exemplo. E o concreto de fundação em contato direto colabora com a umidade ascendente sem a brita em volta para auxiliar na drenagem. Em solos secos e firmes e obras onde não há preocupação com solo se misturando com o concreto durante o lançamento ok. E não pode esquecer de manter a água da mistura para que ela não se perca com o solo.

[@laurieclarkson9180]

Can you give the name of the block mason company? They did a fantastic job! And I just noticed in the description box you have listed some products you use..Thank you! You guys are awesome.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

They really did! It was a side job for a crew from a local commercial company, Henry J Knott

[@romeovasquez329]

Very good job how to properly the hollow block I like much to all worker

[@laurieclarkson9180]

7:08 you were explaining the diy knock-out blocks that you used on the last/top course of block and said this is to accept concrete around "horizontal rebar" 7:12-ish...did you mean to say vertical rebar? or maybe I'm not picturing it correctly.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

The top course gets a run of rebar horizontally to tie it together, and it’s also tied to the verts coming up through the cores

[@cobravids]

I am preparing to build my wife a 2,000 sqft house amd chose a block foundation over slab due to my concrete experience level. I have watched many videos to prepare and yours is the first i have seen with the footers so far below ground level. Why is this?

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Frost line!

[@briandonovan6546]

SO im from michigan and our frost line depth is about the same as PA (42 inches vs your 44 inches). From the looks of your footing it looks way more shallow than 44 inches..Is it just a camera trick? I have to do literally the same thing and am not sure how you even lay block in a 4 foot trench...

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Our frost line is 36". I also will be adding some backfill to create the positive slope away from the building, the finished grade will be right at the bottom joint of the top course. So 4 courses + 8" footer is 40" deep, or 4" below frost line. Plus I have ~4" of gravel beneath my footers, which basically extends the bearing depth that much more

[@briandonovan6546]

@@MasonDixonAcres oh thank you. I’m a builder by trade but don’t deal with anything below ground so this is a learning experience for me. Thanks for the response.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

No problem! I have had to learn a ton about every trade for this project, it's been fun.

[@andrejgorin]

Looking good! What's the size of the foundation?

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Thank you! It’s 40’x36’

[@tonytslawncareoffloridal.l8959]

You guys did your DD this time.... very good.... I believe the very first video I saw it was a disappointing slab or something like

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Haha yes that actually occurred after this video but the crew who did this wall were AWESOME

[@MB-rh5pq]

Cool brother!

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@billkea7224]

Why did you put the gravel along the footing?

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Solid and drainable base to prevent settlement

[@briantruck2284]

Engine sounds like pipeliner welder

[@derrickhancock7730]

what was the cost

[@MasonDixonAcres]

We have a separate video on cost breakdown!

[@movietrailers728]

cool

[@CUBABLOCKMASONRY]

👍

[@keithdawe4866]

Great video except I could have done without the music

[@MasonDixonAcres]

Thanks for the feedback! We appreciate it

[@muzziemsweli4402]

U look like Jaden Smith

[@IndustrialStrength81]

Cinder blocks are the worst!

[@MasonDixonAcres]

They're doing great actually 😉