FOOTINGS | The Process

[@AddisonHomes]

Thanks for your question! Best practices do include a perimeter drain around a crawlspace foundation. All of our crawlspace do receive a foundation drain, but we install it after the foundation wall is constructed at the bottom of the foundation wall where it meets the footing. Take a look at our Sealed Crawlspace Rough-in video which covers the waterproofing and foundation drain installation.

[@mckenzietreeco1953]

Love these videos! This guy is very knowledgeable

[@AddisonHomes]

Thanks very much!

[@LS2FD]

Great videos, very informative! I wish all builders would go the extra mile on the fronts like the rebar.

[@AddisonHomes]

Thanks so much! Glad they are helpful!

[@JohnTellu]

Thanks for this video - we're local to you here in the upstate and I was wondering, is there a reason that you don't add a perimeter drain tile to the footings? I always see diagrams of foundation walls with gravel and 4" pvc piping at the base of the footer, yet the build sites I've seen locally don't have that feature. Thanks for your expertise!

[@AddisonHomes]

Thanks so much for your question! Best practices do include a perimeter foundation drain which we include on all of our crawlspace and basement foundations. We install our foundation drain after the foundation walls have been constructed and waterproofing has been installed. Our foundation drain is installed at the intersection of the foundation wall and the footing once it has been waterproofed. Our video on Closed Crawlspace Rough-in - kzbin.info/www/bejne/apLPZJyXfKaAqJY

[@yestravis]

What are the vertical rebars going into the ground? I always thought that would cause rebar to rust/swell, but I saw it in some footer trenches last week, and now on this video, too! Thanks so much

[@AddisonHomes]

Not sure I see the vertical rebar you're referring to, but at times, vertical rebar is needed from the footing to support a taller foundation wall - especially if it will be backfilled higher than 3-4 feet. Rebar rusting isn't a common problem in this area.

[@yestravis]

There is a vertical rebar in the ground between your shins (a few ft behind you) at the 5:16 mark, should be visible: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIfCdKiejZuCgacsi=6cEIbIepIMcawOtG&t=316 -- Thank you!@@AddisonHomes

[@michelleusher2355]

@@yestravis Got it now! Those are grade stakes set so the top of the rebar stake is where the top of concrete should be. It assists the footing crew to pour a level footing. Different footing crews use different methods to mark the top of footing for pouring, but grade stakes are common and are typically installed every 10 feet or so.

[@AddisonHomes]

@@yestravis Got it now! Those are grade stakes set so the top of the rebar stake is where the top of concrete should be. It assists the footing crew to pour a level footing. Different footing crews use different methods to mark the top of footing for pouring, but grade stakes are common and are typically installed every 10 feet or so.

[@yestravis]

Oh okay! Thanks so much for the explanation. I'm seeing more of your videos lately and I'm very impressed with your dedication to quality. Very inspiring!@@AddisonHomes

[@alfonsobernabe4291]

Good video

[@AddisonHomes]

Thanks

[@dhayes2392]

Good Evening Sir, I am living in Easley , SC. I am right down the road. I am currently building my own home and in the footing stage. I am trying to battle this rail…lol. I know the code book says 12” to the bottom of the footing but how thick is the footing? It looks like in the code book it is 6”. Is there a reason most contractors do 12” thick?

[@AddisonHomes]

The code provides for prescriptive footings based upon the details of the house above (stories, spans, etc), the soil bearing capacity, and the footing width compared to the foundation wall width. Most contractors in this area typically pour 8" to 12" deep footings since these generally cover all scenarios. It isn't required though. There are many trade contractors who follow the "more is better" approach!

[@valleycarpentry5269]

What's the reason for all the seperate single footings of the crawl space... Are these connected beneath the soil... Or to connect joists or studs to???

[@AddisonHomes]

Those are spot footings for the structural piers that will support the dropped beams under the floor joists in the center section of the floor system.

[@garrettp.5018]

Why don’t you form out the pier’s footing? To keep the pier footers above grade so when you do the piers you can connect the wood piers above grade with Simpson connectors?

[@AddisonHomes]

We do not form the footings for the piers since this would result in a sharp edge of concrete where we transition the encapsulated Crawlspace liner to the piers. We do not use wood piers, we lay masonry piers and connect the top of the piers to the pressure treated wood plate and framing floor system with Simpson foundation straps.

[@AddisonHomes]

Forming the pier footings also takes more time and adds cost in addition to creating the sharp corners that may damage the liner.

[@garrettp.5018]

Yes, makes sense when the future plan is to encapsulate. Don’t want anything to rip the liner.

[@garrettp.5018]

I’m watching a build now, subgrade footers, two CMUs stacked vertically, Simpson MAB anchor incorrectly installed (the 2x4 sits on the anchor only as the MAB wasn’t spread prior to install so it’s wrapped under and over) then a 6x6 toe nailed to the 2x4 and joist on top. In fact the whole house mud sill is installed incorrectly on these MAB, anchors, none of the mud plate sits on the house, it sits on the MAB strap and mind you no capillary break (I guess doesn’t need it as the mud sill doesn’t contact the brick/block lol Unfortunately these are building practices even done by “reputable” builders in the area. No quality control, no internal inspection honestly.

[@ctbt1832]

Good video but I think he missed a couple of key points. One key point was the sheer fact of how thick your footer is and since you’re digging in the ground how do you level the top of the concrete with the height of the footer

[@AddisonHomes]

Not sure I follow you but would like to understand your question better. We dig our footings into the ground to the depth required to establish the required footing thickness specified by our structural engineer. Our footing contractor installs grade pins using a laser transit to mark the top of footing then levels it with the laser as it is poured. Our footing level tolerance is plus or minus 1/4". Any slight variations are easily adjusted by the masons as they lay the foundation. What other key points do you suggest? Thanks for the feedback!

[@ctbt1832]

@@AddisonHomes I was looking at the way you did it compared to how people level to the top of the forms

[@crosisofborg5524]

Novice here but why is the bottom being perfectly level so important when concrete goes in in a fluid format? The bottom could be wavy but the top would be level because of gravity and screeting.

[@AddisonHomes]

Its important that it is close to level so the weight is evenly distributed to the soil.

[@dmaninthewall]

@@AddisonHomes😮

[@antpoo]

That looks like a fairly reactive clay site.

[@AddisonHomes]

This is the predominant soil in our area and it is not reactive. We are fortunate for this and have very few sites with reactive clay soil.

[@benegal9063]

No keyway???

[@AddisonHomes]

Not for a CMU foundation wall!

[@featherbuster1]

And that drain needs to be dug out along the footer not placed on top of it!!!

[@AddisonHomes]

The foundation drain is installed on top of the footing against the foundation wall. This is below the fill level inside the crawlspace and is backed by a 15 year warranty from the installer.

[@samt5663]

A bedrock foundation that's misleading.

[@AddisonHomes]

How so?