Next step, footers and stem wall! Our sub will dig footers for our foundation. A footer is dug to the specification set by your engineer based on a few different elements. Footers are engineered based on the size of the building and the type of soil that you are building on. Skyscrapers have very deep and expansive footers, so they can hold up a lot of weight. We aren’t building skyscrapers, so our footer is very simple! Our sub will measure the house and ensure that we are staying within the boundaries set by the county.
This footer is 12x16 with two continuous rows of rebar and 3000 PSI concrete. This is a more expensive concrete, but it is much stronger and will stand the test of time. The below detail should help you understand what the finished footer, stem wall, and slab will look like.
When looking at the job site you will see rebar sticking up in the air. It may seem odd, but it is very important. This rebar is tied into the footer and will run vertically through the block walls, holding the walls to the slab. Once the footer is dug and all the rebar is installed, we are ready to pour. Of course, we must pass a county inspection, and we did!
Time to pour!
Once the footer is poured and has time to set up, we will install a stem wall. A stem wall is used to build up the foundation of a home that has a sloping lot. A stem wall allows us to raise the elevation of the slab while keeping the slab connected to the footers. We are installing a two-row stem wall so our driveway has less of a slope into the garage. This will also make our home have much better curb appeal from the road. We think about these things before building!
In the above picture you will see a block that looks like it is partially formed. This is known as a header block that will connect the poured slab to the footer. Our next post will show you the slab pour process. Stay tuned!
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