House Foundation (cont., pg. 3)

 

Concrete Slab Foundation

Remember that a slab foundation requires fairly level ground on which to construct it, or you’ll be facing some potentially expensive site preparation.

 

If you’ve hired an excavation contractor to build a pad for a slab foundation, you only need to make sure that the dimensions of the pad are large enough for your foundation and that it has passed a compaction test.

See Soil Testing chapter.


Two Kinds of Concrete Slabs

You have two choices on a concrete slab foundation: “monolithic” and “block fill.”

Block Fill Slab

Footings are laid out, dug, and poured with concrete.  Concrete block is then laid, along with “header” block, which becomes the form to contain the poured concrete that becomes the floor of the house.


What You Need To Do

When your footings have passed inspection and been poured full of concrete, you’re ready to lay block.

- Hire a masonry contractor.

- Give your plan to a concrete block supplier for a take-off.  They will calculate for you the amount of block, sand, and mortar needed.

- Order the materials and get started laying the block.

- When the block is finished, you will need another inspection before you can begin framing.

 

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