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Choosing Between a Poured Foundation or a Crawlspace

Bob's back at the Mashpee site where he meets with developer Joe Valle to discuss the foundation that is being poured. Valle explains that the excavation work for an average foundation costs about $5,000 and includes the digging, backfill, and finish grading. The poured foundation also costs about $5,000, divided equally between the cost of labor and the cost of materials. Valle estimates it will take about 30 yards of concrete to pour the average foundation, which is equal to three truckloads. Bob questions the decision to pour a full foundation and wonders if it might not be more economical to build a crawlspace. Valle explains that the advantages of a full basement far outweigh any cost savings from digging and pouring a shallower foundation. The added living space is well worth the cost, especially since the foundation must be dug and poured regardless of the depth. As for a concrete slab, Valle says that the market does not support it in the Massachusetts area. Even with a slab house, a frost wall must be dug and poured, before the concrete arrives for the slab. Once the foundation is poured for this River Hill home, posts are set every 16 inches so that the sill can be bolted to the foundation and the house can be tied down to its base.

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Framing the Back Wall of the Affordable Home Now Playing

Framing the Back Wall of the Affordable Home

Framing the Mashpee Home with Pressure-Treated Lumber Now Playing

Framing the Mashpee Home with Pressure-Treated Lumber

Sheathing and Raising the First Wall Now Playing

Sheathing and Raising the First Wall

Choosing Between a Poured Foundation or a Crawlspace Now Playing

Choosing Between a Poured Foundation or a Crawlspace

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Choosing Between a Poured Foundation or a Crawlspace

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" Let's talk about the economics of putting in the foundation. And why don't we start at the beginning what's it cost to dig a typical cellar home like me it's around 5000 dollars that includes the excavation to backfill yeah. And finish grade it's in the 5000 dollar range depending upon the site itself that might be some complexity to a particular lot. Here we have other wonderful conditions are on the cape and we've got flat ground and sandy soil great soil and people love to be here doing -- very simple it's easy to do again is it. And then. The form work that's a separate subcontractors. And what are the economics there economics are around 5000 dollars Bob for that you can split that between the material and labor. Because essentially buy for 5000 dollars the concrete and the labor to set up -- In a typical foundation there are about thirty yards of concrete that we pour so we'll have about maybe three truckloads -- plus or minus there's a little bit -- But not much. And they do that in about three trucks and how much is -- yard of concrete now -- we're paying seventy dollars a yard of concrete. Like everything else and then it would be. Prices have escalated. And seventy ten years ago concrete was about 38000 yard into the difference yeah absolutely. Does it make any sense from the cost perspective. Not to do a full foundation but just to do across space under your house really doesn't -- He it's the advantages of full foundation far outweigh just doing. Are crawling to think about it we got the community the whole. And that we have to set forms and forms are eight foot in and in depth. And so for us the advantages that we put the forming and -- for a little more concrete beautiful foundation. And it's just so much better and people love care that we'll -- get a full basement additional space and and mechanicals are much easier Toronto the only savings would be maybe you're only using half as much -- you know little bit more concrete but -- still have labor still forming up -- they go home back index give me a little bit less maybe. And what about a slab house is that something that that. An alternative again from the perspective of saving money you know again I don't really think that it is is that a four foot wall you have the did you get a historic you can put it frost wall exactly before the slab I -- economics might be in the first floor of the house. But again a slab home is not. The marketplace really doesn't like slab and we can avoided any cost we will some cases we can't because of ground water. Because of the inability to get down with -- ledge yeah rare occasion when when you want to do that. So roughly 10000 bucks for the whole shooting match backfill yeah. All right so the finishing touch when you've topped off -- to insert these bolts. What every sixteen inches yes about every sixteen and what is their purpose purposes really to bolt on the sill. -- the beginning of the frames. What that does is it acts as stability so you're really tying the house the foundation back."

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