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The average cost of building a house foundation is $5,000 - $8,000.
How much does it cost to build a house foundation?
A structurally sound home starts with a strong foundation holding its weight and consequently, it can be considered the most important part of the house.
For this example, we'll consider the cost of a new 1000 square foot foundation. The average installed cost is $5-$8 per square foot, or $5000-$8000.
Cost breakdown
- Materials:
- Poured slab concrete typically costs $3-$5 per square foot.
- Footings 1 can add an additional $1-$2 per square foot.
- A crawl space foundation can be a better option, but it also requires more materials and labor time and can double the overall cost of the project.
- Labor: labor costs from contractors or concrete specialists typically adds another $2-$3 per square foot, for a total of $2000-$3000 for this project. On average, it takes three to four days from start to finish to dig out and pour the concrete.
Enhancement and improvement costs
- Pouring the foundation is a good time to add radiant flooring 2. Radiant flooring heating 1 costs in a typical house $6,000-$14,000, but you may be able to get a discount if you do it with the foundation.
- This is also a good time to install a foundation drain 3, which tends to add an additional $3000 to your total but can help prevent future, expensive issues.
- Adding a sealant to the concrete can add another $0.50 per square foot but can help prevent expensive water damage issues later on.
- Adding footings 1 for more complicated architectural details, such as stairs, can add $150 per footing 1 to your cost.
Additional considerations and costs
- Foundation that is poured as an attached addition to an existing home might take longer and be slightly more expensive because of the need to work around existing buildings.
- In most areas, permits are required for pouring new foundation. Talk to your contractor for details about regulations in your local area.
- If the area needs to be leveled 4 significantly before the foundation can be poured, plan to add another $1000-$2000 and a few days to your total costs.
Remodeling Terms Cheat Sheet
Definitions in laymen's terms, cost considerations, pictures and things you need to know.See full cheat sheet.
1 Footings: A support for the foundation of a house that also helps prevent settling. It is typically made of concrete reinforced with rebar, but can also be made of masonry or brick. It is usually built under a heavier part of the house like a wall or column, to distribute the weight of the house over a larger area.
2 Radiant flooring: A heating system using tubes or electric wires installed underneath the flooring
3 Foundation drain: A method of protection against water entering the basement. It runs along the footer - the structure below the basement's floor that supports a house's foundation, collecting excess water and running it through pipe into a sump or away from the house.
4 Leveled: The process of evening out the ground's surface, making it either flat or sloped.
How much does it cost to build a house foundation in my city?
Cost to build a house foundation varies greatly by region (and even by zip code). To get free estimates from local contractors, please indicate yours.
Labor cost by city and zip code
Compared to national average-42%
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0%
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+40%
Labor cost in your zip code
