Concrete footings in Brookings SD - a solid base that stays put through the seasons
Planning an addition, a garage, a deck or a wall? We pour the footing it needs so what you build on it stays level.
What does a concrete footing do, and what will yours take?
A concrete footing is the wider base at the bottom of a foundation. In Brookings, SD, we pour concrete footings that spread the weight of a wall, pier or post out into the soil, so the load sits on firm ground instead of sinking.
Most footing calls start with something new going up, like an addition, a garage, a porch or a deck. If an old footing has already let a wall sink and the house is out of level, that's a foundation raising job instead. When an old slab sits where the new footing has to go, we use concrete cutting to take out only the part that's in the way.
The price moves with how long the footing runs, how many pads it needs, how much digging the ground takes and whether we're pouring in the cold. The schedule turns on the permit, the weather and how wet the ground is, and the estimate gives you your own figure. A footing is out of sight once it's backfilled, so it's the easy place to cut corners. It's the last place I would, because fixing it later means tearing out whatever sits on top.
What makes a concrete footing hold
Most of what decides whether a footing holds is settled before the concrete truck shows up, in the ground, the depth and the weather, so here's what we look at first.
Getting below the frost
In a cold climate like ours, footings may need to go deeper to sit below the frost line, the depth the ground freezes to, which guards against heaving and shifting.
Firm ground at the bottom
One supplier's guide says a footing has to bear on undisturbed natural soil or properly engineered fill, which rules out loose dirt left in the bottom of a hole dug too big.
Steel inside the footing
Footings usually get rebar, the steel bars set inside the concrete, which help the footing carry its load and hold together if the ground under it moves a little.
Wet spring ground
In parts of Brookings, the soil can stay soaked to within about 3 feet of the surface through spring in a normal rain year, so we set the dig around the season.
Footing questions we hear in Brookings
How do I know which type of footing my project needs?
It comes down to what the footing has to carry. A continuous footing runs the full length of a wall, while pad footings sit under each pier, post or column, so a garage or addition wall usually gets a continuous footing and a deck on posts usually sits on pads. I'll look at what you're building and pick the type when I come out.
How much do concrete footings cost in Brookings?
There's no fair number until I've seen the job, because footings vary more than most concrete work. A few pads for a deck and a continuous footing under an addition are very different jobs, and a long dig, tight access, wet ground or a cold weather pour all add to the price. You'll get a price for your own footing once I've looked at the ground with you.
Do I need a building permit before pouring footings in Brookings SD?
Yes. Inside Brookings, the building permit has to be issued before footings are poured. The city issues permits for all residential and commercial projects within city limits and on nonagricultural land in the joint jurisdictional area, and getting one late can bring an investigation fee of double the permit fee.
How do I schedule a footing inspection in Brookings?
Brookings asks owners to call (605) 692-6629 for a footing inspection. We'll let you know when the job is ready for that call, so the inspection doesn't hold up the pour day.
Who do I call about a building permit for a Brookings County property?
Brookings County's building permits page sends questions to the County Development Department at (605) 696-8350. When it isn't clear whether the city or the county covers your lot, we check with the office before anyone digs.
What is the best way to pour footings in cold weather?
The best way is to plan around the first couple of days after the pour, because a single freeze can damage new concrete before it's strong enough, and at 50°F most mixes get there within 48 hours. That's why a cold weather pour costs extra, with slower work, insulating blankets, tarps and heaters, but it usually keeps the job on schedule instead of waiting for spring. One concrete standard also requires the forms, the steel and the dirt the concrete touches to be clear of ice, snow and frost, so ask us how we'd handle that on your job.
Why Brookings homeowners call Brookings Concrete for footings
Before we start, you'll know what your footing has to carry, what the ground and the weather mean for the pour, and what concrete does over time, small cracks included.
Known for footings that hold
We're best known for careful flatwork and footings that hold up, across Brookings, Madison and the cities around both.
In business since 2013
I learned concrete working on a crew for years before I started this business in 2013.
Our crew, me at the pour
Our own crew does the digging, the forms and the pouring, and I'm on site the day we pour.
Fully licensed and insured
South Dakota requires a contractor's excise tax license from anyone contracting for construction, so ask whoever you hire, us included.
Satisfaction guaranteed
That's our promise, and the next step is a call to (605) 401-5479 or a message through the form on this page.
Talk through your footing before you dig
Have the project type, whether the lot is in the city or the county, and the season you'd like to pour ready, and one call to (605) 401-5479 gets us started.
What happens after you call about footings in Brookings?
We plan a footing job around three things you can't rush, the permit, the weather and the ground, and you'll know where each one stands before we dig.
Call or send a message
Call (605) 401-5479 or use the form and tell us what the footing has to hold up, whether that's a full wall, an addition or a few posts.
I look at the ground
I come out, walk the spot with you and look over the soil, the access and what's already there, so the plan fits your ground.
Estimate and permit
You get your estimate, then we sort out the permit, filing it ourselves or walking you through it, with the week the city asks for plan review built in.
Dig, pour and finish
Once the permit's issued, we pick a pour day that suits the weather, and our crew does the work while I keep an eye on it.