Concrete footings in Pelham AL - a solid base sized to the ground it sits on
Planning an addition, deck or garage and need something solid under it? We pour footings sized to your soil and planned around the inspection.
Soil first
We ask about your soil before sizing anything.
Trenches and forms
We dig and set forms to match your plans.
Permit paperwork
We handle the permit with the city when one's needed.
Pour and cleanup
Our own crew pours the footings and cleans up after.
What goes into a concrete footing job in Pelham?
Concrete footings are the wide base of concrete under a wall, post or addition that spreads its weight into the ground, and in Pelham we size and pour them to the soil under your job so what you build on top has solid support.
The ground decides the footing, because a footing is sized to the soil it sits on. That's why I ask early about any soil report or survey you have. The soil, the length of the footing run, how hard the site is to dig and reach, and any old concrete in the way are what move the price.
The schedule turns less on the pour than on what comes before it, mainly the permit, the survey and inspection the city wants, and weather dry enough to dig. When it's unclear whether your job needs a permit, we check with the city or county office before we start. Your written quote spells out what's included, so you know what the footing covers.
- A footing matched to your ground
- A written quote that lists what's included
- Answers before the truck shows up
- One clear plan from dig to cleanup
When does your project need concrete footings?
Look into footings any time you're adding weight the ground has to carry, from a room addition to a set of porch posts.
Adding a room
New walls on an addition need a footing under them so their weight spreads into the soil instead of pushing down in one spot.
A deck, porch or sunroom
Posts and walls that sit on bare dirt tend to sink unevenly, which shows up later as sloping floors and sticking doors.
A garage, carport or workshop
A new building, even a small one, needs footings sized to its load and to the soil on that part of your lot.
A heavy wall or chimney
Brick, block and stone are heavy, so a garden wall, chimney or column needs a footing wide enough to carry it.
Plans that call for footings
If your builder's or engineer's drawings show footings, we pour to those plans and ask about anything the drawings leave open.
Cracks or sinking in an older building
If an existing structure is already settling, new footings may not be the first step, and foundation raising is often where we start.
Get a footing estimate in Pelham
Send the address, how the lot slopes and any soil report or survey. We reply within one business day, and the on-site estimate is free with no obligation.
What I look at before we pour footings
Before I recommend a footing, I look at the ground, the slope and what's already on the site, because concrete is hard to undo once it's poured.
The soil under the job
I ask for any soil report or survey you have and look for soft fill, wet spots or rock near where the footing will run.
How steep the lot is
On a steep lot, we talk through whether a different kind of foundation suits the site better than stepped footings.
Layout and what's in the way
I check where the footing runs against the plans, and if an old slab is in the way, we open it with concrete cutting.
Where the water goes
I look at where rain runs and collects around the footing line, because a trench full of water holds up digging and softens the ground.
How a concrete footing job runs
Footings come first and everything above them waits on them, so I plan the job in order and tell you what has to happen first and why.
You get in touch
Call (205) 651-8545 or send the form with your address and what you're building, and we set a time for me to come out.
I walk the site
I come out myself, look at the ground and any plans with you, and answer every question you have, twice if it helps.
Your written quote
I send a written quote that says what's included, so you can compare it and decide without any guessing.
Permit, survey and pour date
Once you say yes, we set the pour date, handle the permit and keep you posted through the survey and the city's inspection.
Pour and walk-through
Our crew pours the footings and cleans up the site, then I walk it with you and explain what comes next.
Why Pelham homeowners call Pelham Concrete for footings
You get the same person from the first visit to the last question, a plan you can follow, and satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
The owner writes your estimate
I look at the job and write the estimate myself, so the person answering your questions is the one planning the work.
A schedule you can follow
I ran crews, trucks and inspections for a concrete company before starting this business in 2017, so every job runs on a clear plan.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured, and you can ask me about either when I come out to look at the job.
Our own crew, start to finish
Our own crew does the work, and when you need a surveyor or another trade, we help line them up. Call (205) 651-8545.
Concrete footings in Pelham and nearby cities
The Pelham Building Department issues building permits and takes applications from licensed contractors or owners acting as their own contractor. Before it schedules a footing inspection, the city wants a form board survey, a check of where the forms sit on the lot, stamped by a surveyor or engineer registered in Alabama, so we line that up early.
We're based in Pelham and work in cities across the Birmingham area, including Helena and Calera, and if your city isn't listed, call and ask. Ground here changes from lot to lot, and around Calera it sits on soft limestone with a history of sinkholes, one more reason we ask about soil before we pour.
Planning footings on a sloped lot or soil you're unsure about?
(205) 651-8545Questions about footings in Pelham
Do I need a permit to pour concrete footings in Pelham, AL?
Usually yes, when the footings are part of building, adding onto or repairing a structure, since that's the work the city issues building permits for. The city's published rules can lag behind, so if it isn't clear your job needs one, we check with the Building Department before we start and handle the paperwork from there.
Does a contractor pouring footings in Alabama need a license?
Yes, for paid work on a home that costs more than $10,000, since Alabama's Home Builders Licensure Board licenses residential builders for that work every year. If you act as your own contractor and supervise the work yourself on your own one- or two-family home that isn't for sale, you're exempt, but the board says any crew you hire needs a license when its part costs more than $10,000.00. State law also has a builder tell you in writing whether it carries liability insurance before work starts, so ask for that at the first meeting.
Why would I pay for a soil test before pouring footings?
A soil engineer's report gives your soil's actual value, and without one the residential code assumes the weakest value for clay or silt, which means the widest footing. If your ground tests better than that, the footing can come out narrower. Either way, I want to see any report you have before I write the quote.
What is the best way to build footings on a steep lot?
On a steep lot or soil that moves, it's worth asking whether a pier-and-grade-beam foundation, deep concrete piers tied together by a beam across their tops, suits the site better than stepped footings. Field guides on pier foundations say they work where slopes are too steep for stepped footings, where soil is weak, or where expansive soil would move standard footings. I'll talk through which fits your lot when I come out.
How much do concrete footings cost in Pelham?
There's no fair number until I've seen the site, because the footing is sized to your soil, your plans and your lot. Wider and longer footings, a hard-to-reach or steep site, and old concrete to cut out all push the price up, while a soil report showing stronger ground can bring it down. The written quote I send after the visit gives your figure and says what's included.
How long does it take to get concrete footings poured in Pelham?
The pour is usually the quick part, and the schedule turns on what has to happen first: the permit, any soil report, the survey the city wants before inspection, and weather dry enough to dig. I lay out that order in the quote and keep you posted as each step clears.
Plan your footings with Pelham Concrete
Footings come first and the rest of your project waits on them, so call (205) 651-8545 or send the form for a free on-site estimate.