Rick Arnold has been a professional builder
for over 20 years. A contributing editor to Fine Homebuilding
magazine, Arnold has written numerous articles about construction
and remodeling. He also conducts seminars for builders at trade
shows and conferences across the country.
Have you ever watched a concrete foundation crew work? They strain and
sweat, lugging endless stacks of heavy, oily forms off a large
flatbed truck down into the hole. They get covered with the release
oil and concrete dust left on the forms from the previous job as
they set them into position. In the summer, there is no shade and no
relief. If the wind does make it down into the hole, it carries
clouds of teeth-gritting dirt. In the winter, clothes go through
freeze/thaw cycles as the work alternates between the heavy carrying
and setting to the less-physical measuring, squaring, and checking.
The pressure is constant because the concrete trucks have been
scheduled to arrive at a certain time and everything must be 100
percent complete. One missed piece of hardware can cause a
catastrophe.
The next morning after the pour, the crew returns to strip the job
and lug all the forms up out of the hole and back onto the flatbed,
only to drive to the next job and start all over again. Early in my
construction career as I watched a foundation crew, I said to
myself, "If there is one job I never want to do..." Oh, if only I
had a crystal ball back then.
In the mid 1990s, the foundation subcontractor I had been using
decided to move on. He offered me a good deal on his trucks and
equipment and he even included a couple of excellent workers. So I
decided to supplement my construction business with a foundation
company. The foundation business quickly dominated, and for the last
six years, 80 percent of my work has been pouring hundreds of
foundations.
So now I wear three hats -- general contractor, framer, and
foundation contractor. It occurred to me that my experience in these
roles gives me just the perspective I needed to write this book.
As a general contractor or construction manager, I address the
design of the foundation as it relates to the characteristics of the
building lot. A lot of money can be wasted trying to radically alter
the contour of the surrounding land to accept a poorly thought-out
design. Also, I explain the strategies to prevent either groundwater
or surface runoff from becoming a problem. The cost to cure a leaky
basement is astronomical compared with the effort required to
prevent the problem. And, of course, there are always the
contractor's budgeting questions. Why so much for angles? How much
to add steel? Why should I pay for stronger concrete? Etc....
As a framer, I'm concerned with the details that will make life
easier. A square and level foundation really helps to get things off
to a smooth start. Correctly sized door openings, beam pockets, and
anchor-bolt placement all contribute to reducing the aggravation a
framer faces when he begins to work on top of a foundation. I also
review the head scratching involved to determine which way to set a
foundation out of square as is sometimes necessary when adding on to
an existing out-of-square house.
As a concrete foundation contractor, I explain all of the basics from
concrete mixtures to forming and pouring. I put emphasis on a lot of
common-sense practices and procedures and the reasoning behind them.
I have poured foundations for many good builders and craftsmen who
have very little knowledge in this area. As with any other trade in
the construction process, the more you understand it, the better you
will be with designing, budgeting, and scheduling.
In this book, I also cover flatwork (floors, walkways, patios, etc.)
enough to give you a good understanding of how to form, pour, and
finish it. The smaller walkways and patios are relatively easy. But
if you plan to take on a larger project such as a garage or basement
floor, be careful: It takes some experience to get the knack of
concrete placement and concrete finishing.
The few books about concrete foundations that I have thumbed through over the
years were either of the old school in that many of the methods are
just too labor intensive, or the subject matter was too technical
and did not always apply in the real world of residential
construction. I wrote this book to answer all the questions I have
faced as a novice and as a seasoned builder. Whether this book
occupies a space in your office or gets kicked around the interior
of your pickup covered with coffee stains and concrete dust, if it
saves you time, steers you in the right direction, or prevents a
major bungle, then I've done my job.
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