Footer/foundation/slab pricing through the roof!

[G-rex]

What kind of pricing are any of you getting or received recently for footer/foundation/slab construction for your garage?

We live in the northern suburbs of Philadelphia. I've lived here about 4 years, previously I spent most of my life down in Oklahoma. Due to my job (engineering), I'm used to estimating this kind of work, and the prices I'm getting up here are ridiculous, based on what I would expect this job to cost down south. I know there are variables, but, just wow.

Backyard is on an irregular slope that will require some leveling, but that's a separate story.

I'm looking at a 24x26 garage. 3' deep footing for the front 18', and 4' deep footing for the back 6', due to the slope and to meet IRC to be 12" into undisturbed soil, with the interior portion brought up to slab grade and filled in with compacted rock.

The quotes I've been getting are for 12"x24" footers, CMU walls, and 4" 3500 PSI concrete slab with #4s at 24" OC. The numbers I've gotten range from $21,000 to $30,000, with an outlier at $13,000.

I would prefer a monolithic pour, but nobody up here builds foundations that way I'm finding out.

I don't mind paying people a profit, but this kind of markup for what I know is less than $7,000 in materials is crazy. I'm already planning to build the garage from the slab up myself. At this rate, I may end up building it from the slab down as well.

 

[ConCretin]

It isn't clear to me whether your quotes include the excavation and backfill but your outlier price of $13,000 is closer to what I'd expect for the foundation and slab. If the dirt work is included, the $21,000 may not be that far off.

Prices have increased tremendously in recent years. There is a chronic labor shortage in construction and labor costs reflect this. Our wages have increased 50% and we still can't find help. Steady demand for this kind of work allows contractors to charge more but it doesn't all flow to the bottom line.

It's a fairly straightforward job so if you can do the work yourself, you can probably save a bunch of cash. If not, welcome to the new reality and it ain't getting any better anytime soon. You might want to sign one of those guys up before the price goes up again. Good luck with your project.

 

[DFB]

I'm in the Northeast and have some numbers from when I built my house, though was much larger and was full foundation walls. All concrete work was about 12k total, excavation, site work and drainage ran about another 8K.

The high is way too high for a garage pour IMO

 

[HeadsUp]

I was experiencing the same thing. My garage is 28' x 32' with foot depths of 42" and 60" due to slope. The highest quote was $19.5k with no site work. Ended going with a local guy $13.5K including site work. Been told concrete in the North East is booming. Try to be patient. As some local guys if you can. Found that cold calling companies provided the highest quotes.

 

[biggziff]

28 X 36 (last fall) excavation, 600' of drainage (additional to the slab/footers), footers, block (11 courses in some sections due to grade), slab, etc. was a touch over 10K. I did assist with my SR80 skid steer in some of the labor, but that only equated to about $1000 discount. Does not include what I paid for pipe and stone (another $500 or so) Upstate NY.

 

[kj_mustang]

Concrete prices in my area are up to $132 per yard. I paid about $95 a yard 5 years ago.

 

[Kaizen]

That is what I’d expect for footers and slab based on what I was seeing 2 years ago. I found a guy that excavated two feet of material, filled it in, did an Alaskan slab and two foot knee wall for about 12k. Pro companies had me waiting a year and had prices excluding excavation at 16-30k. Ridiculous. With a four foot footer they doubled the price. I got lucky.


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[maxpat82]

In May this year in quebec:
28x44 , footer, 4'deep 8" frost wall with 2' knee wall fully covered with 2" styro on the outside , 5" thick 32kpa slab(with fiber) and 2x 12"thick 3'x3' section where planned lift + a 5'x10' outside slab.
30K$ : that include: excavation, backfill and everything and 3500$ worth of demolition.

 

[JamesW84]

Just did this last month in Springfield, MO...closer to where you're from. Concrete has jumped in the past couple years. 3500 psi was $98/yd plus $20 delivery, so $118/yard. 4000 psi (what I was supposed to get, but concrete guy ordered 3500) was going to be $128/yd.

I bought a backhoe and did the dirt work myself. One guy quoted $2000 to dig the footers. 32x64 shop and my frost line is 18".

I had quotes a year ago for the footer excavation, 1/2 " rebar on 24" centers, 5" gravel, 5" concrete (on half of the slab) for around $12,000.

I ended up finding a family member of a friend who has poured for 50 years. I bought material and he supplied labor and I'm at $16k for the 32x64 footers 24" wide X 8" deep, 8" wide foundation wall (20" high for half, 32" the rest). I had 50-55 yards of concrete, over 2000 ft of rebar, 100 tons of gravel, vapor barrier, paid them to tie the rebar, pour footers, walls, and floor.

 

[lakelandcat]

My slab is a 24x30 with 12" footers on a 4-6" pour, 1/2 was pgravel which made it a little more expensive. I did this 5 years ago, they did all the dirt work and dug footers. Included architect permit, exterminator, and 19 yd of 3500psi. Total was 5k. Next year prices sky rocketed.

 

[575cat]

30 by 50+ , slab with footer 4k psi concrete exc sod & soil 5 loads sand foam ins board rebar finish work & seal $10.300.00 in MN

 

[shadycrew31]

Grex, where are you located? I am in west chester and might have a concrete guy for you. Hes licensed and does commercial/residential. For the smaller residential jobs he does everything himself, builders said it was the most level foundation they had seen in a while.

I had to reuse a portion of my existing foundation due to zoning. All in all he did a 2' footer with 4' wall for a 24' side 30' side and 10' of the other side. Broke up my existing slab and poured a new one. Came in around $7500 total.

 

[sierradmax]

Backyard is on an irregular slope that will require some leveling, but that's a separate story.

I'm looking at a 24x26 garage. 3' deep footing for the front 18', and 4' deep footing for the back 6', due to the slope and to meet IRC to be 12" into undisturbed soil, with the interior portion brought up to slab grade and filled in with compacted rock.

The quotes I've been getting are for 12"x24" footers, CMU walls, and 4" 3500 PSI concrete slab with #4s at 24" OC. The numbers I've gotten range from $21,000 to $30,000, with an outlier at $13,000.

So, if I read this correctly... You'll need a "stepped" footing, CMU block wall, code is 12" minimum in your area for frost protection and you'll only have about 16' of the front of your proposed garage slab elevation to meet exterior grade? Hence compacted fill inside?

Sounds like your foundation & slab is more labor intensive than a flat grade proposed site. Maybe that's where the high values are coming in.

 

[86turbodsl]

This is a symptom of the super hot economy. Too much work to go around so contractors can mark up as needed to balance inputs.

When i built my house in 2008-2010, i had contractors falling all over themselves to give me cheap pricing. Just to stay working.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Due to my job (engineering), I'm used to estimating this kind of work.

If you have an R.S. Means Estimating Guide book at work, check the difference in labor rates between Oklahoma and Philadelphia - I would imagine that has to do with at least some of the additional cost you're seeing.

 

[6768rogues]

Too far from the border, they are probably employing American citizens.

 

[Samh]

Just had my slab poured. It was a 32x60 mono pour. cost was $13,500. That was digging the footers, forms, rebar around the footers and grade beams, vapor barrier, and a 6" thick slab. Was a total of 55 yards of concrete that is going for $176.50/yard here.

 

[Biff Mcluvin]

28 X 36 (last fall) excavation, 600' of drainage (additional to the slab/footers), footers, block (11 courses in some sections due to grade), slab, etc. was a touch over 10K. I did assist with my SR80 skid steer in some of the labor, but that only equated to about $1000 discount. Does not include what I paid for pipe and stone (another $500 or so) Upstate NY.

How far upstate, I’m in Orange County and was getting crazy prices for a 30x40, so much so I’m considering a Pole Building instead. I got 19-24 grand quotes for pad some site work. Didn’t even specify foundations. Since I was considering a steel building.