FOUNDATION
STRONG, STRAIGHT, SECURE
We initially designed the Getaway to have a slabon-grade foundation, but the benefits of pouring a basement changed our minds. Our walkout basement gave us dedicated room for the water heater and furnace. It also increased our living area on the main floor and will allow us even more living space when we decide to finish the basement. We didn’t build the foundation ourselves; it took a dedicated crew with the right equipment. But the process was fascinating and we documented the important steps of this crucial phase of construction.
1 FOOTINGS POURED
Footings support the basement foundation and the entire house. Our crew piped concrete into forms, then placed rebar every 24 in. to strengthen the bond between the footings and the foundation.
2 2 FORMWORK SET
When the footings were set, plywood panels that form the walls of the basement foundation were placed on the footings. Snap ties held the two form halves together. We placed No. 4 rebar horizontally throughout the forms. For extra strength, we used more rebar than required, but beware— too much can weaken the concrete.
3 THE FOUNDATION POURED
The crew then fed concrete into the foundation forms through a long hose. We chose a highstrength 5,000-psi mix and added steel fiber reinforcement. The fiber added only $5 per yard to our cost. The extra rebar and the fiberreinforced concrete will provide the stiffness and strength to withstand cracking from normal shrinkage and expansion during our freeze/thaw cycles.
4 FORMWORK STRIPPED
After the concrete was set, the formwork was carefully stripped off. The crew took off the top row first, then the bottom. Once the forms were clear, the heads of the snap ties were removed from the foundation, leaving a smooth surface.
5 WATERPROOFING & INSULATION
The foundation received two layers of protection to guard against moisture intrusion. First, an elastomeric rubber waterproofing membrane was sprayed on the exterior. Next, 2-in. Owens Corning Foamular NGX rigid insulation was attached, providing an R-value of 10, an important addition to the overall insulation plan.
6 DRAIN TILE INSTALLED
We wanted extra protection from water intrusion in our basement, so we decided to put in drain tile. This perforated plastic piping is laid around the foundation to direct water away. First, we laid Class 5 gravel along the perimeter of the footings; then we set the drain tile and covered it with more gravel. Water will now flow toward the septic drain field and away from the basement.