Concrete footings in Moses Lake WA - a solid base set below the frost line
Porch posts sinking, or a new deck or addition on the way? We dig to firm ground and pour footings sized to carry the load.
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- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
How do I get footings poured for a deck or porch in Moses Lake?
Concrete footings in Moses Lake are the buried concrete bases under deck posts, porch posts and walls. They spread the weight of what you're building over enough firm ground to carry it, so most of the job happens in the hole before anyone sees concrete.
Usually you're here because something new is going up, like a deck, a covered porch or an addition, or because the posts under an old one have started to drop. The price comes down to how many footings you need, how deep and wide each one has to be, and how hard the digging is. The schedule depends on the line locates, any permit, the weather and the curing time, which is the wait while concrete gains strength before it takes a load. If you're building a whole house, that's a bigger job we handle as foundation installation. Either way, our estimate gives you the scope in writing, so you can line it up against other bids.
How do you know your deck or porch footings are failing?
Posts sinking or leaning
You might see a post that has dropped, a beam that sags, or a railing that's gone out of line. Usually the footing was too small or sat in topsoil or loose fill that kept settling, and the longer it goes, the more the framing twists, so a footing job can grow into new beams and boards.
A post that's lifted
A post sits higher than it did last fall, or a pad has tipped and the deck boards hump in one spot. That's usually frost pushing up a footing that wasn't set deep enough, and because it moves again every winter, the nails and brackets keep working loose.
Posts on blocks or dirt
You look under the deck or porch and find posts on precast blocks, bricks or bare ground, with nothing under them but optimism. It may hold for now, but it's the first thing I'd fix before you add a roof or any more weight.
How we build concrete footings
A footing is only as good as the hole it sits in, so that's where most of our time goes. Before we dig, we make sure both the public and the private lines are located. Then we mark each footing, dig past the topsoil and any loose fill to firm ground, clean out roots and loose dirt, and keep the hole dry until the pour. We set the forms and any rebar the job calls for, which is the steel inside that holds the concrete together if the ground pushes or pulls on it, and then we pour. The hole is the part nobody sees once it's full, so it's the first place a tight bid saves money. It's the one place I won't.
Footings often come with other work. If the house or an old porch has already dropped, foundation raising may need to come first. When a new footing lands in the middle of an existing slab, concrete cutting gives us a clean opening to dig through.
Deck and porch post footings
For decks, covered porches and pergolas, we pour one footing under each post. This suits most backyard projects, and we size each footing to the load it carries.
Wall footings for additions
A continuous footing runs the length of a wall, so it's what an addition, a garage or a shed wall sits on. It suits any structure where the weight runs along a line instead of resting on posts.
Retaining wall footings
A retaining wall needs a wider, heavier base because it holds back dirt as well as its own weight. When a wall leans or cracks later, the trouble usually started at the footing.
Get your footings priced on site, in writing
We reply within 1 business day to set up a visit, and the estimate at your property is free and obligation-free. I walk the job with you, then send the scope in writing so you can line it up against other bids.
(509) 512-0637Concrete footings in Moses Lake: permits and winters
On a lot inside city limits, the Moses Lake Building Department enforces the building rules. The city's permit list names two jobs that often need footings. One is a retaining wall 4 feet or taller, measured from the bottom of the footing. The other is an attached covered porch of 200 square feet or more, which is one of the most common reasons people call us for new footings. For footings under other work, that list doesn't settle whether you need a permit. So before I price your job, I check with the city or county office that covers your property. When a permit is needed, we handle the application or help you with yours, and we build to what that office decides.
Winters here freeze the ground hard enough to lift a footing that sits too shallow, so we set the depth for frost and plan cold-weather protection when a pour lands in winter. We're based in Moses Lake and dig for the same frost on jobs in Ephrata, Othello, Quincy and other cities around the area.
What happens after you call about footings in Moses Lake?
Call or send a message
Call (509) 512-0637 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set up a visit. Tell us what's going on top of the footings, whether it's a deck, a porch or a wall, so I know what to look at.
Walk the job together
I walk the site with you, mark where each footing goes, and talk through your choices and the permit side. Then I send a written estimate, so you know what you're paying for and can compare it with other bids.
Prep, form and pour
Once you say go, our crew preps the holes, sets the forms and pours. Weather can move a pour day, and in the cold months we plan the protection before the truck shows up.
See how to care for it
Before we leave, I show you how to look after the new concrete while it cures, which is the part people tend to rush. Ask anything you want then, because once the framing goes up, nobody sees the footing again.
Frequently asked questions
How much do concrete footings cost in Moses Lake?
Installed concrete footings across the US usually cost about $5 to $20 per linear foot. That's the market's range, not a quote. Concrete, labor and digging set the price, so a wider, deeper footing on weak soil can cost several times what a shallow one does. Your estimate gives you the scope for your job in writing.
How deep do footings need to be in Moses Lake, WA?
Footings here go below the frost line, and Grant County's design criteria list that depth as 18 inches. They also have to get past the topsoil and any loose fill, since both settle over time. That means a hole can end up deeper than the frost line alone calls for. Local code sets the depth, and we dig to it.
What is the best way to pour footings in cold weather?
Footings can be poured in winter if the concrete is protected from freezing until about two days after it's placed. Fresh concrete freezes once its own temperature drops below about 25°F, and frozen concrete can lose more than half its potential strength. Before a cold pour, snow and ice have to come out, and anything the concrete touches has to be above freezing. That might mean insulating or heating the ground first.
How do I choose the right footing type for weak soil?
Where the soil is weak or the load is heavy, a spread footing is usually the answer, because its wider base spreads the weight over more ground. The traditional way to build one takes a large hole and a second pour. Plastic footing forms bring it down to one pour with less labor. I'll walk you through which one fits your project when I'm out there.
Who marks underground lines before footings get dug?
For public lines, an 811 request brings out a locator to mark electrical, water, natural gas, communication and sewer lines near the dig. Private lines such as a propane line or a septic system aren't covered and need a private locating company. If your lot has either one, that's a second call.
How do I know my footing holes were dug right?
Look for a hard, firm bottom with the loose soil taken out, because a footing settles into whatever it sits on. Trash, tree roots, pipe and wires should be out of the hole too, since they can leave a void in the concrete. Rain, a sprinkler or seeping groundwater can fill a hole, so ask any crew how they keep each hole dry before the pour.
Moses Lake, WA
Schedule a walk-through for your footings
Have your project type, rough size and address ready, and tell us if the lot is inside Moses Lake city limits or has septic or propane lines, so I can check the permit and the locates before I come out.