Concrete Slab & Foundation Work
Build your home or addition on a solid foundation that will support your structure for generations.
Why Your Foundation Matters Most
Everything starts with the foundation. Your walls, roof, floors, and every other part of your building depend on a foundation that stays level and stable. A properly built concrete foundation distributes the weight of your structure evenly across the soil, prevents settling, and keeps moisture out of your basement or crawl space. Get this part wrong and you will deal with problems for as long as the building stands.
Concrete slabs and foundations in Western New York face unique challenges. Our soil conditions vary widely across Amherst, from stable clay to sandy loam that requires special attention. Freeze-thaw cycles put stress on foundations every winter. Groundwater and drainage issues can undermine even well-built foundations if not properly addressed. We have been working with these conditions for decades, so we know exactly what it takes to build a foundation that performs in our climate.
Whether you are building a new home, adding a garage, or constructing an addition, the foundation work happens once. You cannot easily fix foundation problems after the building goes up, which makes it critical to do the job right the first time. We take this responsibility seriously. Every foundation we pour meets or exceeds local building codes, and we use techniques proven to work in our specific soil and weather conditions. When you work with a local Amherst concrete contractor who understands these regional factors, you get a foundation built to last.
Types of Foundations We Build
Different projects call for different foundation approaches. Slab-on-grade foundations work great for garages, pole barns, and additions where you do not need a basement. We excavate to below the frost line around the perimeter, pour footings, then place the slab. This creates a monolithic foundation that resists frost heaving and provides a solid floor surface. Slab foundations cost less than full basements and work well when soil conditions are favorable.
Foundation types we install:
- •Slab-on-grade for garages, sheds, and single-story additions
- •Full basement foundations with poured concrete walls
- •Crawl space foundations for raised floor construction
- •Frost walls and foundation footings for various structures
- •Commercial slab foundations for business buildings
Full basement foundations involve more steps but give you valuable additional space. We dig to the required depth (typically 8 feet or more), pour footings that extend below the frost line, and build concrete walls to support your house. The basement floor slab comes last, after the walls have cured and we have installed drainage systems. This approach costs more upfront but adds significant living or storage space to your home.
Crawl space foundations split the difference. You get a foundation wall that raises your house off the ground, which helps with moisture control and provides access to plumbing and utilities. The shorter walls cost less than a full basement but still require proper footings and drainage. We often recommend crawl spaces when building on sloped lots or in areas with high water tables.
Our Foundation Installation Process
Foundation work starts weeks before we pour concrete. We review your building plans, obtain permits, and schedule inspections at the right stages. Site preparation involves clearing the area, laying out the exact dimensions, and excavating to the proper depth. We pay close attention to grades and elevations because getting these details right prevents drainage problems later.
Footings form the base of your foundation. We dig trenches below the frost line (42 inches in our area), place steel reinforcement, and pour concrete footings that spread the load of your building across a wider area of soil. The footings must cure before we can build walls or pour slabs. Rushing this step leads to settlement and cracking, so we wait the appropriate time even when schedules are tight.
Wall forms go up next for basement or crawl space foundations. We use professional forming systems that create straight, plumb walls. Steel reinforcement gets placed according to engineering specifications. When we pour the walls, we use concrete designed for foundation work, with proper admixtures for our climate. After the walls cure and forms come off, we damp-proof the exterior, install drainage systems, and backfill carefully to avoid damaging the new walls. Slab work follows a similar process, with proper base preparation, vapor barriers, and reinforcement. Our experience with both residential and commercial foundation projects ensures we handle every detail correctly.
Common Questions About Concrete Foundations
Your foundation footings must extend at least 42 inches below finish grade in our area. This is the frost depth for Western New York, and going below this depth prevents frost heaving. The foundation walls then rise from these footings to the desired height. For a full basement, we typically excavate 8 to 9 feet total, which gives you about 7 to 8 feet of headroom after the floor slab goes in. Slab-on-grade foundations still need footings at 42 inches around the perimeter, even though the slab itself sits much higher. Building inspectors check these depths, and getting it wrong means tearing out work and starting over.
Multiple systems work together to keep basements dry. We apply damp-proofing or waterproofing to the exterior walls. A drainage system goes in around the footings to collect groundwater and direct it away from the foundation. This typically involves perforated pipe surrounded by gravel that connects to a sump pump or drains to daylight. Proper grading around the foundation slopes away from the walls so surface water runs off instead of soaking into the soil near your basement. We also install a vapor barrier under basement floor slabs to prevent moisture from wicking up through the concrete. When all these systems are installed correctly, you should never see water in your basement.
A typical residential foundation takes 2 to 4 weeks from start to finish, depending on size and complexity. Simple slab-on-grade projects might take just a few days. Full basement foundations require more time because of excavation depth, forming walls, and waiting for concrete to cure between steps. Weather affects the schedule too. We cannot pour concrete when temperatures drop too low, and heavy rain can delay excavation and grading work. Building inspector availability also factors in, since we need inspections at various stages before we can proceed. We give you a realistic timeline at the start and keep you updated if anything changes. Your builder or general contractor coordinates our foundation work with the rest of your project schedule. If you need additional concrete work like patios or walkways, we can often handle that during the same project to save you time.