Anyone doing their own foundations?

[Coops]

Be interested to hear any experiences about this...

[PeterW]

Yep did a stepped foundation in sand, depths anywhere from 600-1700mm deep. All poured as a single pour then ground bearing slab added  after. 

[scottishjohn]

measure 3 times --mark twice-- 

expensive mistake if you don,t get all the pipes in right place 

[Declan52]

I done mine. 500mm deep strip foundations all poured in a single day.

As above measure and measure and check and check and get some else to measure and check before you even think about moving on to the next stake in the ground.

[BotusBuild]

I was reminded recently when going through old family photos, of the time when I was 14 or 15 digging by hand the foundations for an extension. Had to go over 9ft deep to go underneath storm and foul drains, wrap them in EPS, install more rebar than I care to remember, and then mix and pour all by hand. The BCO said afterwards that we could have built a 5 story block of flats on what we (I) had done.

 

And all I got was a new stereo !!

[nod]

Yep did ours 

Strip foundations I took the decision to full fill 2ntrs including garages We used a 100 cube of concrete 

[Patrick]

@BotusBuild

AND experience ?

 I'm currently doing it for my house. I am taking the measuring advice on board.

[SteamyTea]

1 hour ago, BotusBuild said:

all I got was a new stereo

The important thing is what you played on it.

[BotusBuild]

1 hour ago, SteamyTea said:

The important thing is what you played on it.

Mid/Late 70's - Some Genesis, Beatles, Dire Straits, and making mix tapes on a Sunday evening from the Top40 countdown

[ProDave]

I did my own foundations, just the digging, the builders did the concrete pour and built up from there.

 

I marked it all out with a long tape and triangulation, and marked the centreline of each trench and dig to that.  The builders said I would never get it accurate enough.  When they came and surveyed it properly before the pour, they found it to be spot on.

 

 

[Carrerahill]

3 hours ago, Coops said:

Be interested to hear any experiences about this...

Did our extension and garage, hired a JCB for 3-4 days and got to work.

 

Good fun and a good saving. 

 

Just be accurate. 

[Coops]

40 minutes ago, ProDave said:

I did my own foundations, just the digging, the builders did the concrete pour and built up from there.

 

I marked it all out with a long tape and triangulation, and marked the centreline of each trench and dig to that.  The builders said I would never get it accurate enough.  When they came and surveyed it properly before the pour, they found it to be spot on.

 

 

Thanks, pictures are useful.