Planning a deck, porch or addition and not sure what it should stand on? We dig and pour footings that rest on firm, undisturbed soil.
Concrete footings are concrete set below the ground so a deck, porch or addition in Portsmouth rests on firm, undisturbed soil instead of loose dirt, and we plan each footing job around the digging, the inspection and the pour.
Most people call us about footings when they're planning a deck, a porch or an addition and want it to stay level for years. The part that matters most is the part nobody sees afterward, how deep each footing sits and what it rests on. If a footing has to go through an old patio or slab, our concrete cutting work opens it up cleanly first.
The price depends mostly on the footing type, how many footings the plan needs, how deep they go and how hard the digging is. The schedule turns on the inspection before the pour, the weather and whether groundwater gets into the holes, and your own figures come with the estimate. If it isn't clear whether your job needs a permit, we check with the local building office before work starts.
Get in touch and we'll set a time for me to see the site. Please have your project type and a site plan or property survey ready if you can, because the city asks for copies of those with a permit application.
I come out myself, look over the ground and ask what the footings will hold. The estimate gives you the price and the footing type I suggest, with my reasons for it.
If you go ahead, I run the job with our own crew and take care of any permits and inspections, leaving room in the schedule for the inspector's visit before any concrete goes in. When the footings are done, I walk them with you.
A footing is only as good as the ground under it, so we dig through the loose top layer to soil nobody has disturbed. Before any digging, we have buried lines marked. The national deck guide says to call 811 first and to keep footings off septic systems, leach fields, utility lines and enclosed meters, and having the marks down lets us place each footing around them.
What a footing job covers:
When an old footing has sunk or cracked and the deck or porch above has dropped with it, the question is whether the structure can be brought back up or the footing has to go. If the footing itself is sound and sits deep enough, foundation raising can lift what's above it. If it's shallow, undersized or sitting on loose fill, I'd rather replace it, because a new structure on an old mistake usually settles the same way.
Footing type comes first, because simple spread footings are usually the most economical and specialized pile footings usually cost the most, so it's the first thing to compare when quotes don't match. After that come the number of footings, how deep they go and whether wet ground slows the digging. Cutting back on depth to save money is the one trade I won't make, because the footing is the part that carries everything else.
I learned concrete on a municipal crew, where the work had to meet city standards and residents were owed a clear explanation. I started Advantage Portsmouth Concrete in 2013 to bring that same care to homes. We treat your yard and your time with respect, and I'd rather explain a step twice than have you surprised later. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
Call (757) 731-7248 early so there's time for any permit and inspection before your deck or addition work begins.
Tell us what the footings will hold and where the job is. We reply within one business day to set up your free on-site estimate, with no pressure to book.
A national deck guide calls for footings at least 12 inches below undisturbed ground or below the frost line, whichever is deeper. The guide leaves the frost line to the local building authority, and that depth decides how far down the digging goes. I'll go over the depth for your job when I come out.
Standard concrete footings usually cost about $700 to $1,500 each across the US, including materials and installation. That's the national market price, not ours, and a more complex project runs higher per footing, while posted prices leave out site preparation. Your own price comes with the on-site estimate.
The city's Building Inspection Division regulates building, additions and repairs on homes in Portsmouth, and the city processes building permit applications. Near the water or in a historic district there can be more to clear first, such as a plan of development in a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area or a certificate of appropriateness from a review committee, and the city also enforces flood and wetlands rules.
Portsmouth checks contractor licenses through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation and local business licenses through the Commissioner of Revenue Office, so those are the places to look. A Class C contractor can take a single project over $1,000 but under $30,000, so it's fair to ask which class fits the size of your job. We're licensed and insured, and I'm glad to answer that question at the estimate.
If the water seeps in slowly, one concrete guide says pumping it out works best, as long as the hole stays dry once it's pumped. Many soils around Tidewater have water tables near the surface, so wet holes come up here, especially in the wet season. If the water keeps coming back, I'll talk the next step over with you before we pour.
Most of the time goes to the steps before the pour, not the pour itself. The deck guide has the building official check the soil in the field before concrete is placed, so there's an inspection visit between digging and pouring, and weather or wet holes can move things too. I'll walk you through the timing for your job at the estimate.
We're based in Portsmouth and pour footings in many of the cities around it, including Norfolk and Chesapeake. Pick your area below, or call if yours isn't listed.
