Concrete footings in Waldorf MD - a solid base sized for what sits on top
Posts sinking, or a new deck or stairs on the way? We pour footings sized for what they carry, so the structure stays put.
Concrete footings that carry the load
A concrete footing is the buried base under a deck post or a set of stairs. When one is too small, too shallow or set on loose fill, the post sinks or leans. If an old slab is in the way, we handle the concrete cutting, and if the house has settled, look at foundation raising.
Price comes down to how many footings you need, how wide and deep they go and what we find when we dig, and the schedule turns on permits, inspection and the weather on pour day. Your written estimate spells out what's included and what isn't.
What goes into concrete footings
Most of a footing job happens below ground, so here's what our crew does from the first shovel to the day the posts go on.
Layout and digging
We mark each footing where your plan puts it and dig down to firm ground, because a footing sitting on loose fill settles right along with the dirt.
Deck and stairs
Charles County code puts every deck post and stair stringer, the sloped board that holds the steps, on a footing of a set minimum size. We plan one under each.
Forms and rebar
Width, thickness and rebar, the steel set inside for strength, depend on the weight above, the soil and frost, so we size each footing before we form it.
Pour and cure
Curing is the wait while fresh concrete gains strength, so we protect it from freezing and fast drying and hold off on backfill until it can carry its load.
Tell us about your footing job
Send the project type, rough size and what goes on top. We reply within one business day to set a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.
(240) 213-7379How we plan concrete footings
I've run this business since 2013, and fixing other people's concrete before that taught me most failures start with the ground and water underneath, so that's where we start.
- Sized for what sits on top. A footing is sized for what it carries and where it sits, so I ask what's going on top before we dig.
- I see every job myself. I look at every job and write the estimate myself, our crew does the work, and I'm on site to check the base and forms before a pour.
- Licensed and insured in Maryland. We're fully licensed and insured, and you're welcome to see proof of both before any work starts.
- Satisfaction guaranteed. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job, and getting started takes a call to (240) 213-7379 or a note through our request form.
Where Advantage Waldorf Concrete works
Advantage Waldorf Concrete is based in Waldorf and works across Charles County and Prince George's County, including La Plata and Clinton. Don't see your city? Call (240) 213-7379.
From first call to finish
You'll know what's happening at every stage, from my first look and the written estimate to the permit check, the pour and the walk-through at the end.
Visit
I come out, measure, take photos and ask what the footings will carry, whether that's a deck, stairs or something else. That tells me how big and how deep they need to be and where each one goes.
Estimate
You get a written estimate that lists what's included and what isn't. Before we set a date, we check with the county about what your project needs, handle the permit side that's ours and get utilities marked.
The work
Our crew digs, sets forms and steel, and when there's an inspection we leave room for it before the truck comes. Once the concrete's in, I walk the work with you and go over caring for it through its first winter.
Questions about concrete footings in Waldorf
How much do concrete footings cost in Waldorf, MD?
Across the US, installed concrete footings usually cost about $200 to $3,600 per project, covering the concrete, labor and digging. Size and soil swing it most, since a wider, deeper footing on weak soil costs several times as much as a shallow one. Your own number comes in the written estimate after I've seen the site.
How deep do footings need to be in Charles County, MD?
Charles County code requires exterior footings at least 24 inches below undisturbed ground, the soil nobody has dug or filled, though sites in the county's area of geotechnical concern fall outside that rule. A national deck guide adds that deck footings closer than 5 feet to the house's foundation wall must go as deep as the house's own footing.
Who checks a concrete footing before the pour?
A building official checks the ground the footing will rest on before concrete goes in, according to a national deck guide. In Charles County, each permit lists the inspections the job needs, and you can call the county's Permit Center or ask for an appointment to learn what your project requires.
How do I know if a footing contractor needs a Maryland license?
The Maryland Home Improvement Commission licenses home improvement contractors, and that work covers altering, remodeling, repairing or replacing a home or part of one. That matters because the state's Guaranty Fund repays homeowners for actual losses from poor work or a contractor who doesn't perform, only on licensed work, up to what was paid and no more than $30,000.
What causes deck footings to sink?
Usually it's the ground under the footing, not the concrete. A footing that's too small for its load, too shallow or poured on loose fill moves with the soil, and water draining toward it keeps that soil soft. If yours have already moved, we'll find out why before we pour new ones.
Plan your Waldorf project with us
Call (240) 213-7379 or use the form with what you're building and its rough size, and we'll set a time to come look.