Site Work and Foundations

Grafting the right foundation onto a house that's neither square nor level by Rick Arnold

The bones beneath concrete's muscle, rebar has to be cut, bent and tied properly to do its job by Howard Stein

by Fred Lugano

Assembled with regular building skills, ICFs form airtight, insulating concrete walls that finish with standard materials by Andy Engel

They hold up the house, hold back the earth and keep out the water. If they're not level and square, you may end up custom-cutting every rafter. by Rick Arnold, Mike Guertin

Fill up a trench with concrete -- what's to know? If a house is going to stand on those little sidewalks, they'd better be straight, level and correctly placed. by Rick Arnold, Mike Guertin

Used overseas successfully for decades, this innovative foundation system uses carefully placed insulation and a slab with integral footings instead of conventional deep frost walls by Christopher R. Kendall

Helical piers go in like giant drywall screws to support a sinking house and a new addition by Jerry McSweeney, Eric McGaw

Tips on ordering, placing, screeding, floating and finishing by Carl Hagstrom

A simple, effective foundation system for residential structures by Elias Velonis

How to pour the footing and lay the concrete block, and what to do about waterproofing, drainage and insulation by Richard T. Kreh Sr.