We are a little light on inspection here. The local guys that do formed and poured foundation walls do two runs of #4 bar in the footings, then #4 horizontal and vertical, each 4′ centering, in walls, which are 8″ for a “normal” house. I have never seen our only inspector show up for a look-see before a footing or wall pour.
I am hearing that guys now coming here to do this kind of work, from 50 miles up the road, are being required to do their wall steel on 2′ centers, both ways.
How are things where you are?
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The IRC 2000 allows for #4 @ 48" on vertical for all soils upto 5 ft maximum unbalanced backfill.
At 8ft unbalanced backfill it is either #5 @ 40"oc, #6 @ 40" oc, or #6 @ 24" oc depending on the soil classification.
No inspections here. I just poured 8" ICF's yesterday, the one wall that has an 8' fill has alternating #4 and #5 at 24" o.c. vertical and #4 at 16" o.c. horizontal. The other walls have #5 at 48" o.c. and #4's 32" o.c. The specs for the wall system called for #4 in the top, middle and bottom courses and 48" o.c. vertical. Not enough, in my opinion, especially considering my clay loam soil.
For any 8" foundation wall, backfill or not, I'd use #4 at 24" o.c. horizontal, #5 at 24" o.c. vertical, and 2- #5's in the footing. The cost of rebar is cheap insurance.