All phases
2
Earthwork & Foundation
Dirt work is geometry. Get it wrong and every trade after pays.
Typical duration: 3–6 weeks
5 steps
0/23 complete
12–5 days
Clearing, Erosion Control & Building Stakeout
Clear only what you must, protect the site, and stake the house precisely.
Earthwork
Survey & Engineering
Prerequisites & handoff
- Permit issued
- Tree protection plan
- Utility locates (811) complete
Critical measurements & tolerances
- Offset stakes set 4'–10' outside the building line so they survive excavation
- Benchmark elevation established on a permanent object; finished floor elevation noted on it
- Silt fence trenched 6" into soil, posts max 6' on center
Permits & inspection milestones
- 811 locate ticket active
- Erosion control inspection
Field tips & tricks
- Never let the excavator pull the survey pins. Transfer to offset hubs first and paint them orange.
- Strip and stockpile topsoil separately — you will want it for final grade and it is expensive to buy back.
- Build the construction entrance with 3" clean rock before the first concrete truck, or you'll be pressure-washing the street all job.
Reference documents
View in library →- EPA Stormwater Construction General Permit · Code reference
- Call 811 Before You Dig · Industry standard
Field checklist
0 / 5 complete- 811 locates marked
- Silt fence and inlet protection in
- Rock construction entrance built
- Topsoil stockpiled
- Offset stakes and benchmark set
23–7 days
Excavation, Pad Build & Compaction
Cut and fill to subgrade, then build engineered fill to design density.
Earthwork
Prerequisites & handoff
- Stakeout complete
- Geotech recommendations in hand
Critical measurements & tolerances
- Fill placed in lifts no thicker than 8" loose
- Compaction target typically 95% modified Proctor under slabs and footings
- Over-excavate 1'–2' beyond footing edge for form and drain access
- Pad built 1"–2" high to allow for final trim
Permits & inspection milestones
- Compaction / density test report from geotech
- Open-hole observation where required
Field tips & tricks
- Keep water out. A rained-in hole costs a week; one day of grading a positive drain path out of the pad is cheap insurance.
- Don't build pad on topsoil or organics. If it springs under the machine, it will not hold a slab.
- Photograph every lift with a tape in frame. Density reports and photos settle arguments later.
Reference documents
View in library →- OSHA Construction Industry Standards (1926) · Code reference
- OSHA Trenching & Excavation Safety · Code reference
- Call 811 Before You Dig · Industry standard
Field checklist
0 / 4 complete- Cut / fill to subgrade
- Lifts compacted and tested
- Density report filed
- Pad drains away from house
33–5 days
Underground Plumbing & Utility Sleeves
Everything that lives under the slab goes in and gets tested before concrete.
Plumbing
Electrical
Earthwork
Prerequisites & handoff
- Pad at grade
- Plumbing layout dimensioned from stakes / forms
Critical measurements & tolerances
- Drain slope 1/4" per foot for 3" and smaller, 1/8" per foot allowed for 4" and larger
- Closet flange centerline 12" from finished wall face, 15" min clear to side wall
- Cleanouts at every 100' of run and at each change of direction over 45°
- Water lines and conduit sleeved where they penetrate the slab; sleeve 2 pipe sizes larger
- Min 12" cover on water service, deeper than local frost depth
Permits & inspection milestones
- Underground plumbing inspection with 10' head water test or air test held per local code
- Sewer tap / septic connection inspection
Field tips & tricks
- Measure toilet and shower drains twice off the actual foundation form, not the plan. Concrete does not move.
- Leave the water test standing while the inspector is on site; refilling a dropped stack in front of them is a fail.
- Mark every under-slab penetration on the slab with paint and photograph with dimensions — the framer and tile setter will thank you.
Reference documents
View in library →- International Plumbing Code (IPC) · Code reference
- OSHA Construction Industry Standards (1926) · Code reference
- OSHA Trenching & Excavation Safety · Code reference
Field checklist
0 / 4 complete- DWV installed to slope
- Test held and inspected
- Water service and sleeves placed
- Penetrations photographed and dimensioned
43–6 days
Footings, Forms & Rebar Inspection
Form, set steel, and pass the reinforcement inspection before any pour.
Concrete
Prerequisites & handoff
- Utilities in and inspected
- Pad trimmed to grade
Critical measurements & tolerances
- Footing width and depth per plan; bottom below local frost depth
- Rebar cover: 3" against earth, 1.5" in formed edges
- Lap splices typically 40 bar diameters (about 30" for #5)
- Anchor bolts 1/2" min, 7" embedment, max 6' on center, within 12" of each plate end and min 4-1/2" from end
- Diagonals must match within 1/4" to prove the foundation is square
Permits & inspection milestones
- Footing / rebar (reinforcement) inspection
- Post-tension tendon inspection where applicable
Field tips & tricks
- Chair every bar. Steel lying in the dirt provides zero structure and is the most common rebar inspection failure.
- Snap diagonals before the pour — check the 3-4-5 on every corner. Out-of-square shows up in cabinets nine months later.
- Set anchor bolts with a template, not by eye, and keep them out of stud and door-opening locations.
Reference documents
View in library →- International Residential Code (IRC) — free read · Code reference
- Footing & Rebar Pre-Pour Inspection Form· Inspection form
- Simpson Strong-Tie Connector & Hold-Down Catalog · Install guide
- ACI Concrete Field Reference & Cold/Hot Weather Guides · Industry standard
Field checklist
0 / 4 complete- Forms set to line and elevation
- Diagonals verified square
- Steel chaired, lapped, and tied
- Rebar inspection passed
52–5 days + cure
Vapor Barrier, Slab Pour & Waterproofing
Place the slab or stem wall, then waterproof and drain below grade.
Concrete
Prerequisites & handoff
- Rebar inspection passed
- Concrete mix design approved
- Weather window
Critical measurements & tolerances
- Vapor retarder min 10 mil, laps 6" and taped, sealed at all penetrations
- Slab thickness typically 4" min with specified reinforcement
- Concrete 2,500–4,000 psi per plan; slump per mix design, do not add water at the truck
- Floor flatness within 1/4" in 10' for finish flooring
- Foundation drain in min 12" of washed rock, filter fabric wrapped, sloped to daylight or sump
- Finished grade falls 6" within the first 10' away from the house
Permits & inspection milestones
- Slab / pre-pour inspection
- Waterproofing and drain inspection on basements
Field tips & tricks
- Wet-cure or cure-seal the slab for 7 days. Fast-dried concrete curls and cracks, and the curl telegraphs into tile.
- Never puncture the vapor barrier for stakes without patching. Ground moisture ruins wood floors two years later.
- Check flatness with a 10' straightedge before the concrete crew leaves — grinding is cheap that day, brutal later.
Reference documents
View in library →- Footing & Rebar Pre-Pour Inspection Form· Inspection form
- Stego Wrap Vapor Barrier Installation · Install guide
- ACI Concrete Field Reference & Cold/Hot Weather Guides · Industry standard
Field checklist
0 / 6 complete- Vapor barrier sealed
- Pre-pour inspection passed
- Slab poured and finished flat
- Cure protected 7 days
- Waterproofing and drain installed
- Backfill compacted in lifts