Foundation question

[jloomis]

I have a proposal to pour a stem wall footing ontop of an existing footing. The prior contractors who did the footing poured the foundation out of square and height.....some of it by 3" I was told..... Do not know yet. They put cinder block ontop and did not fill the cells yet, and got kicked off the job. My task is to come in and pour a new concrete stem wall ontop of the old grade level footing. It is wider that the building line thus I cannot put stakes in the gound either. I could drill holes in the footing and put steel stakes in but what a pain in the @$&*()%^% I could put wood stakes outside the footing and then somehow hang forms.... I am not sure which way to go............ All I know is that it is a mess. jloomis

[DanG]

I don't know what you are using for forms which will make a huge difference. 2x4 backed forms are typical. You want the footing to be able to pin the forms. I don't understand your comment about not being able to drive stakes. Footings by definition are wider than the stem walls. If you use snap ties, they will pretty much self balance. Ellis makes another system that nails a steel strap to the footing that holds 3/4 sheets with no backers.

They also carry steel backed Symons type forms.

[jloomis]