Which Foundation Is Right for Your Build?
For a garage, pole barn or addition, a concrete block foundation is usually the better fit: it costs less and goes up course by course without site-built forms. A poured foundation can make more sense for a deep, full-height basement, where a continuous wall with fewer joints matters more.
Garages
Garages are one of the foundations we build most. A recent 20 by 28 foot garage needed 96 linear feet of block at 5 courses and came to $5,000 to $6,000 with the footer included. A garage wall stands only a short way out of the ground, which is exactly the job block does well.
Pole Barns
Pole barns usually stand on posts, so the bigger concrete question is often the floor. Where a pole barn does need a perimeter foundation, block is priced the same way as a garage: per linear foot, with the footer included.
Home Additions
Home additions use the same block foundation model as a new garage. The footer and the block are priced per linear foot together, whether the structure stands alone or ties into the existing house.
Full Basements
Full basements are where poured walls are most often worth the extra cost. A deep basement wall holds back much more soil, and a continuous poured wall with fewer joints can be the stronger choice there. Block basements are built too, so ask about your specific design.
Questions to Settle Before You Choose
Questions to settle before choosing a foundation type are mostly about the building itself: how deep the foundation has to go, how high the wall needs to stand above grade, whether a slab will be poured inside it, and whether the schedule needs work done in winter. Block foundations are one of the jobs we keep running in the cold months.
What Each Option Costs
Cost differences come from forms and material. Poured walls need forms built and stripped on site and use more concrete per foot of wall. Our block foundations start at $50 per linear foot at 5 courses, footer included. Our block foundation vs. poured foundation cost comparison has the full numbers, and our Concrete Block Foundations page covers the service itself.
