FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Fine Homebuilding Project Guides

Foundations and Masonry Work

Guide Home
  • Concrete & Masonry Basics
  • Building Foundations
  • Waterproofing Foundations
  • Retrofits and Add-ons
  • Masonry in the Landscape
  • Brick
How-To

Habitat for Humanity How to Build a House: Foundation Fundamentals

Establishing a sound connection between the house, the foundation, and the earth is crucial. These foundation fundamentals can help get you started.

By Larry Haun
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Synopsis: All across this country, in hundreds of towns an cities, people from all walks of life are working with Habitat for Humanity to build decent, modest housing. In the last 25 years, more than 100,000 affordable homes have been built in America and in other countries by Habitat for Humanity affiliates.

If Habitat for Humanity can build affordable homes, why can’t anyone? In Habitat for Humanity How to Build a House, Habitat volunteer and Fine Homebuilding contributor Larry Haun provides step-by-step instructions for building a house from the ground up. For beginners and professionals alike, the book is filled with tips that come from Larry’s four decades of experience.

In this excerpt from Chapter 3: Firm, Flat, Level, and Square — Foundations and Floors, you’ll learn how to form and pour footings and how to build the foundation walls.


Foundations and Floors

Floors may seem to be the simplest of the challenges facing a new builder, but the importance of establishing a firm, sound, dependable connection between a house, the foundation, and the earth cannot be overstated. Everything rests, quite literally, on the quality of the foundation and framing work done in the first few days or so after the concrete contractor has left. Our first house, in coastal Oregon, had a concrete foundation made from beach sand. Sixty years of wind and rain had washed much of that sand back toward the beach, leaving us with a shaky, tilted floor that wasn’t even bolted to the foundation.

Know the Foundation Fundamentals

Take a deep breath. Having found and purchased a lot, bought or drawn up the plans, obtained the permits, cleared and run power to the site, and completed the necessary grading, drainage, and excavation work, you’re finally ready to begin working on the foundation. You’ve already come a long way.

foundation and floor framing overview illustration

Whenever I think about foundations, I can’t help but recall being told as a child, “You’re on your feet most of the day, so wear good shoes.” A foundation is like a pair of shoes—quality makes all the difference. Walk around all day in poor shoes and your whole body feels lousy. Build a house on a poor foundation and the entire house is unstable.

There are quite a few foundations that can be used for houses. The three major types— slabs, crawl spaces, and full basements. If you’re planning to build a house, it’s a good idea to consider all your foundation options. Talk to builders and foundation sub contractors in your area to find out which foundations and special site conditions to consider. If you’re building a crawl space foundation, find out about the ventilation requirements. In some areas, vents are required in crawl-space foundations. In other areas, codes have been updated to allow for an unvented crawl space.

Clay can cause problems

Local soil conditions have a lot to do with choosing and constructing a foundation. Extra care must be taken when building on clay-rich soils, which exist in many parts of the country. Clay expands when saturated with moisture. This can exert tremendous pressure on a foundation. I have seen how this expansive action moves footings, cracks slabs, and causes extensive damage to a house. When builders are aware of the potential problems with clay soil, they can take precautions to avoid damaging effects. I have worked on sites where several feet of clay soil were removed and replaced with non expansive soil, which was then compacted before the footings were poured.

crawl-space vetilation illustration

by Larry Haun.

For more photos and details on foundation fundamentals, click the View PDF button below. 

Fine Homebuilding Recommended Products

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Speed Square

When it comes to framing, it doesn’t get much more fundamental than a speed square — and with its sturdy metal build, Swanson’s will not let you down. Some of our team members have had theirs for 20 years.
Buy at Amazon

Plate Level

A plate level allows to you plumb walls accurately because it registers off the plates without touching potentially warped or twisted studs. This one can reach the plates on 12-ft. tall walls.
Buy at Amazon

Stabila Classic Level Set

Plumb and level are the hallmarks of good craftsmanship, so having a complete set of professional levels on the job is crucial to success.
Buy at Amazon
View PDF
Previous: Forming and Pouring Foundations Next: Forming Foundation Walls

Guide

Foundations and Masonry Work

Chapter

Building Foundations

Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Foundations and Masonry Work

Foundations and Masonry Work

Trusted, comprehensive guidance from the pros for working with concrete and masonry

View Project Guide

View All Project Guides »

Become a member and get unlimited site access, including the Foundations and Masonry Work Project Guide.

Start Free Trial

Concrete & Masonry Basics
  • Choosing & Mixing Concrete
  • Concrete & Masonry Tools & Techniques
Building Foundations
  • Foundation Basics
  • Foundation Footings
  • Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)
Waterproofing Foundations
  • Waterproofing Strategies
  • Foundation Drains
Retrofits and Add-ons
Masonry in the Landscape
  • Patios, Walkways, and Driveways
  • Retaining Walls
  • Dry Stone Walls
  • Fire Pits
Brick

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

You have 1 free article remaining.

Get complete site access, including thousands of videos, how-to tips, tool reviews, and design features.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data