Concrete footings in Arlington WA - a solid base sized for what sits on it
Planning an addition, shop or deck and unsure what the footings need? We dig, form and pour a base that carries the load.
A footing is the wider strip or pad of concrete under a foundation wall or a post, and it spreads the weight above into the soil. We build footings for additions, shops, decks and small commercial buildings in Arlington and the cities around it, from Everett up into the Skagit Valley and out to Camano. When one goes in too shallow or on loose dirt, whatever sits on it settles, and fixing that later means foundation raising.
The price mostly follows how many feet of footing you need, how deep it goes and what the ground is like on your lot. The schedule turns on the permit and the weather, since we check what the city or county wants before we book the pour. My written estimate puts your own number to it.
What our concrete footings work covers
- Locate call before digging. Layout starts with a call to 811 so buried utilities get marked, and with finding any septic system or leach field, so we don't dig where we shouldn't.
- Depth from your plans and the city. We take the depth from your plans and what the city requires, and when the structure or the ground needs more than that, we bring in an engineer.
- Forms, steel and the pour. We set forms to hold the shape and place rebar, the steel that keeps concrete from pulling apart, where the plans call for it, then pour and level the tops.
- I look, our crew builds. I'm the one who comes out to look at the job, and our crew and I do the work. We've done it since 2023 and we're fully licensed and insured.
What goes wrong under a structure
| Problem | What it looks like | Usual fix |
|---|---|---|
| Footing too shallow | What it looks like: Deck posts lifting or leaning, gaps opening after a hard winter | Usual fix: Dig out and pour new footings to proper depth |
| Set on loose fill | What it looks like: One corner of a porch or addition keeps slowly sinking | Usual fix: Dig to firm ground and repour, or raise it |
| No real footing | What it looks like: Shed or deck posts sitting on blocks right on the dirt | Usual fix: Add a pad footing under each post |
| Water at the footing | What it looks like: Puddles along the wall and soft, muddy ground by the foundation | Usual fix: Regrade and steer water away before any new pour |
New footings, added footings or raising
- New construction. For an addition, garage or shop on open ground, we lay out and pour the footings first, so the walls go up on a base built for them.
- Footings under existing work. When a deck or porch sits on posts in the dirt, we add pads under it, using concrete cutting where an old slab is in the way.
- Raising what's there. If a foundation has settled but is otherwise sound, lifting it back may beat tearing it out, and if the simpler, cheaper fix will do, I'll tell you.
How a footing job runs
- Call or message. You call or send the form with the site address and what you're building, and we set a time for me to come out.
- Site visit and estimate. I look over the lot, ask how you'll use the structure and send a written estimate that says plainly what's in it and what isn't.
- Layout, permit and water. We settle the layout and how water will leave, check what the city or county wants and tell you what we'll file and what falls to you.
- Dig, form and pour. Our crew digs, forms and pours, then covers it on a wet day, since western Washington rain can damage concrete while it cures and hardens.
- Walk-through and cleanup. We walk the finished footings with you before the next trade starts, and we clear out the forms and extra dirt.
Keeping footings sound after the pour
Footings stay sound when water drains away from them and the ground beside them stays put, so keep downspouts running away from the wall and don't dig close to a footing for a garden bed or a trench. If you spot new cracks or a corner starting to drop, call us early.
We pour footings for homeowners adding a room, a garage or a deck, and for small business owners who need a pad or foundation done properly, across Arlington, Marysville and the cities nearby. Call or send the form when you're ready for an estimate.
Tell us about your footings
Send the site address, what you're building and where any septic system sits, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come measure.
(360) 474-2804- Free on-site estimate
- No pressure to book
- In writing, with what's included
Footing questions we hear
How much do concrete footings cost in Arlington, WA?
Across the US, concrete footings usually cost about $5 to $18 per linear foot. That's a wide range, so your lot can land in a different spot than a neighbor's. I measure on site and put your own number in a free written estimate.
Which type of footing does my project need?
A wall needs a continuous footing that runs its full length, and a post, pier or column needs a pad footing under it. Additions usually get continuous footings, while decks and porches usually sit on pads. We match the type to your plans when I come out.
How deep do concrete footings need to be in Arlington?
One national deck guide puts footings on undisturbed soil at least 12 inches below the ground or below the frost line, whichever is deeper. Deeper footings in colder places help stop heaving and shifting from freezing and thawing, so Arlington's frost line is the number to ask the city for first.
Who issues building permits in Arlington, and what license number does the form ask for?
The city's Building Services Division reviews and issues permits, and its residential application asks for an L&I contractor license number. Its list names homes, additions and accessory structures, not footings alone, so ask the city's development team about your project at 360-403-3551 or ced@arlingtonwa.gov.