Slab foundation building in Aurora CO - planned around the soil under your home
Building on clay that swells and shrinks? We pour a slab foundation designed from your soil report for the ground it sits on.
The slab your whole house sits on
Slab foundation building in Aurora means pouring concrete right on the ground, so one slab serves as both the foundation and the ground floor of a house. The work starts below the concrete with the subgrade, which is the packed ground the slab rests on, and the rebar, the steel inside that holds the slab together if it cracks.
The price moves with the size of the slab, what the soil report says about the ground and how much structure the design calls for. The schedule mostly depends on having that report and the design in hand, and on the weather the week we pour. Your written estimate spells out what's included and what isn't.
What a new slab foundation does for your home
A solid start for new construction
A new house, addition or garage needs a level, even base before framing starts. A slab gives you the foundation and the ground floor in one pour, and getting it square and flat makes every trade after us easier.
Ground that moves with the seasons
Clay that swells when it's wet and shrinks as it dries pushes and pulls on anything poured over it. A slab designed from your soil report is built to live with that movement, so you're not guessing about what's underneath.
Water kept out from under the floor
A packed base, ground that sends water away from the house and the right layer under the concrete keep moisture from collecting beneath your floor. Nobody sees those parts once it's poured, which is why we spend our time there.
Is a slab the right foundation for you?
A slab makes sense when the floor can sit right on the ground and you don't want a basement or crawlspace. If you want either one, or the plans call for walls below grade, that's foundation installation. We can talk through both when I'm on site.
Sometimes the plans need concrete footings under posts or walls but not a full floor, and that's a smaller job. If what you need is a big slab for cars and trucks rather than a building, look at concrete parking lot building instead.
When your existing slab has cracked or dropped, a new pour isn't always the answer. Foundation raising lifts what's already there, and I'll tell you which one makes sense once I've seen it.
What to settle before we pour your slab
Soil report before the design
A slab is only as good as what's known about the ground, so we want the soil report in hand before the design is set. If you don't have one yet, get that first, since a slab designed on a guess is the one that gives trouble.
Base before finish
The base is the first thing people want to cut, because nobody sees it once it's poured. I'd put the money there by digging out soft spots and packing the subgrade firm, since a nice finish over bad prep is money wasted.
Weather on pour day
Concrete poured in midday heat can set up with a weak, dusty top, so we pick our pour times and will tell you to wait if the weather's wrong. Then comes curing, which means keeping the concrete damp while it gains strength, and we don't rush it.
Building slab foundations in Aurora
The City of Aurora requires contractors to hold the right city license to build, alter, repair or add to a building, and its code has a class for residential building contractors. We're fully licensed and insured. We check with the city or county office for your address, and if your job needs a permit, we get it before work starts.
Aurora's code puts the frost line at 36 inches and rates the city's exposure to weathering damage as severe. Like every major city in Colorado, it also sits partly on soil that swells. That's why the soil comes first for us. We're based in Aurora and pour slabs across the cities around it, including Centennial and Parker.
Questions about slab foundations in Aurora
How much does a slab foundation cost near Aurora, CO?
A concrete slab foundation in the Denver metro area usually costs about $4,000 to $14,000 per project, and size, soil and structural needs decide where yours lands. A monolithic slab, poured in one piece with its edges, saves a good deal on labor but only works on level, well-compacted ground. Your own number comes in the written estimate.
Who should test the soil for swelling clay before building a slab?
Use a professional soil engineer and engineering geologist, because the Colorado Geological Survey says they're the ones to rely on for identifying expansive clay. Engineers generally treat soil that can swell 3% or more as potentially damaging, and that kind of soil needs a specially designed foundation. If you already have a report, send it with your request.
Is a post-tensioned slab a good choice for expansive soil in Colorado?
It can be. The post-tensioning trade group calls it a cost-efficient, high-performance foundation for homes on shrink-swell soil, because the squeeze built into the slab resists the pull of moving ground. Ask whether it suits your lot and how the design lets the ground floor move, since leaving that out on swelling ground is a very common source of damage.
Can a new slab foundation still crack on Colorado clay?
It can show some cosmetic wear, yes. Engineers note that even a properly designed and built slab on expansive soil can show damage to its looks and finish. We'll tell you that upfront rather than promise otherwise, so it's worth planning for.
How do I protect my slab foundation after the house is built?
Keep water moving away from the house. CSU Extension advises grading the site so water drains away from the house, keeping sprinkler spray at least five feet from the foundation and keeping trees at least fifteen feet away. Less water at the edges means less swelling in the clay under your slab.
Tell us about your slab foundation job
Send your lot address and any soils report you have. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free, no-obligation estimate in writing.
(720) 500-8526Mon–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM