Additions and new walls
A wall footing runs as one continuous strip under the wall, spreading its weight along the ground so one soft spot doesn't crack the whole wall above it.
Concrete footings in Somerville MA - a solid base that keeps your build steady
Building a deck, porch or addition, or replacing a post that's sunk? We pour footings that carry the load and keep what's on top level.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What footings do and what shapes the job
Concrete footings are the buried concrete that carries a building's weight down into the ground, and in Somerville we pour them under additions, porches, decks, garages and walls so whatever sits on top stays put.
The price mostly comes down to how much concrete goes in, how much digging it takes and the labor, so a wider, deeper footing on soft ground can cost several times what a shallow one does. The schedule turns on the season and the permit, since the permit comes before the work and cold weather changes how we pour.
We're based in Somerville and work across the cities around it, often on tight lots with little room to dig. I check with the city's building office early, before we settle the plan, then come out, measure, talk it through with you and send an estimate for your own job.
The same person, start to finish
I come out to look at the job myself and stay on it through the pour, so the person who measured your footings is the one watching them go in.
One crew, other trades lined up
Our crew does the digging, forming, pouring and finishing, and we line up the other licensed trades your job needs, so you're not juggling calls to get a footing in.
A clean site and calm neighbors
Footing work on a tight lot gets messy fast, so we keep the dirt contained and leave the yard cleaner than we found it, with your neighbors still on good terms with you.
How we dig, set and pour a footing
The first thing I do is get the dig depth from the local building office, before I price the job or we put a shovel in the ground, because that depth sets how much digging and concrete the job takes. Then our crew digs down to firm, undisturbed ground, since a footing poured on loose fill settles right along with it, and sets the forms so the concrete goes in at the size the plan calls for.
Nobody sees the bottom of that hole once the dirt goes back in, which is exactly why it's where I'd rather spend the time and money. A rough finish on a slab is something you can live with, but a footing that settles takes the wall or the porch above it along. We also check where your roof and yard water runs, because water that sits around a footing softens the ground under it.
When we pour in cool weather, we cover the concrete so frost can't get at it early. If a footing has to go through an existing slab, we do the concrete cutting ourselves, and if an old foundation nearby has already sunk, we talk about foundation raising before pouring anything new beside it.
Where footings go on a city lot
Deck and porch posts
Each post gets its own isolated footing, a single pad or pier poured under it, so the deck or porch doesn't lean as the seasons change.
Garages, sheds and slab edges
A thickened slab footing is a slab poured deeper along its edges, where the walls sit, so one pour gives you both the floor and the footing under it.
Replacing a footing that failed
When a post has sunk or a step has pulled away, the footing under it is usually too shallow or too small, and we dig it out and pour a proper one.
Get a free on-site footing estimate
We reply within one business day, and there's no obligation. I come out, look at the job, measure, talk it through with you and then send the estimate.
Your address and number of units
Tell us where the job is and how many units the building has, because that decides which permit rules apply and who is allowed to file for it.
Whether you live there
Let us know if you live there or rent it out, because that changes who files the permit and which contractor registration the job calls for.
The season you hope to pour
Say when you'd like the footings in, because a cold-weather pour costs more to protect and a mild-weather pour may mean waiting, and I'll lay out both.
Concrete footing and foundation work examples
Examples of wall, post and slab-edge footings, forms and foundation layouts, shown to help us talk through what fits your lot.
Footing questions from Somerville homeowners
Straight answers on what footings cost, when they can be poured, how deep they go and what the city asks for first.
How much do concrete footings cost in Somerville?
Installed concrete footings across the US usually cost about $5 to $20 per linear foot, a national figure for 2026, so treat it as a starting point and check it against a local quote. Where your job lands in that range depends on the size of the footing and the digging. Our estimates are free and done on site.
Do I need a permit for footings in Somerville?
Usually, yes. Somerville's Inspectional Services Division issues the building permit anyone needs before building, altering, repairing or demolishing a structure. The city's checklist for 1 and 2 family permits asks for a Dig Safe file number, and construction is allowed weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. When the paperwork is ours, we file it.
Can I pull the footing permit myself in Somerville?
You can if you own and live in a 1 or 2 family home in Somerville. For a 3 family or larger building, a licensed contractor has to apply, and they submit their Construction Supervisor License with the application. When the paperwork is yours, we tell you exactly what to bring so nothing holds up the dig.
What license does a footing contractor need in Massachusetts?
If the home already exists, you live there and it has one to four units, the contractor must be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor. That's not the same as a Construction Supervisor License, and one can't stand in for the other, so ask to see the supervisor license when you compare bids. We're fully licensed and insured, with satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Can concrete footings be poured in winter in Somerville?
Yes, though cold weather adds cost for insulating blankets, tarps, heaters and slower work, which usually buys you the schedule. If nothing's waiting on the footings, I'd usually wait for mild weather. Fresh concrete should be kept from freezing for at least its first 24 hours, even in fall or spring, or it can be ruined or permanently weakened, which is why we cover ours.
How deep should footings be in Somerville?
Deep enough that frost can't get under the footing, which is how one footing maker's instructions put it. The depth itself comes from the local building officials, so I won't quote you a number off the top of my head. As I said above, I get it from the building office before we price or dig.
Other concrete work that ties into footings
Call K&R Somerville Concrete Construction about your footings
Call (617) 284-0921 or use the form, because the sooner I check the dig depth with the city, the sooner you have a real number.