Concrete Foundations in Evanston, IL

Concrete foundations for Evanston properties

Evanston has older North Shore homes with original driveways, walks and foundations, and that changes how we approach concrete foundations here. The specific thing we run into most is mature tree canopy putting roots under everything.

This is also where the freeze line matters more than anywhere else. Footings in Cook County have to bear below the frost depth, or the whole structure rides up and down with the seasons.

Footings and frost depth

Footings have to sit below the frost line so seasonal freezing cannot lift them. In the Chicago area that depth is set by code and it is deeper than most homeowners expect. A footing poured shallow will heave, and a heaved footing cracks everything above it.

Garage slabs and pads

Chicago is one of the hardest climates in the country on concrete. The freeze-thaw cycle runs from November into March, de-icing salt goes down on every driveway and public walk, and the clay soil underneath holds water instead of draining it. Concrete that survives here is air-entrained, poured on a compacted stone base, pitched so water leaves, jointed on a proper grid, and kept away from salt through its first winter.

How the job runs in Evanston

1. Review plans and permitsDrawings, engineering where it exists, and what the municipality requires before anything is dug.
2. ExcavateTo bearing depth, with spoil managed on a site that often has no room for it.
3. Form and reinforceFootings formed and rebar set to the drawings. Inspection before the pour where required.
4. Pour footingsPlaced and consolidated. Keyways or dowels set for the walls.
5. Form and pour wallsWall forms set, reinforced, poured in a single lift wherever possible.

What affects the price in Evanston

• Linear feet of wall and cubic yards of concrete
• Excavation depth and how spoil gets off a tight site
• Reinforcement per the drawings
• Access for concrete trucks or whether the pour has to be pumped
• Permits and inspection scheduling
• Waterproofing and drain tile scope

See the full concrete foundations page for the complete detail, or the Evanston service area page for everything we do here.

Other work we do in Evanston

Evanston customers also come to us for Concrete driveways in Evanston, Concrete patios in Evanston and Sidewalks & walkways in Evanston. We also cover nearby Wilmette, Skokie and Lincolnwood.

Evanston concrete foundations FAQ