RCC footing: size and depth as designed, on the correct stratum
Applies only if your house has an RCC spread footing foundation.
Why — act while you have leverage
A footing cast smaller than designed, or founded higher than designed, carries less than the building asks of it. Both are invisible the moment backfill goes in.
What to look at
- Plan dimensions measured, both directions, per footing
- Founding level taken from a fixed datum
- Any change from the drawing agreed in writing by the engineer
How to check it yourself
Measure the footing in both directions and its depth below the depth the footing sits at against the structural drawing before the pour. Where a soil report exists, the founding level was chosen from it — a change on site is a design decision, not a site decision.
Where this comes from: IS 1080:1982 — Design and construction of shallow foundations; IS 1904:1986 — foundations in soils, general; IS 6403 — bearing capacity (indian standard or building code)
More foundation checks
- Photograph before this is covered
- Cover blocks in place — 50 mm to footing reinforcement
- Steel matches the grade and diameter on the drawing
- Concrete cured for at least seven days
- Rubble foundation: through bond stones at every course band
- Rubble foundation: hearting solid, chips under a fifth of the volume
- Raft foundation: reinforcement laid in the order the drawing gives and not walked flat
- Pile foundation: pile records kept for every pile, not a sample
- Under-reamed piles: bulb formed at the designed depth
- Plinth beam continuous and tied into the foundation
- Column starter bars plumb, with 40 mm cover and correct laps
- Backfill compacted in layers, not tipped in
- Damp proof course laid unbroken at plinth level