New homes without a basement
A house with no basement sits right on its slab, so the base, the plumbing runs and the layer underneath for radon all get settled before the first truck shows up.
Slab foundation building in Marshalltown IA - a slab built in the right order
Building a new home or addition? We plan the base, the inspections and the pour date so your slab goes down once, in order.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What building a slab foundation involves
Slab foundation building in Marshalltown means building the footings and concrete slab your house sits on, along with the packed base and the layer underneath, and getting each part inspected before it's covered.
Most slab calls come from someone building a new home, an addition or a detached garage, and the slab has to be right before anything else can start. The price moves with the size and shape of the footprint, how much dirt has to come out and how much base goes back in, the footings around the edge, and any plumbing that runs under the slab. The schedule turns on the city's permit review, the inspections and the season, because each step waits on the one before it. I come out, look at the site and write up the estimate, so you get your own figure instead of a guess.
Quick answers, a plan to follow
We started in 2023, and we're known for quick answers and a plan you can follow, so you know what happens from the first site visit to the last pour.
Permits and inspections handled
We check what the city needs before we set your date, and when a permit or inspection is part of it, we handle the paperwork and build the schedule around it.
Licensed and insured
Iowa requires a contractor to register with the state before doing construction work, so check that on anyone you hire. We're fully licensed and insured, and we'll show you our insurance certificate on request.
How we build a slab foundation, step by step
A slab foundation is mostly about what goes in before the concrete, so that's where our crew spends its time. We lay out the footprint, dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, so it doesn't settle later, then form and pour the footings and wait for their inspection before going further. Next we plan the layer under the slab with radon in mind, let any under-slab plumbing get inspected, set rebar, the steel that holds the slab together, and check that the grade sends water away from the house. That base work is hidden on day one and it's the first thing people want to trim, but I'd trim the finish before the base, because a slab is only as flat as what's under it. We set the pour for ground that isn't frozen and an early start so the heat doesn't weaken the top, cut control joints, shallow grooves that tell the slab where to crack, and let it cure, the slow wait while it gains strength, before anyone builds on it.
If your house needs basement or crawlspace walls instead of a slab, that's foundation installation, and we plan it in the same order. Business owners who build on a slab often need room to park too, and the same packed base and drainage check carry straight over to concrete parking lot building.
Where a slab foundation makes sense
Additions to an existing house
An addition's slab has to meet your existing floor at the right height, so I check levels and where the water runs before we set a single form.
Detached garages and shops
A garage or shop slab gets the same dug-out, packed base and footings as a house, because a car or heavy equipment will find every soft spot underneath.
Slabs for builders and businesses
Builders and business owners call us for footings and slabs, and we set each pour around their inspections and the other trades so nothing on the job waits on concrete.
Get a written estimate for your slab
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at the site and write up a free estimate, with no obligation.
I walk the site myself
I look at the grade, where the water runs and how the slab meets anything already there, and the same person who writes the estimate leads the crew on pour day.
Have your details ready
Have the site address, the kind of project, such as a new home, an addition or a garage, and any foundation plans handy, since the city's permit application can include them.
No pressure to book
Take the estimate, compare it and call when you're ready, and we'll set your date around the permit review and the season.
Concrete slab and foundation examples
Examples of slab edges, footings, garage floors and finished concrete surfaces you can point to when we talk through your layout.
Slab foundation questions from Marshalltown owners
Answers to what people ask us most about permits, inspections, radon and timing before a slab foundation goes in.
Do I need a building permit for a slab foundation in Marshalltown?
Usually yes, because the city typically requires a building permit for new construction, additions, alterations and accessory buildings such as a shed or garage 120 square feet and larger. Review can take 2 to 3 weeks depending on the project, so we apply well ahead of the pour. An owner can apply as owner/builder, but when you hire us, we get and sign the permit.
What inspections happen before a slab foundation is poured in Marshalltown?
The city typically inspects the footings, the foundation walls and any plumbing under the slab. Its rule of thumb is to cover nothing until it's inspected and approved, so we hold the pour until each one signs off. If an inspection slips, the pour date moves with it, and you'll hear that from me first.
How does a new slab foundation deal with radon in Iowa?
EPA guidance calls for a layer of clean, coarse gravel under the slab so soil gases like radon can move freely instead of building up under the house, or a perforated pipe or collection mat where gravel is too costly or not needed. Iowa has the largest share of homes above the EPA's radon action level, so we settle that layer before any concrete goes down.
Do new homes in Iowa have to be built with radon mitigation?
An Iowa act directs the state building code commissioner to require a passive radon mitigation method in new single-family and two-family homes, but only for homes started after the commissioner adopts it. Ask the city where that stands before your plans are final, and we'll plan the base under your slab with radon in mind either way.
Can a slab foundation be poured on frozen ground?
No. Slab guidance warns that frozen soil thaws and settles after the concrete is placed, which breaks the slab from below. For a late fall or winter job, we plan the pour for when the ground under the slab has thawed, and if that means moving the date, I'll tell you as soon as I know.
Is a frost protected shallow foundation a good choice for my lot?
It can be on a fairly level lot. One builder's guide says frost protected shallow foundations suit slab homes best on sites with moderate to low slopes, and on those lots the slab version can go in with one placement of concrete, which speeds up the build. I look at your lot's grade on the estimate visit so we can talk it through.
Call about your slab foundation plans
We answer calls into the evening and on weekends, so call (641) 354-2469 or send the form while the details are fresh.