Category: Structure & materials
Prepared by Eng. Ahmed Fathy, Projects Manager ·
Definition
Footings carry column loads down to the soil. Villas usually have isolated footings under each column; combined footings or a raft are used depending on soil and loads.
Why it matters on a project
Footing size comes from the bearing capacity in the soil report. Guessing sizes without a soil report is a risk that only shows after settlement and cracking.
Measurement and pricing
Concrete in cubic metres, excavation and backfill in cubic metres, waterproofing in square metres.
Worked example
A 2.00 × 2.00 m footing 0.60 m deep = 2.40 m³; 12 identical footings = 28.80 m³ of concrete.
Common mistake
Pouring on uncompacted or waterlogged soil, or without a blinding layer under the footing.
Frequently asked questions
When is a raft used instead of isolated footings?
When soil is weak or loads are high so footings would overlap; the engineer decides from the soil report.
How deep are villa footings?
The soil report and the level of the suitable bearing layer decide it; there is no fixed depth for every plot.
Related terms
- Ground beam (tie beam)A ground-level beam tying the footings and carrying walls at ground level.
- Reinforced concreteConcrete containing steel reinforcement to resist the tensile forces concrete alone cannot carry.
- WaterproofingLayers preventing water ingress into structural elements or spaces, such as bituminous membranes and cementitious coatings.
- LevelThe vertical height of a point relative to a datum (zero level).
Read next
- Work out quantities with our free calculators: concrete, tiles, paint and plaster. Open the calculators
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