Foundation & Basement Digs in Grand Rapids, MI

Foundation and basement digs are the first heavy work on a new home, addition or garage, and sometimes the fix for an old one. For new construction, we strip topsoil, excavate to the depth and footprint on the plans, and leave a clean, level bottom for footings. For existing homes, we dig along the foundation so a waterproofing or repair crew can reach a leaking or cracked wall.

New basements and additions

HomeBlue's Grand Rapids figures put a basement dig for a new home at $3,900 to $6,900 over about two and a half days, and a home without a basement at $2,400 to $4,100. HomeGuide's national figures for full-depth basements, 8 to 9 feet in standard soil, run $10,000 to $20,000 when every step is included. Groundwater, hauling distance and access are what usually move the price.

Sand versus till

In sandy outwash, basement walls cave unless they are cut back to a safe slope, which makes the hole bigger and the spoil pile larger. Sandy backfill drains well and compacts readily. In loamy till, walls stand better but water seeps in from a seasonal water table that can sit 2 to 6 feet down from October to May. Till backfill holds water against the wall unless drainage stone is used. We plan the excavation around whichever soil we find.

Frost-depth footings

West Michigan winters are long, with January lows near 19 degrees. Footings for additions, garages and porches go below the frost depth set by the local building code, and the inspector checks before concrete. We dig to the inspected depth and keep trenches clean and dry.

Exterior wall excavation

Older Grand Rapids homes, including those in historic neighborhoods like Heritage Hill where houses date back to 1848, can have stone or block foundations that leak. We excavate along the wall to the footing, support the trench, and backfill with drainage stone and compacted soil once the wall is repaired. HomeGuide puts digging around an existing foundation at $100 to $250 per linear foot.

Spoil and hauling

A full basement produces a lot of dirt. Some goes back as backfill and grading; the rest is hauled at $400 to $600 or more per load, according to HomeBlue's local figures. We estimate loads up front.