Concrete footings in Bozeman MT - a solid base set below the frost line
Building a house, addition or garage? We plan the footings around your soil and your plans first, so the walls above have firm ground under them.
Footings are the concrete at the bottom of a foundation, and they carry the whole house into the ground. We check the soil and the dig against your plans before any concrete is ordered, and we pick a pour date that suits the weather.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
A steady house starts at the bottom
I come out to every job
I look over each site, write the estimate, then work on the crew that digs and pours your footings.
Licensed and insured
We're licensed and insured, so the crew digging and pouring at your house is properly covered.
What goes into pouring footings in Bozeman?
Concrete footings sit at the very bottom of a foundation and carry the weight of your house down into the soil, so at First Choice Bozeman Concrete we treat them as the most important pour on any Bozeman build. The price mostly comes down to how much digging the job needs, how easily an excavator and a concrete truck can reach the spot, and whether frozen ground has to be thawed before we pour. The schedule turns on the permit and the weather, and I'd rather move a pour date than rush one. The soils work and the checks before the pour are hidden once the concrete is down, which makes them the first thing people want to trim from a budget, and they're the last place I'd save money because everything above rests on them. When I come out, the estimate I write says exactly what the price covers, so you know what you're paying for before we start.
How do you know your project needs new footings?
Posts sitting on blocks
If your deck or porch posts rest on blocks sitting on the ground, they can rise and drop with the seasons, and footings dug below the frost are the usual fix.
A porch pulling away
A front porch, stoop or set of steps that has tipped away from the house often sat on shallow footings or none at all, so it settled while the house held still.
Cracks or sticking doors
Wide cracks in a foundation wall or doors that start to stick can mean part of the house has settled, and foundation raising may need to come first.
Your plans are nearly ready
Once plans for a house, addition or garage are drawn, the footings come next, and getting them on the calendar early leaves room to work around frozen ground.
How a concrete footings job runs, start to finish
You call or send a message
- Call (406) 536-3025 or use the form
- Share the address and stories planned
- Mention any soils report for the lot
- We set a time for my visit
I visit and write the estimate
- I walk the site with you
- I ask how you'll use the building
- I check access for the dig
- Written estimate of what's included
We dig, check and pour
- Permit questions sorted before work starts
- Dig checked against your plans
- Frozen ground thawed before concrete arrives
- Pour date chosen to suit the concrete
Cleanup and a final walk-through
- Updates from us along the way
- Site cleaned up after the pour
- We walk the finished footings together
- Your questions answered, and thank you
Ask for a free footings estimate
Send your address, the number of stories and any soils report, and we'll reply within one business day. The on-site estimate is free, with no pressure to book.
Questions about footings in Bozeman
Here are the answers to what people ask us most about footings. If your question isn't here, please call (406) 536-3025, and thank you for asking.
How deep do concrete footings have to go in Bozeman?
The bottom of a footing has to sit at least 36 inches down for a one-story building and at least 48 inches for two stories, under the city's current frost depth criteria. Applications submitted on or after January 1, 2027 follow newer codes, so if yours lands near then, ask which ones your footing design follows.
Do I need a soils report for a footing permit in Bozeman?
Yes, the city asks for a soils study of your lot when you apply for the permit. University housing research warns that if the soil is assumed to carry more weight than it really can, the foundation can settle, so we want that report in hand before we dig.
Do I need a building permit to pour footings in Bozeman?
For a house, addition or garage, yes, because the footings are part of that building's permit, and the city's Building Division handles those. A detached garage or shop on the same lot needs its own permit, and the division takes questions at (406) 582-2375 ext. 1. We check permit questions for your address and help you through the paperwork.
Can concrete footings be poured in cold weather in Bozeman?
Yes, with planning. One concrete industry guide says to pour only on ground at least 40°F, thawing frozen ground first with heaters or blankets, and to keep fresh concrete at 50°F or above for at least 3 days when the air is at or below 40°F. In colder months, we build in time to thaw the ground before the concrete arrives.
When is the footing inspection done on a Bozeman build?
The city's building inspectors check work that will be covered, and the final observation report on your soils has to be in before the footing inspection. It's a fair question to ask any contractor where that inspection falls, and we plan the pour date around it so nothing gets covered early.
Does a concrete contractor need a license in Montana?
Yes, every construction contractor in Montana has to be licensed with the state Department of Labor & Industry. It's fair to ask anyone you're considering about it before you sign, and you're welcome to ask me when I come out for the estimate.
Other concrete work we do
- Service
Foundation raising
When an older house or addition has settled and the floors or doors show it, raising the foundation can come before or alongside new footings.
Read more Foundation raising - Service
Concrete cutting
When a patio, walk or garage slab sits where new footings need to go, we cut it out cleanly so the dig can start on open ground.
Read more Concrete cutting - Service
Foundation installation
Once the footings are in and inspected, the foundation walls go on top, and one crew doing both keeps the plan in the same hands.
Read more Foundation installation
Get a free estimate for your footings
Request an estimate- VisitBozeman, MT 59715
- Call(406) 536-3025
- Emailhello@concretebozeman.com
- HoursMon–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Where we work around Bozeman
We're based in Bozeman and also work in Belgrade, Livingston and the cities around them. Choose your area below, or call if yours isn't listed.