Joining footing and slab

[BlakeYancey]

I’m looking for some advice. I am building a home in Tennessee(clay soils). I’ve contracted out my slab foundation.

I originally asked for a monolithic slab, but it appears my contractor has something different in mind.

My contractor poured a footer yesterday then plans to place a slab on top of the footer. However, he didn’t add any vertical rebar to the footing. I asked about it, from here he plans to adding a “floating slab” on top of the footer. I don’t like the cold joint, and I don’t like how the slab isn’t tied to the footer in anyway.

Is this an issue, or am I being dramatic? Any advice?

 

[phamENG]

Lots of houses built that way, but you're right - not great. If this is a "normal" house - 3/2 and less than 3,000sf, you're probably okay as long as you're not up on the top of a hill or ridge - but the only way to know is to run an analysis.

Do you have code enforcement in the area? If not, you may want stop work and hire a local engineer to review the design and set the requirements. Expect a change order from your contractor, of course. How you deal with that is up to you. If you do, then they should be following the approved plans, and the approved plans should show the required connection between footing and stem wall/slab.

It could be that friction is all that's needed. But also maybe not. We can't tell from here - you need a local structural engineer to review the project in detail.

 

[jhnblgr]

Did you have actual plans?