Suppose you’d like to cut your foundation costs by $11 to $15 per linear foot, improve the energy efficiency of the building, and improve job site safety by eliminating trench shoring. You might look into using shallow foundations.

The idea has been around for many years and has been in practice since at least 1992 by builder Bill Eich in Spirit Lake, IA. Eich has been able to reduce the footing depths from 48 inches to 16 inches for the homes he builds. And, he has more than 50 homes and additions that testify to the validity of this approach. In Scandinavia there are more than a million homes using these types of foundations.

All this is possible by extending rigid insulation down the sides of the stem wall and then horizontally over the footing. Ground heat is trapped and held next to the foundation so frost doesn’t penetrate beneath it. The thickness of the insulation is determined by the local climate.

You can get the entire final guide at HUD.

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