A basement under a new home
Block walls on a poured footing give a new house its basement and something solid to frame on, and they go up course by course without big forms to set and strip.
Foundation block wall installation in Loveland CO - a basement wall that stays dry
Planning a new basement or addition? We build block walls on a solid footing, then seal and drain them so water stays out.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What goes into a new block foundation wall
Foundation block wall installation in Loveland means we build your basement or foundation walls from concrete block on a poured concrete footing, so once the soil goes back around them, they hold it back and, with the right coating and drainage, keep your basement dry.
The price mostly comes down to the size of the wall, how deep we dig and what your soil does with water. The city's building code lists Loveland's frost depth at 30 inches, and footings usually sit below that line, so that's where the dig starts here. Swelling clay also runs under every major city along the Front Range, from Fort Collins and Greeley south to Pueblo, and clay that holds water usually pushes a wall toward full waterproofing, which costs more than a basic dampproof coat.
The schedule turns on the city and the ground. The city's plan review currently runs 20 to 30 working days per round, so we set your start date with that wait in mind, and the backfill waits on a check of the drainage, which I'll explain below. Your estimate is where you'll get your own figure.
Built right from the footing up
I learned this trade on a municipal crew rebuilding walls, steps and sidewalks, and that work taught me a wall is only as good as what's under it and behind it.
Water planned for from day one
I'd rather fix the cause than patch what shows, and on a new foundation that means planning the coating and drain before the first block goes down, not after a leak.
Based here in Loveland
We've worked out of Loveland since 2023 and go all over the cities around it, so we're used to the clay soil and hard freezes on this side of the Front Range.
How we build it to stay dry
We start with a poured concrete footing and lay the block on it course by course. Then we brace the walls before anything else, because a wall that's meant to get its support from the floor framing up top can crack or fail if the soil goes back against it first.
Keeping a new block foundation dry is the whole point, so we treat the parging, the coating and the drain as one system. Parging is a smooth coat of mortar that fills the holes in the block so the coating goes onto an even surface. No dampproof coating is completely waterproof, which is why it needs free-draining backfill or a plastic dimple mat behind it to carry water down to a drain along the footing. We want all of that checked before any dirt goes back in, because a coating or drain you can't see anymore is hard and expensive to fix.
After backfill, grading the yard away from the house and keeping your gutters and downspouts working helps keep water from sitting against the wall for years. That's also when a lot of folks turn to the outside, like walkway construction from the drive to the front door or outdoor kitchen masonry out back, and we're glad to plan those around the new grade.
Where a block foundation wall fits
An addition with a basement
An addition needs its own foundation at the right depth, with the coating and drain planned so water doesn't find its way in where the new basement meets the old one.
A garage or workshop foundation
Block foundation walls can carry a detached garage or shop, and the same care with the footing and drainage helps keep wet clay from pushing the building around.
Replacing a wall past repair
When an old foundation wall has moved too far to save, we can take out the bad section and build it back in block, with the water control it probably never had.
Get a written estimate for your foundation wall
Send us a few details about your project and we'll reply within one business day. Then I'll come out to look at the site and write you a free estimate, with no obligation.
I write the estimate myself
I'm the one who comes out to walk the site, ask about your plans and write the estimate, and I'm on the job with our masons once the work starts.
One page, every cost
We write down what the price covers, from the dig and footing to the coating and drain, so you can see it all in one place and know what you're paying for.
Satisfaction guaranteed on every job
That's our promise, and it rests on doing the parts you'll never see as carefully as the wall you will, because those hidden parts are what keep water out.
Masonry wall and foundation examples
These photos show block walls, parged foundations and finished masonry to help you picture the layouts, block and finishes we can talk through.
Common questions about block foundation walls
Here's what people in Loveland usually ask about permits, cost, coatings and licensing before a new foundation goes in.
Do I need a permit to build a foundation wall in Loveland?
Almost certainly yes, because the City of Loveland requires a building permit for new construction, additions and alterations, and a new foundation wall is part of that kind of work. We check with the building department on every job, handle the application and set up the inspections. We also plan your start date around the review wait mentioned above.
How much does a concrete block foundation wall cost?
Installing a concrete block wall usually costs about $16 to $19 per square foot across the US, so treat that as a national starting point, not a Loveland quote. Your own price depends on the footing depth, your soil and whether you need waterproofing, and I'll write all of that down when I come out.
Should I dampproof or waterproof a new basement wall?
Industry guidance says codes typically call for dampproofing where the ground drains well and waterproofing where water pressure can build up, as it does in heavy clay. On clay that drains poorly, it's smart to plan and budget for waterproofing from the start. Either way, the coating only does its job with good drainage behind it.
Can I build my own basement wall in Loveland?
Yes, if it's the home you live in as your primary residence, the city lets you do your own work with a homeowner affidavit. If you go that route, give the coating, drainage and bracing the same attention as the block, because they're what keep the wall dry and standing. I'm always happy to talk it through.
What license does a foundation contractor need in Loveland?
The city requires a valid City of Loveland Contractor's License for structural work on rental homes, multi-family buildings and non-residential buildings, and its class C residential license, which takes an International Code Council exam, covers all residential structures. We're licensed and fully insured, and it's fair to ask anyone you're considering what they hold.
Projects that often follow a new foundation
Call with your wall's length and height
Those two numbers let me ask about your soil and drainage before I come out, so call (970) 292-7476 or use the form.