In southeastern Wisconsin, building on a solid, structurally-sound foundation is one of the most critical aspects of new home construction.

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Foundation plaque with unique certification number to reference foundation’s custom properties.

Don’t Cut Corners in the Basement

Poured concrete is the best choice for our climate and soil conditions. A poured foundation is:

  • Stronger and more durable
  • Designed to control cracking and resist water penetration
  • More flexible for unique home shapes/designs
  • Comparable to the cost of a block foundation once the block foundation is backfilled with stone (as required by code)

James Craig Builders uses only the Integra™ Foundation System from Coello & Associates. Combined with the Form-a-Drain™ tile system, it is the strongest and most reliable foundation system available. The Integra™ Foundation is also eight inches taller than a traditional 11-course block foundation wall, creating a more spacious basement without additional cost.

foundation - basement

How Strong is Strong Enough?

Concrete strength is measured in pounds per square inch (psi), and building codes mandate that foundation concrete must be at least 3,000 psi. Integra™ Foundation concrete has a rating of 4,000 psi, which creates a much stronger wall.

Another component that impacts a foundation’s strength is the amount of steel rebar reinforcement. In addition to horizontal rebar, which helps minimize shrinkage cracking, we add vertical rebar, which makes the foundation wall substantially stronger.

foundation - strength
James Craig’s exclusive Integra CR™ Foundation System with vertical and horizontal steel rebar which is 39% stronger than other standard poured foundations.

Controlling Cracks

All concrete will crack, regardless of reinforcement or support, so how your foundation accounts for cracks matters. The Integra™ Foundation has control joints every 20 feet, providing a specific location for the concrete to crack. In addition, a water stop at each joint maintains the foundation’s waterproof seal.

Want even more information on the Integra™ Foundation?  Visit Coello’s Website.

James Craig Builders knows there is a difference between a house and a home. We don’t just want to build a place for you to live; we want to create a custom home you will truly love and enjoy for years to come. To help demonstrate how you will benefit from what makes us different, we’ve created a helpful Home Builder Comparison Checklist and a list of our Standard Practices and Inclusions.