Slab foundation building in Hilo HI - a ground floor planned for rain and termites
What goes into a slab foundation for a new home in Hilo?
Mainstay Hilo Concrete Construction builds slab foundations for new homes in Hilo. We pour the concrete right on prepared ground, so it holds up the house and becomes your ground floor. I come out to look at your lot, write the estimate and work the pour with our crew.
The slab is both your foundation and your floor, so I plan it alongside the rest of the build. We talk through moisture under the floor and termite barriers early, while they're still easy to add, because neither one goes in once the concrete's down. If your plans call for footings and walls instead, that's our foundation installation work.
A house slab takes more care than flatwork, the flat pours like driveways, walks and concrete parking lots, because you'll live on top of it. We dig out and pack the subgrade, which is the ground the slab sits on. We set rebar, the steel that holds the concrete together, and cut control joints, grooves that give cracks a place to go. The written estimate shows what's included and what isn't.
Much of the land around Hilo is mapped as Hilo soil, which is deep, well-drained ground formed from weathered volcanic ash, and that land averages about 145 inches of rain a year. That much rain still needs somewhere to go, so we plan for drains that empty a few feet from the wall and keep water from pooling against the house. We work in Hawaiian Paradise Park and nearby cities too.
What a house slab takes
- Lot walk and drainage plan
- Subgrade dug out and packed
- Moisture barrier under the floor
- Termite barrier picked before the pour
- Rebar set through the slab
- Control joints cut on time
What to weigh before a slab foundation pour
What shapes the cost
The size and shape of the house, how much digging and packing the ground needs, and what goes under the slab, like a moisture barrier or termite rock, move the price most.
What sets the timing
The pour waits on the plumbing that runs under the floor and on Hilo rain. After that comes curing, a wait while the concrete gains strength, before framing starts.
Base before finish
If the budget gets tight, I'd trim finish work before the base. Nobody sees packed ground on pour day, but a slab on soft dirt keeps settling for years.
Hilo slab foundation questions
How much does a slab foundation cost in Hawaii?
A full-house foundation pour for a typical 2,000 sq ft new home in Hawaii usually costs about $19,000 to $48,000 per job. That's a statewide range for the whole pour. The estimate I write on your lot gives your own figure.
Will my new concrete slab crack?
Probably a little, because national slab design guidance says floors with no cracks or curling aren't realistic, even with the best design and proper construction. What we can do is keep cracks in check with a packed base, rebar and control joints cut on time. Ask any contractor you talk to how they plan for cracking, and I'll walk you through how we do it.
What is the best way to keep moisture from coming up through a slab in Hilo?
Industry guidance calls for a vapor retarder, a moisture barrier laid under the slab, under every interior floor slab. It's been linked to curling and cracking, but it cuts down on failures of flooring, adhesives and coatings that don't handle moisture well. The guidance also recommends a sheet thick enough to hold up during and after the pour. Tell me what flooring you're planning, because that's part of the choice.
How do I protect a new slab foundation from termites in Hilo?
One way is a layer of sized rock particles packed under the house, which termites can't get through. The rock goes under the slab, so you have to choose it while the slab is being planned. These barriers can be hard to put in without proper training, so ask whoever installs yours about their training.
Can I build my own slab foundation in Hawaii?
Yes, if you register with the County Building Permit department for the owner-builder exemption. The exemption lets you act as your own general contractor without a contractor license. Read the state's owner-builder brochure first so you know what you're taking on. If you'd rather hand off the concrete, we can pour it for you.
Does a contractor need a license to pour a house slab in Hawaii?
Yes, when the job needs a building permit, because the state's handyman exemption from licensing doesn't apply then, whatever the contract price. A cement concrete contractor is one of the state's contractor license classes, and the exemption doesn't cover a job split into several smaller ones. We're licensed and insured. We look into permits while we plan your job, and when one is needed we take care of the paperwork with the county and tell you what it involves.
Slab foundations near you
We're based in Hilo and build slabs in Hilo and Hawaiian Paradise Park. Pick your area below, or call (808) 229-1132 if yours isn't listed.
Other concrete work
- Concrete driveway building
- Concrete patio construction
- Stamped concrete services
- Concrete sidewalk building
- Garage floor concrete
- Decorative concrete
- Concrete retaining walls
- Concrete floor installation
- Concrete pool decks
- Concrete steps construction
- Foundation installation
- Concrete parking lot building
- Concrete footings
- Foundation raising
- Concrete cutting
Get a free estimate for your slab
Send us your lot location and the flooring you're planning. We reply within one business day. I come out and write a free, no-obligation estimate that shows what's included.