The fate of any house literally rests on its foundation. From design and excavation issues to formwork, reinforcement, drainage, and waterproofing details, this handy guide covers the full range of residential concrete work. Author Rick Arnold, a foundation contractor and coauthor of Precision Framing, walks the reader through all the steps. Also included are chapters on foundations built from materials other than concrete (blocks, ICFs, wood) and on flatwork (slabs, walkways, patios). These clear instructions for building a concrete foundation are accompanied by over 200 color photos and dozens of color illustrations.