How Much Do Concrete Footings Cost in Modesto, CA?
National cost guides put concrete footing cost at about $5 to $18 per linear foot. That range comes from a national guide updated in October 2026. A second guide says most footings average $7 to $9 per linear foot. For 100 feet of footing, that is $700 to $900.
The first guide puts the national average footing job at $750. It says most homeowners spend $500 to $2,175. These are published market numbers, not our price list. For footings poured to your plans, see our concrete foundations and stem walls page.
| Item | Published market range | Kind of source |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete footings, per linear foot | $5 to $18 | A national cost guide, 2026 |
| Most footings, per linear foot | $7 to $9 on average | A second national cost guide |
| Full published span, per linear foot | $1.50 to $24 | Both national guides |
| A footing job, national average | $750, with most at $500 to $2,175 | A national cost guide, 2026 |
| Labor alone, per linear foot | $0.50 to $8 | Both national guides |
| Priced by the home’s area | $3 to $7 per square foot | Both national guides |
What do concrete footings cost per linear foot?
One national cost guide puts poured concrete footings at $5 to $18 per linear foot. It says the scope and complexity of the project set where a job lands. A second guide prints a full span of $1.50 to $24, with most footings averaging $7 to $9.
Labor alone runs $0.50 to $8 per linear foot in both guides. One ties the spread to the type of footing, the soil and the load. Some contractors price by area instead. Both guides put that at $3 to $7 per square foot of the home.
What does each footing size cost?
Footing size comes from your plans. One national guide prices four common sizes per linear foot. Here, deep means the thickness of the concrete, not how far down it sits.
| Footing size | Published price per linear foot | 100 feet at that price |
|---|---|---|
| 12 inches wide by 6 inches deep | $4.74 | about $474 |
| 16 inches wide by 8 inches deep | $8.78 | about $878 |
| 18 inches wide by 8 inches deep | $9.28 | about $928 |
| 24 inches wide by 12 inches deep | $19.43 | about $1,943 |
A 24 by 12 inch footing holds four times the concrete of a 12 by 6. In this guide it also costs about four times as much per foot.
What do footings cost for an addition, ADU, garage or new home?
For a whole building, the area method is quicker. Both national guides put footings at $3 to $7 per square foot of the home. The table runs that range against common footprints.
| Job | Footprint | Square feet | At $3 to $7 per square foot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room addition | 12 by 20 feet | 240 | about $720 to $1,680 |
| Two-car garage | 24 by 24 feet | 576 | about $1,730 to $4,030 |
| Detached ADU | 20 by 30 feet | 600 | about $1,800 to $4,200 |
| New home | 1,500 square feet | 1,500 | about $4,500 to $10,500 |
These are footing numbers only. A stem wall or a floor slab is its own part of the foundation, with its own cost. One guide also prices simple pier footings for decks and posts. It says deck footings usually cost less than footings for full foundations.
How deep and wide does a footing have to be in California?
The 2025 California Residential Code sets the minimums. A concrete footing must be at least 12 inches wide and 6 inches deep. An exterior footing must sit at least 12 inches below undisturbed ground. The 2025 California Building Standards Code has been in effect since January 1, 2026.
Your plans set the real width, depth and rebar from the load and the soil. In Modesto, plans for a new home must show footing and slab cross-section details.
The USDA’s Modesto soil series has light clay about 12 to 22 inches down, and that clay is slow-draining. That is one reason the plans and the soil under your lot set the footing size. Your engineer or designer sizes the footing, and we form and pour to those details.
How is a footing different from a slab or a stem wall?
A footing is the wide strip of concrete at the bottom. It spreads the weight of the walls into the soil. A stem wall is a short concrete wall that rises off the footing and lifts the floor above the dirt.
A slab-on-grade puts the floor on the ground. In the one-pour version, the slab and footing are poured together at a thickened edge. For the pad itself, see our concrete slabs and pads page.
Which system your building gets is the engineer’s call. Our stem wall vs slab foundation guide covers when each one fits. For foundation prices per square foot, see what a concrete slab costs in California.
What moves the price of a concrete footing?
- Width and depth. The plans set both, and they set the concrete volume.
- Rebar. The plans call out the bar size and spacing. More steel means more material and more time tying it.
- Trenching. We dig the trench for our own pour. Clay and tight side yards slow the dig.
- Concrete volume. A footing 12 inches wide and 12 inches deep takes one cubic yard for every 27 feet of length.
- Back yard access. A truck that reaches the trench pours fast. A back yard behind a side gate can mean a pump.
- Stem wall height. A taller stem wall takes more forms and more concrete. On a sloped lot, the wall height can change along the run.
- Inspections before the pour. The footing gets inspected before concrete covers it, so the pour date follows the inspection.
- Tear-out. On a replacement job, the old footing and slab get broken out and hauled off first.
Machine bases and equipment pads on commercial and industrial sites follow the same rule: the project drawings set the size.
Do footings need a permit and inspection in Modesto?
One national guide says most footing projects, including new builds and additions, need building permits. In Modesto, building plans can go in online through the City’s eTRAKiT permits portal. Outside city limits, Stanislaus County’s Building Permits Division covers unincorporated areas.
Permitted work is inspected before it is covered up or built over. A footing gets its inspection before the pour. This is general information, not legal advice, so confirm with the City of Modesto’s Building Safety Division.
How does Modesto’s summer heat change a footing pour?
NOAA normals for Modesto show about 90 days a year at 90 degrees or hotter. About 18 of those days reach 100. Hot weather makes concrete set faster, so summer footing pours start early in the day.
Rain is light, at 12.27 inches in a normal year. A trench that fills with water still has to dry out first.
Ready to price your concrete footings?
Every number on this page is a published market range, not our price list. Concrete Solutions is a licensed C-8 concrete contractor, CSLB license #1134246, based in Modesto.
We form and pour footings and stem walls to your engineer’s plans for additions, ADUs, garages and new homes. Bring us the plan set, and we will price the footing from its details. See our foundation and stem wall work, then call or text (209) 606-9904 for a free estimate.