Comparing In-Place Costs of Wood and Masonry Foundations

This study analyzes the in-place costs of treated-wood foundations versus masonry foundations. The use of wood foundations in homes and low-rise structures is not high, although the growth rate is strong. The potential for increasing lumber and plywood use in homes is significant if the wood-foundation system continues to perform well and the economics remain favorable. Labor and material cost data for the years 1974, 1977, 1980, and 1981 were collected and combined with the labor and material requirements of wood and masonry foundations in 1969. Based on the data, the in-place costs of both foundations were calculated for those periods. For each of the 4 years examined, treated-wood foundation costs were lower than masonry costs, as much as 10 percent lower in the recession-affected year of 1981. Lower labor costs strongly favor wood foundations as do very low lumber and plywood prices experienced in the early eighties.

You must be logged in to download any documents. Please login (login accounts are free) or learn how to Become a Member