Q. I'm building a new home, and two concrete block piers toppled over when a ladder was leaned against one. The one pier crashed into the second one. Why did this happen and what could have prevented ...

DEAR TIM: I’ve got a choice to make about my new home. The builder is giving me the option of a poured concrete or concrete block foundation. There’s not a huge difference in price, but I’m more ...

You can also use concrete block to build your own piers, but this requires that you pour a concrete footing at the bottom of the hole for the block to rest on. You then have to fill the cores of the ...

Q. I'm not very good at reading blueprints. On the ones for my new home, the architect has drawn a step footing. Is this an accepted way to put in a foundation? Why can't the footer that rests under ...