Foundations

Strip Footing Concrete, Rebar, and Excavation

For a strip footing, concrete volume, excavation volume, and rebar are three different calculations. Use footing dimensions for concrete, trench dimensions for excavation, and the structural bar schedule for reinforcement.

QUICK ANSWER

The short version

Calculate footing concrete from footing dimensions, trench excavation from excavation dimensions, and reinforcement from the structural bar schedule; do not use one volume as a proxy for all three.

QUICK CHECKLIST

Five checks before trusting an estimate

  • Multiply total footing run by specified footing width and thickness.
  • Excavation width and depth often exceed concrete dimensions for access, forms, working space, or subbase.
  • Count longitudinal bars, transverse bars, dowels, laps, hooks, and special bars from the design.
  • Convert concrete to cubic yards, excavated soil to the hauling unit, and rebar to stock lengths or weight as required.
  • Soil, groundwater, frost, bearing, and access can change the work materially.
PUBLISHING INFO

About this guide

Published: September 23, 2026

Last reviewed: September 23, 2026

Published by BuildYard. The guide reflects BuildYard's calculation methodology and editorial standards and does not replace project-specific professional advice.

Measure footing concrete

Multiply total footing run by specified footing width and thickness.

Calculate pads and widened sections separately when their dimensions differ.

Measure the trench separately

Excavation width and depth often exceed concrete dimensions for access, forms, working space, or subbase.

Do not use concrete volume as excavation volume.

Read the rebar schedule

Count longitudinal bars, transverse bars, dowels, laps, hooks, and special bars from the design.

Quantity calculations must not invent reinforcement spacing.

Convert to purchase units

Convert concrete to cubic yards, excavated soil to the hauling unit, and rebar to stock lengths or weight as required.

Round each material only at its actual purchase unit.

Check site conditions

Soil, groundwater, frost, bearing, and access can change the work materially.

Confirm the footing design and excavation plan before construction.

KEEP READING

Related guides

All guides
BUILDYARD REFERENCE EXAMPLE

80 ft strip footing

Illustrative quantity example using a 20 in × 10 in footing and a 30 in × 30 in trench; reinforcement must come from the project design.

ItemResult
Footing concrete80 × 1.667 × 0.833 = 111.1 cu ft = 4.12 cu yd
Trench excavation80 × 2.5 × 2.5 = 500 cu ft = 18.52 cu yd
RebarUse drawing bar count, runs, laps, hooks
Final orderConvert each line to its own purchase unit
SOURCE NOTES

References used for this guide

VERIFY BEFORE ORDERING

Use project-specific information first

Current manufacturer data, supplier specifications, drawings, field measurements, applicable codes, permit requirements, and qualified professional guidance can take priority over a general-purpose planning estimate.