I'm not sure if there's some confusion here or something. I'm the building owner, just trying to get this job done. I have no experience with contracting, engineering or anything related, which is why I'm asking... I'm not sure how I could've "alienated" anyone given that the majority just simply didn't return my initial calls/emails, the story I get is that everyone has been very busy. If it wasn't clear, the cost to do the entire job is significantly higher (much more than double), the 40k is JUST for the foundation portion of it which is what I am asking about.

Small jobs with no promise of repeat business, since you're not a builder, will attract little interest and much higher sq. ft. charges than a builder would expect. And especially so in this booming market where, for instance, lumber prices have quadrupled in the last year. Consider blocks--if you can find blocklayers.

I'm in the GTA and lining up trades--let alone materials--is no easy chore! Everything is in short supply. Perennial problem in finding anyone who can wield a tool and doesn't mind a bit of sweat and dirt!

It doesn't matter what price anyone tells you on Houzz... what matters is the quotes you get locally because someone there will be doing this work.

worthy: This makes sense to me, it's a single small job and out of the way (cottage country) so I understand why that may make the price higher, thanks for pointing that out. I will inquire about a cinder block wall, thanks for the suggestion. The current lumber prices are actually one of the reasons the contractor suggests we use ICF.

GN Builders: I understand this. I'm not expecting someone to give me a blind exact quote over the internet or anything. Just interested to know the average cost of pouring a foundation this size, so I can make the best decision. I guess it comes down to 3 questions:

1. Is 40k+ a reasonable estimate for a 24'x28' ICF foundation?

2. Is 30k+ a reasonable estimate for a 24'x28' poured concrete foundation?

3. Is using ICF worth it for an unheated/AC seasonal property.

Thank you all for your insightful comments thus far!

-BJ

I dont think it matters if its "reasonable" or not. This is the only bid you have in 25 attempts over 2 years.

Cottage country is a whole other thing! Locals love fleecing big city folk. (When they're not breaking in looking for liquor and electronics while you're away.)

When I re-roofed my cottages north of Peterborough, I drove up my own helpers. (Low slope one storey.) For the plumbing, I had licensed trades in from the GTA for the day.

I don't think I'd pay a premium for ICFs for a season cottage foundation, but I would want to ensure proper waterproofing of the exterior and a perimeter drain to daylight if possible.

in 2016 I had a quote for a foundation/excavation/footings for an addition . It was 104 linear feet -block, crawlspace. It included excavation, removal of material, foundation drainage, damp proofing, backfilled, etc. It was $36,300 excluding tax. In Muskoka - no rock either -lol.

Thank you everyone for the replies! This is all very useful, it sounds to me like the quote we got is perfectly reasonable. Normally I like to have many quotes to compare for a job, which is why I'm a little bit nervous having only the one quote to look at. To clarify about the "25 contractors", I started by just reaching out to the few companies in the area that seem to do this type of work, when I got no where I expanded my search, I contacted house moving/raising companies to ask if they could lift the structure and have someone else do the rest, I also contacted many general contractors and construction companies. Of the companies who responded, most said they don't do this type of work. Finally we found our current contractor on a referral. We are completely impartial to ICF blocks, ICF was completely the contractor's idea, I will inquire about cinder blocks since it has been mentioned a couple times here.

Thanks again everyone for your insightful comments!

-BJ

We briefly considered rebuilding. Due to the proximately to the water, and the local building codes, we would be limited to building on the exact same footprint as the current structure. So we are limited with what we can do. We're happy with the cottage and the layout of it, so there's no need for us to tear it down and start fresh. However, if a future buyer wants to do that, at least they'll have a nice new foundation to build on!

I once looked at shoring up a house, demo'ing the old disintegrating brick foundation with no footers, and digging out the partial crawlspaces to match the basement. The cost was 1/2 the value of the house. The ROI would have been next to nothing.

So just spitballing, if you're at $70K hopefully the cottage is 3X that value. But also think about if you are doing that amount of work, you want to at the same time do right/correct/new drainage tile, waterproofing, sump, rough-in for future bath, ejector, stair, HVAC, etc. So the $70K will probably balloon, but you will gain some ROI.

Thanks for the advice. We've looked at the numbers and compared it to the recent selling prices in the area. The cottage is currently worth about 4x what we're putting into it, when the work is completed it should be worth much more. We are having a bath roughed in, sump is required to comply with building code, waterproofing is included in a different part of the quote, and septic is being replaced as well, as is a requirement for the permit.

You're looking for concrete blocks, not cinder blocks. Cinder blocks are technically different--they include coal cinders. Used colloquially, cinder blocks are an Americanism not in common use here.

@worthy I haven't seen cinder blocks being used in ages do they still making them?

^^^

The largest block and stone manufacturers in Ontario don't list anything other than concrete blocks. I was referring to the use of the term cinder block interchangeably with concrete block, common in homeowner discussions on Houzz.

@BJ if you can tell me the location - I have a great trustworthy contractor near bracebridge that can probably help you out

@worthy I know you did, I was just wondering about that in general. I know around here they stopped making them a long time ago, I thought maybe other parts of the country still using them.

@worthy Wow, apparently I've been using the term "cinder block" wrong my entire life! I guess you learn something new every day, thanks!

@BLDG Workshop Inc. Thanks for the kind offer, Bracebridge is unfortunately quite a ways away from me, I do appreciate it though.

We've decided to move forward with the quote we were given.

Thanks again everyone!