http://www.builders-directory.com.au/understanding-house-str...

Strip Footings

A Strip Footing is a relatively small strip of concrete placed into a trench and reinforced with steel. The footing supports the load of the exterior walls and any interior wall that is load bearing or supports a slab such as for a bathroom. Strip footings can be used for both traditional timber and concrete floors. They are one of the most common footing used in Australia.
Concrete pad footings.

A concrete pad footing is the simplest and cost effective footing used for the vertical support and the transfer of building loads to the ground. These footings are "isolated" ie there is no connection between them. They are also reinforced.

Holes are dug (say 400mm wide x 400mm deep) into the ground and fitted with a reinforcement cage then filed in with a concrete mix to ground level.

Concrete pad footings are used to support light weight timber-framed houses.
Pole Construction (Post and Concrete)

For this type of footing a hole is dug into the ground about 800mm wide x 1600mm deep. A pole is then placed into the hole and ready mixed concrete is back filled around the pole. Pole construction footings do not require steel reinforcement (or an engineer) and are therefore also one of the least expensive footings types.


Pole Construction is the most economical way of constructing a pier/footing on sloping land but engineer's details will be required for the builder and certifying authorities. A few essential considerations are:

http://www.bbacerts.co.uk/PDF/4525i1_web.pdf