I need to level up for a footer, and concrete pad, what tool do I need ?

[fastfredracing]

Transit? Rotary lazer level? This is not my wheelhouse, but I'm going to give it hell anyhow .

[gduke2010]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

Transit? Rotary lazer level? This is not my wheelhouse, but I'm going to give it hell anyhow .

yes and yes. You could use either.

[gduke2010]

With a transit or builders level you need another person with a stick or tape measure

[dad911]

Need more info.

House footing? Laser or good transit.

A/C pad? 2' level.

Pour the footing loose enough, and it's self levelling.

[TimT]

Um you don't need anything fancy or expensive..

And if you need to turn corners... simple math and trig....

https://www.johnsonlevel.com/News/LineLevels

some 3 4 5 maths... and hey you can build pyramids!

[john70t]

The old way was to dig a sealed trench and measure up from water.

[vash]

Make a water level? Bucket and a length of clear hose. And a tape measure of course.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by vash

Make a water level? Bucket and a length of clear hose. And a tape measure of course.

This. Unless you have a laser level to make life a little simpler.

[carambola]

get it close enough, fill it with rebar and let the concrete find it's level.

make sure the j bolts are high enough.

[nota]

just a pad ? why level water will pond slope to drain away

if for something that needs level string level should work at mini cost

[vash]

Don’t over water the concrete mix. The higher the water:cement ratio, the weaker the final product. That why high strength mixes has water reduction agents to give you a workable mix and a strong final product.

[cabmandone]

I use a rotary laser level. First shoot the road, then shoot the lot, then determine where I want the foundation. Hopefully the two readings allow me to have the floor of the building above the road. If you were closer I'd pop by and do a few readings for ya!

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by dad911

Need more info.)

+1
What are you actually doing?

[A930Rocket]

A cheap builders level will work. A laser level is overkill, but doing it by yourself, it’s handy.

For quick work, I use this. It’s a handheld level.

[MBAtarga]

I rented a transit, tripod and stick for a day from a tool rental location. I think it might have been $25. Well worth the money to do the job right.

[vash]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

A cheap builders level will work. A laser level is overkill, but doing it by yourself, it’s handy.

For quick work, I use this. It’s a handheld level.

FRED, if you need one of these, i'll mail you one.

in my opinion they are are just okay. i just used one an hour or so ago, and i got anywhere from 24-30 inches elevation between two spots 25 feet apart. good enough for government work, but not for what you want.

i'm better with a string line and a 4 foot level, but it requires a friend. that isnt a knucklehead.

[sammyg2]

A hundred years ago, I was using a transit to set elevations of sole plates for a large brown boveri steam turbine-generator.
The tolerance was +- .005" which is about as good as I could hit it with that tool. I used a 12" starrett 98 level to nail the actual level once I got the elevation dialed in.

The pipe fitter foreman asked if I could shoot in the elevation on a pipe support next to the foundation.
I said sure, and checked his print for the elevation and did the basic maths. But it didn't list the tolerance. So I says to him, how close does it have to be?
He said it has to be dead nutz, within a quarter inch.

I'm, sorry what were we talking about again?

[fastfredracing]

Thanks for the replies, and offers guys, I am building a 20x40 quonset hut garage at my house . Im going to try to do it all myself . Dig , form, and pour the footer, pour the pads, and erect the building Im thinking about doing the floor in 4 smaller pours .
I did some smaller pads this spring to get a feel for how much concrete I think I could handle single handed.
I have string and a 4 foot level, but a friend who is not a knucklehead, could be a tough one . Im using my 14 year old for cheap labor .

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

Im using my 14 year old for cheap labor .

You know the saying - you get what you pay for!

[wdfifteen]

So you are doing basically a two wall foundation for a quonset hut? Pouring the footer and the wall at once? No forming above ground level? What?

I'm not familiar with code quonset hut construction. Do you pour a footer and build up/pour a wall to above ground level and bolt your quonset structure to it, or just pour a footer, bold the structure to it, and back fill over the steel?