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Foundation Cost in North Dakota (2026)

New-construction foundation pours in North Dakota typically run $19,400–$44,400 for a full-house 2,000 sq ft new-construction foundation pour, with full basement pour as the dominant residential foundation type. Buried footings must clear the 60-inch design frost line. North Dakota's combination of 60-inch frost depth across the entire state, F3 freeze-thaw exposure driving 6-8% air-entrainment specification, Pierre shale bentonite-clay subsoil across the western half (Burleigh, Morton, Mountrail, McKenzie, Williams counties) driving caisson-pier or post-tension foundation specification, statewide radon zone 1 designation forcing sub-slab depressurization rough-in on every residential basement pour, and high alkaline soil sulfate exposure (S2 ACI 318 category) along the Missouri River corridor forcing ASTM C150 Type II sulfate-resistant cement specification drives aggressive frost-and-sulfate-driven foundation engineering.

State North Dakota
Cities Covered 4
Typical full-house 2,000 sq ft new-construction foundation pour $19,400 – $44,400
BLS construction-laborer wage $24.84/hr

North Dakota climate, soil, seismic & hydrologic drivers

  • Frost-line trench depth: 60-inch design minimum for buried footings
  • Dominant residential foundation type: Full basement — dominant in Upper Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic on freeze-thaw + radon-zone-1 sites
  • Expansive soil risk: High — expansive clay subsoil requires geotechnical investigation + reinforced footings
  • Seismic design category (ASCE 7-22): SDC A — no seismic design considerations
  • Hurricane wind tier: No hurricane wind-design exposure
  • Water table risk: Low — deep water table, no sump-pump rough-in required
  • Sulfate exposure (ACI 318): S2 — severe sulfate exposure, ASTM C150 Type II/V cement required
  • IECC climate zone: 6A-7
  • EPA radon zone: Zone 1 (highest) — passive sub-slab depressurization rough-in required on every basement and slab pour

North Dakota licensing & permits

  • License status: Statewide registration required (no exam)
  • License board: North Dakota Secretary of State — Contractor License (>$4,000 contract) (official site)
  • Permit: city or county building permit required for residential foundation pour; ND Contractor License required above $4,000; ND Pierre shale + Dakota sandstone bentonite-swell geotechnical investigation recommended on Missouri River corridor; statewide radon zone 1 designation drives sub-slab depressurization rough-in

How foundation pour costs vary in North Dakota

State-specific code or insurance rule: North Dakota Secretary of State Contractor License §43-07 sets the contracting threshold at $4,000 — and North Dakota is one of the only states with mandatory bentonite-shrink-swell expansive-soil disclosure on every Missouri River corridor residential foundation pour due to Pierre shale subsoil expansive-clay risk across Burleigh, Morton, Mountrail, McKenzie, and Williams counties, plus North Dakota State Department of Health statewide radon zone 1 designation drives sub-slab depressurization rough-in on every residential basement pour, with ND Pierre Shale Geotechnical Manual recommending caisson-pier or post-tension foundations on every western North Dakota residential pour.

Cities in North Dakota

Compare foundation pour pricing for 4 cities across North Dakota.

Bismarck, ND

Compare local foundation pour pricing in Bismarck.

Fargo, ND

Compare local foundation pour pricing in Fargo.

Grand Forks, ND

Compare local foundation pour pricing in Grand Forks.

Minot, ND

Compare local foundation pour pricing in Minot.

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Pricing ranges reflect North Dakota market labor (BLS OEWS construction-laborer (foundation work) mean $24.84/hr) and Woogoro regional cost modeling. For the most localized estimate, see your nearest city page above.