Solid Foundation

Concrete Form Design & Take-Off

Take advantage of our expertise and have us design your foundation form plan. Get us your plans and we’ll create a drawing for you to follow while you build.

Foundations Made Easy

When renting forms from Sharecost, you can either:

You do the take-off: Give us a complete list of the panels, tie bar, etc. you require and we’ll put the order together; OR
We do the take-off: Give us a copy of your foundation plan and we’ll determine what materials you require. We will design an easy-to-follow form plan for you based off of your foundation plans for $150 – and when you rent the forms for your project at Sharecost, the charge goes towards the rental cost of the forms.

Keep reading for info on how our form design service works, or download our Form Setup Guide (PDF) for complete details.

Because our form plans are specifically designed for usage with our rentals, it is not possible to purchase only the form plan from us.

Our Form Design Process

Please note: the following steps only apply if you would like us to prepare a custom form plan and materials list for you. If you prefer, you can simply provide us with a list of supplies you would like to rental and purchase.

1: Bring In Your Plans

Bring a scale drawing of your foundation or wall plan into the store, carefully noting:

ALL wall lengths and heights clearly noted (in feet or inches)
ALL wall thickness noted (inches)
ALL step-up or step-downs noted
A list of specific supplies you need for the job
Site location/address
Complete contact information of site supervisor

Our custom solutions for your build can also include: form aligners and stakes; rebar with cuts and bends; tie wire; anchor bolts. Delivery and pick-up from your jobsite is also available.

At this point you will be charged a non-refundable fee of $150 to proceed. If you rent forms from us, the $150 form plan charge will be waived on the final invoice.

2: We Plan and Gather Your Forms

Next, we take you plan and crunch some numbers. We determine the amount of wood forms, tie bar, and Quick-Strip ties needed to do your job. Then we design a custom plan for you to take home and follow.

If you’re ready to rent, we then gather and bundle your clean, ready-to-use materials, and have them prepared for pick-up or delivery. We’ll also make sure to waive the $150 form plan charge on your rental contract.

Our forms come in regular lengths (1', 2', 3', etc.), so you might need to provide some wood to fill small gaps. Buying some plywood (or scaring up some usable scraps) should be budgeted into your project.

3: You Set Up the Forms and Pour

Finally, you build your foundation or retaining walls based on our provided plan.

Once they're set up, you pour your concrete, wait, and then strip the forms.

Note: the form panels we rent are supplied without oil. You MUST oil them using approved form oil (available at Sharecost for an additional cost) prior to pouring using form oil purchased from Sharecost.

After you’ve finished with the forms, gather them up into a predetermined location for pick-up, or drop them back off to our shop. (You are not required to oil the form panels before returning your rental.)

Post-Installation Support

Remember, if you encounter any problems, we are here to help. Contact us any time you need assistance.

Get Started

Phone us at 250-758-2401 or visit our store at 1716 Northfield Road in Nanaimo, BC with your foundation plan (see Step 1) to get started.