The footings are the support structure for the entire building. In simple terms, the footings are likely the most critical piece of any building.
Footings that are not installed properly will cause structural problems for the life of the building.
Footings that are installed properly will typically stand the test of time and continue to be strong and structurally sound for the life of the building
What is the purpose of a footing(s)?
The purpose of the footings are to:
- provide a solid base for the building to rest on
- provide a level surface for the rest of the foundation
- tie the foundation wall to the rest of the structure
- distribute the weight of the entire building over a wider area
A great analogy for the term footing is, It is like the human foot, it provides a wider base that gives stability to the body. The footing of a building therefore gives stability to the rest of the body it supports, that body being the building. 
Each and every object that is part of the building adds weight to the structure and ultimately relies on the footing for support.
The total weight of a building is then divided into two main catagories, the live loads, and the dead loads.
- Live loads are objects that are constantly changing such as people, snow, furniture.
- The dead loads are items such as building materials, cabinets, plumbing fixtures, etc…
