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Switched from a 6-foot to a 10-foot level for foundation checks last year...
It was a pain to move around at first, but the longer sight line caught a dip in a slab that the shorter one missed. Anyone else find a specific job where a bigger tool was the only way to go?
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charlieh744mo ago
@kevinm17 nailed it with the "big one stays on the truck" thing. I've got a 8 footer I use for foundation work and it's perfect for open slabs but a total pain in a tight garage or basement. The key with smaller levels is you just have to be patient and overlap your checks like ryan_hart38 said. I've watched guys skip the middle of a slab with a 4 footer and miss a low spot that a longer level would have caught easy. But honestly, for 90% of residential work a 6 footer is the sweet spot for me. Carrying a 10 footer up stairs or through a crawlspace is just asking for a broken level or a smashed light fixture.
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parker_hall54mo ago
You ever put a 12 footer on a truck rack and regret it at the first low-clearance garage?
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ryan_hart385mo ago
Honestly, I've had the opposite happen. For most of my foundation checks, especially in tight crawl spaces, that 10-footer would be a total nightmare. I found a good 4-foot level and a straight edge gets me there just fine for spotting those gradual dips, you just have to be methodical and overlap your checks. The big one stays on the truck unless it's a wide open new pour.
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kevinm175mo ago
Yeah the "big one stays on the truck" thing is so true for a lot of gear. People love buying the pro stuff but half the time the simpler tool is just easier to get the job done.
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wade_anderson5mo ago
Seriously, a ten foot level? That feels like bringing a fire hose to put out a candle. Most foundation issues you'd catch with a shorter level and some common sense. Sounds like a hassle just to find one rare dip.
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