I'm having a 400 sq ft garage addition built this spring and the builder is asking if I'd be okay with a cinder block foundation wall as opposed to a poured foundation. I prefer a poured foundation so it matches the existing foundation (stamped brick look), but I believe only about a foot of foundation would be exposed above grade for the majority of the structure, whereas the more exposed portions would be concealed by a deck. He said I wouldn't see the mortar joints and it would have a smooth finish. This doesn't sound too bad, but I have concerns about the integrity of this smooth finish as it ages. I envision chunks of concrete flaking off the wall over time as things settle. I live in northern VA, so there is a lot of freeze/thaw every year (as low as single digits in the winter and as high as 100 in the summer). The foundation will be just under 100 linear ft with an average height of 5 ft. Approximately 2/3 of the wall be 3' to the footer with 1' exposed above grade and the other 1/3 (back of addition) will be 6' to the footer with 3' above grade. He told me the block would be a 40% cost savings, but he didn't say exactly what the savings would be. I was under the impression that an entire poured foundation was going to be maybe $2k to $3k max, so if the cost savings is $1,200, then I'd likely go with poured as initially planned. I'm thinking his reason for using block may have to do with minimum order quantities and/or minimum yardage and the cost of getting relatively small loads of concrete?

I had a small stone and mortar wall fall apart from years of neglect and I would like to replace it. I have a lot of stone with mortar still attached and I was wondering if the mortar could be removed without damaging the stone or would it be better to start over with fresh material. Thank you