Grader here with a question. I've dug and poured a lot of footings, and never had a complaint. New mason on scene has a complaint that my footings (residential 2 story homes) were 3/4" high in several spots. I always look for a steady or low beep on my grade pegs so things stay pretty true. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but shouldn't a mason find the highest elevation on a footing and use it as a base line so that everything else is low? As long as the elevation doesn't fluctuate too wildly? What's the average max mortar bed thickness you're willing to use to level things out? Just looking for facts. Thanks in advance for backing or beating me up.