Foundation repair in San Jose CA - a repair aimed at the cause, not just the crack
Cracks in the slab or walls, doors that stick, a floor that slopes? We find what's moving first, then repair it.
What should I do about a cracked foundation?
Foundation repair in San Jose is the fix for a foundation that's sinking or cracking, and on some houses the right answer is replacing the foundation instead. Which one your house needs depends on what's causing the damage, so that's where we start.
You've probably noticed a crack in a wall or slab, a floor that slopes, or a door that won't latch anymore, and you want to know how serious it is. The price moves with the cause, how much of the foundation it reaches, whether we can get to it from a crawlspace or have to work through a slab, and whether the city asks for extra reviews. The schedule turns mostly on the city's plan review, more than on the work itself. After I've looked at the house, you get a write-up of what I found and what we'd do about it.
How our crew handles foundation repair
A crack is a sign, not the problem, so we work out what's moving and why before we talk about filling anything. I measure the crack widths, check the floors for slope, look at how water drains around the house and, in a crawlspace, look at the framing that sits on the foundation. If a crawlspace home also looks poorly anchored or braced, I'll point that out at the estimate. Once the cause is clear and the permit is in hand, our masons do the work, digging out where it's needed, repairing or replacing the damaged concrete, then backfilling and cleaning up.
Foundation movement often shows up in the rest of the masonry too. A chimney that cracked or pulled away while the ground shifted usually needs chimney repair once the ground under it is steady, and brick walls that cracked along their joints usually need tuckpointing, cleaning out the worn mortar and packing in new mortar soft enough that it won't hurt old brick.
Repairing the foundation you have
This suits a house where the damage sits in one area and the rest of the foundation is sound, because fixing the cause and that section costs less than starting over. It's the more common answer, though we only know it fits once we've found what's moving.
Replacing the foundation
This suits an older house where the foundation is cracked or sinking along most of its length, because patching one section after another only chases the problem. It's a bigger job with more planning and permit work, and I'll tell you plainly when I think a house has reached that point.
What San Jose means for foundation repair
In San Jose, the city issues the building permit you need to repair or replace a foundation, and it issues it only after a city plan reviewer approves the plans and the final fees are paid. Depending on the city's design considerations for your lot, it may also want a geologic hazard clearance, a grading permit, a historic preservation permit or a tree removal permit, and we won't know which until we ask. We check with the permit office first, apply for the permit and meet the inspector on site, so you aren't the one chasing the review.
Ground is the other local factor. Regional maps that cover San Jose show where strong shaking can make wet sand act like a liquid, so the ground moves and cracks buildings, but they're drawn too broadly to speak for one lot, and it takes borings, test holes in the soil, to judge the hazard at a given spot. When that question comes up on a house, I'll say plainly what we know and what still needs testing. We're based in San Jose and meet the same questions on jobs in Santa Clara and Milpitas.
Foundation and masonry work
Why call us for foundation repair
I measure the job myself
I come out to walk the house, measure the cracks and floors and take the photos before anything gets written up. The person who sized up your foundation is the same one checking the work later, so nothing gets lost between the estimate and the job.
Our own masons since 2013
We've been in business since 2013, and our own masons do the work while I check it as it goes up. That's how the job stays backed by our satisfaction guarantee, with no crew we don't know digging along your footing.
Licensed, fully insured, on the permit
We're licensed and fully insured, so we can sign your San Jose foundation permit as the contractor, the way the city recommends. You don't carry the permit's responsibility in your own name.
A foundation repair only holds if it's aimed at what's moving, so start with a look rather than a quote over the phone. Send photos of the cracks and a note on whether the house has a crawlspace through our contact page, or call (669) 234-3391.
(669) 234-3391Get your foundation looked at and written up
We reply within one business day to set a time, then I come out, walk the job, take measurements and photos, and write up what I found and what we'd do about it. The estimate is free and done on site, and there's no pressure to book.
San Jose foundation repair questions
Do I need a permit for foundation repair in San Jose?
Yes. Repairing or replacing a foundation in San Jose takes a building permit from the city, and it's issued once a plan reviewer approves the plans and the final fees are paid. Your lot may also need one of the extra city reviews covered above.
How do I fix a crack in my foundation?
Find and fix what's causing it first, then decide how to treat the crack. A concrete repair guide says the cause has to be corrected before any repair, and that epoxy may not suit a crack that keeps moving. Cracks from rusting steel bars inside the concrete shouldn't get epoxy either, because the rust keeps making new cracks.
How much does foundation repair cost in San Jose?
The price comes down to what's causing the damage and how big the fix is, from treating a crack to rebuilding a section or replacing the foundation. Whether the crack affects the structure matters too, since the same concrete guide says a crack that leaves the structure sound may suit polyurethane grout or another nonstructural filler. Access and any extra city reviews add to it, and your figure comes from the quote after I've seen the house.
How do I know if my San Jose crawlspace house needs earthquake bracing?
Check whether the cripple walls, the short walls under the first floor, are anchored and braced, because poorly anchored ones can let the house slide off its foundation in an earthquake and poorly braced ones can collapse. It's worth asking about anchoring and bracing along with foundation work. San Jose lets owners download permits for some simple earthquake retrofits at SJPermits.org, with plans the city inspector reviews in the field.
Who should sign the foundation permit application in San Jose?
The city recommends a licensed contractor as the applicant, because whoever signs is responsible and potentially liable for all the work under the permit. If you sign as the owner instead, the city asks you for an owner-builder acknowledgement as well. That liability is the reason we sign as the contractor on our jobs.
Can foundation piers be installed from inside the house?
Sometimes, yes. One maker says its helical piles, screw-shaped steel piers, can go in with portable equipment in tight indoor spaces and without vibration, so the people inside can carry on with little inconvenience. Whether piers suit your house is something I'd only know after working out what's moving and why.
Talk to us about foundation and brick repair in San Jose
We're open seven days a week, so call (669) 234-3391 when you spot a new crack instead of waiting to see what it does.
