Foundation Design and Repair Engineering You Can Build From.

Not for every repair. Localized crack repair, added footings under new point loads and standard retrofits are often designed with presumptive soil values and the observed conditions. Settlement, slope movement, expansive clay and water problems usually call for a geotechnical evaluation, because the right repair depends on what the soil is doing. We tell you which case you are in during scope review.

The report is a starting point. We also need photos of the actual conditions — cracks with something for scale, the crawlspace, the exterior at the affected area — and basic dimensions. If the report identifies movement without a cause, we may recommend a geotechnical evaluation before designing the repair.

Underpinning extends or supplements an existing footing so it bears on deeper, more competent soil — with concrete piers, driven or helical piles, or new footings poured beneath the old one. It is used when a footing has settled, when the soil under it has moved, or when new loads exceed what the existing footing can carry. The method depends on access, soil and the load involved.

No. A seismic retrofit for a raised-floor home adds anchor bolts between the sill plate and the foundation and braces the cripple walls with plywood so the house cannot slide or rack off its foundation in an earthquake. Many homes qualify for a prescriptive standard plan; homes with tall cripple walls, hillside conditions or unusual framing need an engineered design, which we provide.

Yes. We need the manufacturer's foundation loads and anchorage requirements, the site plan and the soil information. The foundation is designed to those loads and to the seismic and site conditions in your jurisdiction.

Yes. Send photos of what was exposed, the dimensions and the plans for the work above. Field-discovered footing problems are common on remodels and additions, and we can design the fix as a supplemental detail or as an addition to an existing project.