Foundation repair in San Diego CA - a fix that starts with the soil underneath
Cracks in the walls or doors that stick? We find out what the ground is doing first, then fix the cause.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
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Why is my foundation cracking, and can it be fixed?
At Artisan San Diego Concrete & Masonry, foundation repair in San Diego means stopping the movement behind cracked walls, sloping floors and sticking doors. Nearly all of that movement comes from the soil under the house, so that's where we start.
You've probably spotted a crack that wasn't there last year, or a door that won't latch anymore, and you want to know if it's serious. The crack is usually the result, not the problem, so patching it alone won't hold. The price depends on how much of the house has moved, what's causing it and how hard the footing is to reach. The schedule mostly turns on whether the job needs a permit or a soils report first. I'll walk you through both for your house at the estimate.
Is foundation repair the right call for your house?
Cracks that keep growing
A crack that widens or grows longer each season usually means the ground under that wall is still moving.
Doors that stick or swing
When doors and windows that used to close start sticking, the frame has often shifted with the foundation.
Floors that slope or dip
Floors running downhill, or a dip near one wall, often point to a footing that has settled.
Gaps at porch or chimney
Trim pulling away, or a gap where a chimney or porch meets the house, means parts are moving separately.
How we handle foundation repair
We start by working out what the ground under your house is doing, because patching the cracks you can see doesn't deal with why they showed up. I look at where the cracks run, how the floors sit, where water goes around the house and what the lot is like. Only after that do we talk about fixes, and if a small repair will do, that's what I'll tell you. When a footing does need support, I'll tell you up front how much of the yard along that wall may get dug up and how we'll put it back, before anyone picks up a shovel.
When a house moves, the masonry usually shows it too. A chimney that has pulled away from the wall may need chimney repair once the ground is steady. Cracked mortar in a brick wall can be brought back with tuckpointing so water stays out of the wall. On a sloped lot, retaining wall construction can keep soil from creeping toward the house.
Crack repair and keeping watch
This suits a house where the cracks are small and the soil looks settled. We seal the cracks and you keep an eye on them, and often that's all the house needs.
Drainage and moisture fixes
This suits a house where water collecting by the foundation makes the soil swell and shrink. Moving water away from the footing deals with the cause, and it's often worth doing alongside other repairs.
Underpinning with piers or piles
This suits a house where one section has settled and keeps going. Steel piers or screw piles reach down to firmer soil and carry that part of the house, so it no longer rides on the shifting ground near the surface.
What happens when you call about foundation repair in San Diego?
Call or send a message
Call (619) 220-2261 or use the form and tell us what you're seeing. We get back to you and set a time for me to come out.
I look over the house
I walk the house and the lot, check the cracks, doors and floors, and ask what's been going on and when it started. You get the estimate right there on site, along with what I think is behind the movement.
We check, then do the work
Once you say go, we check what the city or the County of San Diego needs for your job. Then we dig out along the wall, set the support, fill back in and repair the cracks.
Walk the finished job together
When we're done, we walk through the finished job with you, including the yard we put back. If something doesn't sit right with you, that's the time to tell me.
Choosing a foundation repair method
Ask how much digging each method needs.
One screw pile maker's manual says screw piles are known for how easily and quickly they go in. It also says they generally need no soil removed, so there's no pile of dirt to haul away afterward. Other approaches can mean digging along the wall first, and that changes what your yard goes through.
Which method fits depends on your soil, the weight it has to carry and how much room there is to work, so I don't pick one until I know what the ground is doing. When you compare bids, ask each contractor how much digging and hauling their method needs.
Masonry and concrete work examples
Take a look through these examples of masonry and concrete work to get a feel for foundations, walls, brick and stone.
Ask for an on-site foundation repair estimate
Tell us your home's age and what you're seeing, and send photos of the cracks if you have them. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, and there's no obligation.
Why San Diego homeowners call Artisan San Diego Concrete & Masonry for foundation repair
I look, our masons build
I'm the one who comes out to look at your house and give the estimate, and our own masons and helpers do the work while I'm on site checking it. The person who sized up the problem stays on it until it's fixed.
Learned on San Diego crews
I started as a helper on a small San Diego masonry crew, watching older hands fix what others got wrong, and I opened this business in 2023. That's where I learned to fix what has actually failed and leave sound work alone.
Licensed and fully insured crew
We're licensed and fully insured. That matters on a job where we're digging right along your foundation.
Permits and inspections handled
San Diego requires inspections on building projects at different phases of the work, and when your job needs a permit, we handle the paperwork and those inspections. Call (619) 220-2261 or use our contact form to get started.
Foundation repair questions we hear
What causes a house foundation to move in San Diego?
Nearly all foundation movement comes from the soil under the house moving. Expansive clay can rise and fall at the surface by comparatively large amounts as it takes on water and dries out, and slopes, poor drainage and leaking lines can add to it. Knowing which of those is at work tells you what kind of repair will last.
How much does foundation repair cost in San Diego?
Foundation repair cost comes down to what's causing the movement and how much of the house it affects, so I only give a number after I've seen the house. The biggest factors are how much wall needs support, how deep the firm soil is, how easy the footing is to reach, whether the city wants a permit or soils report, and how much yard has to be put back. Call (619) 220-2261 to set up a visit.
How much of my yard gets dug up for foundation repair?
Usually just the ground along the wall being repaired. One helical pier maker's guide has crews dig down to the footing, either with a trench along the whole wall or with a pit at each pier, and finish with backfill and topsoil, so plan on beds along that wall being dug up and replanted. That guide also has crews call 811 first so buried utility lines get marked.
Can an unlicensed handyman do foundation repair in California?
Not if the job needs a permit. California lets an unlicensed person take on minor work under $1,000 only when the job needs no permit and they have no employees. Work that needs a permit falls outside that, so ask to see a license before you hire anyone for foundation work.
What should be included at the end of a foundation repair job?
One helical pier guide wraps up a job by checking that doors and windows work, repairing cracks and waterproofing, cleaning up and taking final elevation readings. Those are fair things to ask any contractor about before you sign. Our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
How do I keep track of foundation movement in a house I just bought?
Get a baseline elevation survey, a set of floor height readings taken now, so you have something to compare against later. A foundation professional association recommends it for buyers because it may prove useful if the foundation moves down the road. If you have one, have it ready when I come look at the house.
Seeing cracks you want looked at?
I'll come out, look at the cracks and the ground around your house, and give you an estimate on site.
Work that often goes with it
What San Diego's rules and ground mean for foundation repair
The City of San Diego requires a building permit to build any new structure or improve an existing one. A foundation repair may count, and that gets settled with the city before any digging starts. The city's seismic safety study maps show likely geologic hazards across San Diego and can decide whether the permit needs a geotechnical report, a soils engineer's look at the ground. If your house is 45 years or older, is designated historic or sits in a historic district, the project may also need a historic review, so that's worth knowing early when you plan.
The city says unstable slopes, slide-prone ground, faults and soil that can loosen in an earthquake show up in many parts of San Diego. On our jobs we mostly see hillside lots and clay that swells when it's wet, and we run into the same conditions in La Mesa, El Cajon and unincorporated county areas. If your city isn't listed, give us a call and ask.