Expert Foundation Repair Services In Fresno, CA

Foundation movement, which is also called settling, is normal and will happen to most houses. Architects designed your foundation to accommodate some level of movement. The problem comes when these fluctuations are severe or occur often enough to weaken and destabilize the structural integrity of your home. This kind of damaging foundation movement is a problem in Fresno and throughout the San Joaquin Valley, especially for older homes. If contractors did not compact the soil beneath your home during the building process adequately, the possibility of foundation problems would be higher.

While Fresno’s a great place to live, the city presents some unique challenges for your home’s structural integrity. Many homes in Fresno are built on a concrete slab foundation, a popular option throughout California because it remains more stable in an earthquake. Basements and crawl spaces are less common, but some homes built before the 1970s will have them. Regardless of the type of home you live in, the natural properties of this region are the causes of foundation damage in Fresno. That includes the soil, the weather, and even our proximity to the San Andreas Fault.

Expansive Soil

Did you know California has an official “state soil”? It’s called San Joaquin, and we have plenty of it in Fresno. This loamy soil is a combination of silt, sand, and clay. Soils that contain clay are known to be highly expansive because they naturally absorb a lot of water. This expansive quality makes them prone to swell up substantially when there’s a lot of moisture and then shrink back down just as substantially during drier conditions. Foundations are susceptible to the surrounding soil’s behavior, which makes expansive soils such a challenge for the structural integrity of homes. Your foundation tends to shift in response to the soil’s movements, especially as it cycles through the extreme moisture changes in Fresno’s climate. We only get around 11 inches of rain each year, making this region pretty close to a desert. Most of the rain falls during the winter months, leaving drought-like conditions for long stretches of the year.

Concrete slab foundations are specifically susceptible to damage from upheaval, which is when the soil underneath swells up with water and causes cracks. Overall, the fluctuations of expansive soil cause a lot of wear and tear for any type of foundation.

Earthquakes

The San Joaquin Valley is in a pretty sheltered part of California, geologically speaking. We haven’t seen a severe earthquake for almost 40 years. However, we’re still firmly in earthquake country and only a little over 100 miles from the San Andreas Fault. That means homeowners in Fresno do have to contend with plenty of seismic action. The earthquakes in our region are only between 1 and 4 on the Richter scale, but they happen several times per month. The cumulative effect of even relatively mild earthquakes is simply not good for your foundation. Concrete slab foundations will do better, but they’re not immune to earthquake-related stress. Any time that the ground is shifting beneath your home, there’s a possibility of some damage.

Seismic activity can also worsen any existing foundation problems, such as minor cracks that weren’t posing an issue yet. The seismic activity is one primary reason why Fresno homeowners need to stay mindful of the state of their home’s foundation and pay attention to warning signs of potential issues.

Tree Roots

Fresno’s trees add so much beauty to the landscape, but they can also be a potential threat to your home’s stability. The problem is specifically with native large trees like the Valley Oak, one of the largest oak trees known for having a massive root system. The roots of this Fresno native can extend outwards by over 30 feet in their search for water and nutrients. These amazing roots have a lot to do with why the Valley Oak can thrive in a semi-desert environment. But, as many Fresno homeowners have learned the hard way, these roots can also exert plenty of force on your foundation walls. If they can grow into any minor cracks in the foundation, tree roots can easily cause them to widen.

It’s also common for large trees to become a disruptive influence on the surrounding soil by sucking up moisture and creating uneven shrinkage beneath your foundation. In short, Valley Oaks are a magnificent sight, but they should never be too close to your home. Any trees that are currently too close for comfort should be professionally removed or, if possible, transplanted to a better location.

The basic rule of thumb for just about any issue with your home is that it’s always better to address the problem early. You want to intervene before it gets more serious, more complex, and more expensive. The good and bad news is that issues with the structural integrity of your home will usually announce themselves in some way. Here are some of the reliable warning signs that you’re potentially dealing with foundation damage.

A Damp, Humid Basement

If you have a basement in your Fresno home, this will usually be the first entry point for foundation problems. Often literally, as water begins leaking in from weaknesses in your foundation every time it rains. If you notice water stains, humid air, or even an outbreak of mold in your basement, the first step should be to make sure you don’t have a plumbing problem somewhere along the time. If your plumbing’s okay, then you may have some foundation damage, likely in the form of cracks. If you have a slab foundation, you may notice moisture or humidity in your living space, or increased utility bills as your systems struggle to keep up with cooling or heating damp air.

Wall and Floor Cracks

Cracks are the first symptom of structural stress, especially on your basement walls or the walls of your foundation. Cracks can also appear on the floor of your concrete slab foundation. Hairline-sized cracks are not necessarily a problem, but they can worsen from soil fluctuations, seismic activity, or any other foundation movement. More significant cracks are a prominent symptom of damage, especially if they’re more than half an inch wide. The most severe sign will be horizontal wall cracks, which point to overwhelming pressure from the surrounding soil. In extreme cases, walls that are visibly bulging inwards may even accompany your horizontal wall cracks. Vertical wall cracks and stair-step cracks are less likely to signal structural damage, but they should still be repaired and not allowed to widen.

You should treat cracks as a cry for help from your foundation. If you catch the problem early enough, we can resolve the situation simply by sealing them. Once you see many deep cracks, they’re probably a symptom of a severe structural issue with your foundation, and our engineers will need to step in.

Doors and Windows Are Harder to Open

Whether you’re dealing with foundation sinking, upheaval, or simply a shift, foundation movement can show up in some funky ways within your home. It’s common for doors and windows to become harder to operate or seem to get stuck. Doors and windows get stuck or hard to close and open because your home is essentially out of alignment. There may even be visible gaps between your window and the frame or between the door frame and the wall. These kinds of abnormalities will often point towards foundation damage, especially if you’re also noticing some other warning signs.

The foundation supports your home and everything in it, which makes it truly essential. Because your foundation is vital, foundation problems can significantly affect the financial value of your home, especially once the damage is allowed to get critical. Everyone should consider structural repairs serious business anywhere, but this is particularly true in earthquake country. If you’re dealing with a shaky foundation and not just a few hairline-sized cracks, you’ll need our structural engineers on board.

Foundation repair goes way beyond the typical trade skills. When we’re talking about stabilizing thousands of pounds of concrete, getting the job done right requires precision. Our structural engineers have the specialized technical knowledge to measure the forces exerted on your foundation and figure out the severity of any structural weaknesses. Once they assess the problem and identify which areas of the foundation they need to reinforce, your foundation repair professionals will be able to step in to execute that plan and fix the problem.

Fresno’s cost for foundation repair can be anything from $400 to repair a single wall crack to well over $25,000 for an entire foundation underpinning system. It all depends on the type of foundation you have, the overall severity of the damage, the repairs the foundation will need, and the size of your home. There are other important factors as well, such as the complexity of the problem. In some cases, excavation is necessary to access strategic sections of the foundation that need reinforcement. Your home’s physical location and the surrounding soil condition can make this process easier or harder, which is part of the cost.

You should call Regional Foundation Repair for a customized estimate, but let’s take a look at a sample of the costs for foundation repair projects in Fresno.

Repairing Cracks and Preventive Measures 

You can resolve the early stages of foundation damage with some relatively inexpensive repairs. Patching up an external wall or floor cracks would cost $300 to $800 per crack. We also recommend common sense preventive measures, like improving drainage on the property or making sure the gutters are directing rainwater away from your foundation.

Waterproofing is another excellent prevention option. The costs will depend on the square footage and will begin at around $2,000.

Slab Jacking

One of the most effective solutions for a damaged concrete slab foundation is slab jacking, which is also called mud jacking or foam jacking. This repair is done by drilling holes into the concrete slab and pouring in either grout, polyurethane foam, or a diluted mix of concrete or limestone (which is called “mud”). The material will harden, fill in any poorly-compacted areas in the soil, and help stabilize the foundation. The cost of slab jacking depends on the specific substance used and how many holes will be needed to stabilize your foundation fully. You will generally pay between $1,500 and $5,000 in Fresno.

Foundation Underpinning

If you have a sinking foundation in deplorable condition, the best solution might be a foundation underpinning system. Doing this is an expensive option, but you can be sure that it still costs less than having to do a complete foundation replacement. The process would be to support your foundation from underneath by using a group of piers or pilings. Concrete or steel makes up these structures, and they’re strong enough to take some of the weight off your foundation while providing excellent stability.

The cost of this repair will depend on how many piers the job requires and what type of piers will work for your situation. We have to consider everything from the condition of the surrounding soil to the extent of the damage. The cost of foundation underpinning in Fresno can be anywhere from $6,000 to over $25,000.

Other Costs

If your foundation damage requires structural repairs, you would have to apply for a building permit from the city of Fresno, which will cost around $150 to $200. You also need a report from our structural engineers, and the inspection can cost between $400 and $1,500.

Absolutely. The surrounding soil plays a crucial role in any home’s foundation, including its overall stability. Fresno’s expansive soil tends to swell and contract throughout the year, leading to damage over time. These fluctuations are unavoidable because of our cycles of wet winters and arid summers, but you can take steps to minimize the soil’s disruption. For example, make sure large trees are located far away from your foundation and install an efficient drainage system.