In need of foundation repair? Our foundation repair specialists are ready to help.
Another company said that our foundation was too far gone and needed to be replaced. That’s when we found Regional Foundation Repair. They helped save us thousands! Great service, will recommend!
Andrew Y. | May 30, 2023
We’ve had water in our basement countless times since we moved in. This service sent a contractor who spent a few days installing a waterproofing system and bam - no issues since! Thank you so much!
Eddie W. | May 27, 2023
Finally a foundation company that responds, helps gets the job done, and offers a warranty for the work! Will use again, and recommending to friends and family.
Jessica B. | May 24, 2023
Another company said that our foundation was too far gone and needed to be replaced. That’s when we found Regional Foundation Repair. They helped save us thousands! Great service, will recommend!
Andrew Y. | May 30, 2023
We’ve had water in our basement countless times since we moved in. This service sent a contractor who spent a few days installing a waterproofing system and bam - no issues since! Thank you so much!
Eddie W. | May 27, 2023
Finally a foundation company that responds, helps gets the job done, and offers a warranty for the work! Will use again, and recommending to friends and family.
Jessica B. | May 24, 2023
Best Pricing On Labor and Materials
Professional, Efficient, and Friendly Service
Licensed Structural Engineers On Call 24/7
Flexible Payment Plans & Financing Options
Laser Level Measuring Practices
Worry Free Warranties On All Services
Residents adore Los Angeles, California for its coastal location, long stretches of beach, and sunny, warm weather for the majority of the year. While these conditions provide homeowners in the area with opportunities to relax and enjoy the outdoors, they also present several problems for home foundations and make severe structural damage a prevalent issue in the area.
Regional Foundation Repair is one of the nation’s largest provider of foundation repair service. We have 1,000s of expert technicians ready right now in Los Angeles. Our pros have years of experience and are familiar with the nuances of Los Angeles soil conditions so you can be sure your foundation gets fixed the right way the first time. Gone are the days of worrying about shoddy craftsmanship, overpriced service, and unqualified pros.
During the job, our technicians are trained to explain their progress throughout the day and clean up properly before leaving the jobsite.
Depending on the availability of our technicians, we can generally get your job scheduled within 2 days. To start the process just submit your information in our form and we’ll be in touch within 24 hours with a pricing quote! In some cases we may need more detail to properly quote your project, so we will reach out via phone to schedule a free onsite inspection. Depending on your location we also offer virtual quotes!
For your benefit, we’ll discuss the underlying causes of foundation damage in the Los Angeles area, the symptoms that often show up throughout your home as a result, and the most effective way to minimize property damage and the associated cost of repair.
We’ll also provide some pricing information for the foundation repair services commonly needed in LA and the surrounding area.
Pier Foundations
Concrete Slab
Basement Foundations
Crawl Space Foundation
Wood Foundation
- Erica J.
- Suja K.
- Dan T.
What Causes Bowing Foundation Walls & How It Can Be Corrected?
Foundation Crack Repair: Costs & Repair Options
Foundation Cracks
Foundation Installation Costs
Foundation Leak Repair
What Are The Common Signs Of Foundation Problems And When Should You Be Concerned?
Foundation Repair Methods
What Is Foundation Spalling & When Should You Be Concerned?
How Does Foundation Waterproofing Protect Your Home?
Date of Request: 06/01/2023
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Description: We have some lifting on the sidewalk path leading to our front door, especially at the gate due to tree roots. We've heard of injections to help with lifting and dipping to correct. Is this something you do?
Date of Request: 05/31/2023
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Description: Hello! Do you lift stone/concrete paths with polyurethane foam? I have large square stones forming a path way that are sinking due to age and some water damage. We would like to have them lifted.
Date of Request: 05/31/2023
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Description: Hi, we are gathering rotes for a 17x20 garage foundation replacement. The current foundation has a severe crack which runs the length of the structure. Also curious if you work outside LA area. We are also looking for foundation, repair/replacement in Twentynine Palms. Thank you!
Date of Request: 05/28/2023
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Description: Done everything I know to fix and protect 1923 home including vapor barrier in basement. Still moisture and woody odor when hot. No mold visible. Thinking it may be foundation. Looking for somebody to solve mystery.
Date of Request: 05/25/2023
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Description: Good morning. I recently bought a home, and our pre-purchase inspection report said that the foundation was fine. However, when we were having the floors redone this month, our contractor found that they were uneven and has concerns about our foundation's integrity. He recommended that we have it re-assessed.
Date of Request: 05/23/2023
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Description: 1100 sqft home is sloping because of high moisture in the soil of the property. The first-floor bedroom slopes about 6 down at one end within 20ft. Home is build on concrete slab. Looking for ballpark cost for polyjacking and/or piering.
Does Foundation Movement Affect Los Angeles, California?
Unfortunately, ground movement and the foundation problems that result are widespread in many areas throughout California. Property owners in Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale, Woodland Hills, Culver City, Long Beach, Pasadena, San Diego, Santa Monica, Ventura, and other cities in the vicinity experience under-home damage at an alarming rate.
What Causes Foundation Problems In Los Angeles, California?
The geology in and around Los Angeles and the highly desirable weather patterns are the most significant factors that cause foundation issues. We’ll explain each of these below and how they damage your structure.
Despite the coastal location near sandy beaches, Los Angeles is underlain predominantly by clay-rich soil. The dirt throughout most of Los Angeles County is at moderate to high risk of shrinking and swelling. The ground movement caused by expansive soil is hazardous for foundations for several reasons.
The expansive soil in Los Angeles grows in volume when it absorbs water, meaning that the ground around your home swells during rainfall or flooding.
The lateral and upward stress created by the increased hydrostatic pressure from the expanding soil can cause the concrete to crack. This damage is often severe and compromises the foundation’s structural integrity.
Clay-rich soil shrinks when it loses moisture, which typically occurs naturally when runoff or floodwaters evaporate in the California heat or drain deeper into the earth. Drying soil under and around your home’s foundation can shrink away from the concrete and leave it without the strength it needs to support your home’s weight.
The shrinking soil in LA is most problematic when it dries unevenly under your house. Some areas dry and pull away from the foundation more rapidly, causing differential settling of your structure.
Sections of the concrete that lose support can crack off of your house and sink further into the ground, leaving you with costly and hazardous structural cracks in your slab.
Finally, clay soil is highly absorbent and retains water for a longer time than a sandy or silty dirt would.
When runoff or floodwater are suspended in the ground, they get held against your porous concrete and can seep inside.
This is a particular problem in hilly areas of Los Angeles where structures are built into the sides of inclines, exposing more of your foundation to moisture in the soil. As such, water intrusion and moisture build-up are both issues throughout LA.
The sunny weather and minimal rainfall in Los Angeles may suit most residents, but it’s problematic for home foundations. The city receives just over 14 inches of rain annually, which is less than half of the national average.
LA also experiences extremely arid summers, averaging 0-2 inches of rain monthly, as well as excessively rainy winters. The wettest winter month brings nearly 400x the precipitation of the driest summer month.
The dry summers promote the shrinking of the soil and increase the risk of differential settling, while the heavier rainfall in the winter increases the ground’s volume and the likelihood of excess hydrostatic pressure on your foundation.
Additionally, the cycling between wet and dry soil throughout the seasons makes the effects of uneven settlement more significant and more prevalent.
California residents are well-acquainted with frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes. Los Angeles is situated near several fault zones, which cause regular earth-shaking. Most quakes in the area are minimal, but they have caused billions of dollars in property damage in the past decade alone.
Significant earthquakes can topple structures and shift the soil enough to create immediate structural damage. Small, routine shaking can damage plumbing lines that are commonly run through concrete slabs beneath your home, as well as water supply lines.
Seemingly insignificant underground leaks gradually weaken the soil under your home. The water flow can cause expansion of the earth and pressure on your slab, or differential settling, both increasing the risk of structural problems for residents in the area.
Lastly, much of Los Angeles is prone to flooding. The areas of low elevation near the coast are exposed to tidal flooding during winter rainstorms or from tsunamis caused by earthquakes off the coast.
The inland sections of LA can also experience flash flooding during heavy precipitation because the clay soil allows only slow drainage of runoff.
Flooding promotes excess hydrostatic pressure on your concrete foundation. It also increases the risk of water intrusion and moisture accumulation that can damage your foundation and the interior of your home.
What Are The Signs of Basement Foundation Damage In Los Angeles, California?
The various threats of foundation damage in Los Angeles can present different symptoms in your home. We’ll discuss the more common warning signs of an under-home problem below, along with the likely underlying cause.
Foundation cracks can be challenging to diagnose because they don’t always suggest structural problems. You can sometimes determine the likelihood or extent of damage based on where the gap appears on your concrete.
Most homes in Los Angeles are built slab-on-grade, so assessing the surface of your foundation can be challenging under normal circumstances. If you do expose the concrete during home improvement projects or inspect the surface of your garage slab, you may find thin cracks spanning across the surface that are level across the gap.
These fissures will be present on most foundations, as they occur during the typical settling period after the concrete is poured. They don’t indicate significant damage, so crack repair typically just consists of an epoxy or polyurethane sealant to prevent water and moisture intrusion.
If you find wide or unlevel cracks in your slab’s surface, your home is likely experiencing differential settling. This type of damage is prevalent in Los Angeles due to shrinking clay soil and dry conditions, and unfortunately, it often necessitates very costly stabilization.
Some Los Angeles homeowners find cracks spanning the corners of their foundation, which are usually visible from the outside of the house.
These fissures suggest that differential settling is a problem on your property and that structural repair is required to prevent further sinking.
Conversely, cracks on the exterior strip of concrete under your home that run vertically and don’t span the corners are typically harmless.
These develop in response to typical settling after a new foundation is poured. Sealing them is often good practice to prevent water intrusion, but extensive repair is seldom required.
Water and moisture problems are relatively common in Los Angeles and can occur as a result of heavy winter rainfall or plumbing leaks.
When your foundation is exposed to moisture in the soil from any source, it naturally absorbs the water through pores or cracks in the concrete, allowing liquid water or water vapor to accumulate between your slab and first floor.
The resulting humid air in your home typically makes the air temperature feel more extreme, so an uncomfortably hot living area or unusually high cooling bills could indicate that your foundation is allowing water or water vapor inside.
The accumulating moisture can promote mold growth and pest infestations as well. As such, musty odors, indoor allergy symptoms, or frequent problems with insects in your house can all point to a humidity problem below your flooring.
How to Find Signs of Foundation Damage In Los Angeles, California?
Identifying the signs of foundation damage quickly after they begin to develop can save you thousands of dollars in home improvement costs, as they tend to get worse if they go unrepaired. Below, we’ll detail a comprehensive foundation inspection you can carry out every three or four months to find budding problems quickly and efficiently.
Begin by examining the concrete under your home. Most property owners in Los Angeles will need to do this outside or in their garage, where faces of the slab are exposed. Look for cracking and signs of sinking, especially around the corners of your home.
If you have a crawlspace or basement, you can do a more thorough inspection of the concrete floor and basement walls. Look for cracks here as well, and pay attention for signs of leaking through the cracks, excessive moisture in the air, and water stains or wet spots on the concrete, particularly during rainfall.
Foundation movement and water intrusion often cause damages and irregularities in your living space, so head there next to continue your home inspection.
Differential settling or excessive hydrostatic pressure often results in sheetrock cracks around openings in the walls and the corners of rooms, nail heads pushing through the drywall, cabinets pulling away from the walls behind them, and damaged or sloping floors.
Moisture accumulation between your slab and your first floor may result in buckled flooring, musty odors or visible mold growth in your house, uncomfortable temperatures, unseasonal allergy symptoms, abnormally high cooling bills, or frequent or recurring pest infestations.
If a plumbing leak under your slab is the cause of the moisture problem, you may also notice above-average water bills.
Finally, complete your inspection outside your home. Check the siding and chimney for fissures, and look for sagging roofing. These symptoms can form as a result of foundation movement.
Unevenness in your yard, cracks in the pool deck or garage floor, leaning retaining walls, and puddles forming on the surface of your lawn at any time can indicate problems with drainage, plumbing leaks, or expansive soil that could eventually damage your foundation.
Cost of Basement Foundation Repair In Los Angeles, California?
Foundation repair in Los Angeles typically costs around $5,000 but can range from a few hundred dollars to well over $20,000. We’ll include the average cost for common repair solutions in the area below.
Settling cracks – including thin slab cracks and vertical cracks on the edge of your foundation – are the simplest to repair. You can have a general contractor seal them for between $250 and $750.
Underpinning is the best solution for more substantial or structural foundation cracks. This repair solution involves placing pilings under your slab to provide additional support and hold up your structure in the case of shrinking soils below.
Steel piers can be installed for around $1,000 each, while helical piers are more costly at approximately $3,000 each. Foundation repair contractors typically charge LA homeowners between $5,000 and $20,000 for this service.
Whether your home has experienced earthquake damage in the past or you’re looking to prevent it in the future, a seismic retrofit is the best option. Retrofitting can include a variety of measures, including house bolting, installing tiebacks, a soft-story retrofit, and adding bracing to the concrete.
Earthquake retrofitting can cost between $3,000 and $10,000 and averages around $5,000.
Foundation leaks in Los Angeles are best repaired with a waterproofing system. Like retrofitting, waterproofing systems can include a variety of measures to keep your foundation dry.
These include French drains, vapor barriers, and gutter systems in most cases, while properties with under-home areas may also require sump pumps, dehumidifiers, and crawlspace encapsulation.
You’ll generally pay around $5,000 for a foundation repair company to waterproof your foundation. The total can range from $2,000 to over $10,000, depending on the equipment used, the workmanship, and the warranty included.
