Foundation repair in Hayward CA - an older house anchored and braced for the next quake
Worried your older house could slide off its foundation in a quake? We check the old concrete first, then anchor and brace the house.
Does my older Hayward house need foundation work before the next earthquake?
Foundation repair in Hayward, CA keeps an older house anchored to a sound base so it's less likely to slide off its foundation in an earthquake, and when the old concrete can't hold, we replace it or add to it.
A lot of the older houses we see around Hayward sit on a cripple wall, the short wood wall between the foundation and the first floor, and that's where a quake does its damage. If that wall isn't anchored well the house can slide off the foundation, and if it isn't braced well the wall itself can collapse, so it makes sense to ask for both, since each one stops a different failure. What moves the price and the schedule is how easy it is to get under the house, what shape the old concrete is in and whether your home can use a standard plan or needs an engineer to draw one, and the estimate I give you on site puts your own number on it.
What happens after you call us about foundation repair in Hayward?
Call or send the form
Call (510) 264-7015 or use the form, whether you're in Hayward or one of the cities around it on either side of the bay. We get back to you and set up a time for a visit.
I look under the house
I come out myself, get under the house, look at the foundation and the cripple walls and ask what you've noticed. You get an estimate on site that lays out the work and the price, and if your home needs a design from an engineer, I tell you right then.
We handle paperwork and prep
Once you say yes, we check with the city or county office for your address on what the job needs, and when a permit is required we handle the paperwork and the inspections. Then we prep the site the way I'd prep a station before the dinner rush, so the work goes clean.
We build it and walk it
Our crew and I do the work and clean up, and I check it over before we call it done. Then we walk the finished job with you so you can see what was bolted, braced or rebuilt.
How we do foundation repair, and the chimney and brick work that often comes with it
On an older home I want to know what the foundation is really made of before we settle on a plan, so we start under the house looking at the concrete, the wood sill sitting on it and the cripple walls. Retrofit training guidance calls for a torque test on the anchors wherever the concrete looks poor, so you find out whether the old concrete actually grips a bolt, and a foundation that fails gets replaced or supplemented. That's where a job can grow, so if the old concrete turns out weak we tell you right away and talk through what changes before we go any further. From there we set the anchors, brace the walls or rebuild the foundation the plan calls for, clean up, and I check every connection the way a cook tastes a plate before it goes out.
Older Hayward houses that need foundation work often have a tired brick chimney too, so if the crown is cracked or bricks are coming loose, we can take that on with chimney repair. Where the mortar on a chimney or brick wall is crumbling, tuckpointing puts back joints that match the wall instead of fighting it.
Get an on-site foundation estimate for your Hayward home
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set up a time for me to come out and look under the house. The estimate is free, done on site, and comes with no obligation.
Hayward foundation repair questions
What does foundation repair cost in Hayward?
Foundation repair in Alameda County usually runs about $700 to $18,000 per job, which is the going rate for the area, not our price. One Bay Area inspection company says the price turns mostly on how easy the damaged area is to reach, what caused the failure and the repair method an engineer or inspector recommends. The on-site estimate gives you the figure for your house.
How do I know if my Hayward home needs an engineer for a retrofit?
If your house fits the criteria of Hayward's standard retrofit plan set, it may not, because once the city's Building Division approves its use, that plan can stand in for costly plans an engineer draws for one site. Homes outside those criteria can still be retrofitted, but you hire an engineer to design the work for your house. I'll tell you at the estimate which way your home goes, we'll confirm with the city that the plan set is still in use, and when there's an engineer's design we build from it.
Will a seismic retrofit stop all earthquake damage to my house?
No, a retrofit cuts down earthquake damage without getting rid of it, so what you end up with is a stronger house, not one that can't be hurt. What the work aims at is keeping the house on its foundation and the cripple walls standing.
How do I get help paying for a seismic retrofit in Hayward?
Ask the city about its Brace & Bolt program, which has used federal funds to cover the full cost of home seismic strengthening for homeowners who are seniors, have disabilities or earn a low income. The city's write-up on it is a few years old, so call the Housing Rehabilitation Voicemail Line at (510) 583-4225 or stop by the Community Services Division at Hayward City Hall to check that it's still running and whether you qualify.
Does a foundation contractor need a license in California?
Yes, in California anyone who contracts for work worth $1,000 or more in labor and materials combined needs a current, valid license from the state licensing board. Most foundation jobs clear that easily, and we're fully licensed and insured.
Does drilling into a concrete foundation make a lot of dust?
It can, because drilling into existing concrete to set anchors throws off silica dust, and that's a real health hazard. It's a fair question to ask any crew, and I'll walk you through how we handle it at the estimate.
Other masonry work on older Hayward homes
Chimney repair
If the chimney on an older house has a cracked crown, a leaning stack or loose bricks, it's worth fixing while our crew is already at the house.
Tuckpointing
When the mortar between your bricks crumbles or washes out, we rake out the bad joints and fill them with mortar that suits the brick you have.
Book your foundation estimate in Hayward
Call (510) 264-7015 or send the form, and have the year your house was built, a few photos of the foundation and any old inspection reports handy so I know what we're working with before I get under the house.