Santa Clara County Concrete Leveling & Foundation Repair Contractors

Mr. M. was experiencing moisture issues in the crawl space under his home in Monte Sereno, CA. Mr. M. learned about Foundation Repair of CA's services while attending a Home Show in Santa Clara and contacted them to schedule his free inspection. Foundation Repair of CA suggested Encapsulation with CleanSpace matting and liner and a Smart Sump as his best solution. Installation took 4 days and now the homeowner is no longer experiencing moisture issues. Foundation Repair of CA is pleased that they could provide Mr. M. with a dry crawl space.

Now that Alan and his wife are retired, and all their children have moved away, the couple has decided to move into a smaller house in a quieter neighborhood. To get ready to sell their home they have been investing in small renovations on the interior of the house, however, when they spoke to a real estate agent they were both told that it would really help to also fix some of the issues in the exterior as well, one of which being their driveway which had sunk. They looked into their options and discovered how invasive and pricey the project was going to be to completely tear out the concrete and repour a new slab. Fortunately, Foundation Repair of CA is here to help!

They were pleased by how friendly our office was while scheduling a consultant to come out and evaluate the area, and they were impressed by Jim Palamedes being as punctual and informative as he is. When Jim assessed the area he suggested the Poly Leveling system to raise the slab and Nexus Pro crack sealant to seal the joint between the driveway and the garage.

Within two weeks, foreman David "DJ" Serpa and his crew were able to come out to perform the work. Upon arriving, DJ inspected the area and discovered that one side had sunk more than the other side. This wasn't an issue for him though, because of his extensive experience in working with the polyurethane foam. DJ had the crew prep and clean the area while he injected the foam underneath the slab. DJ injected a little bit at a time across the driveway, to prevent any unnecessary cracking during the lift. He made sure to keep an eye on the garage slab to prevent the driveway from being over lifted, and after awhile DJ stopped when the slab was perfectly even and level. After this, the crew installed the Nexus Pro crack sealant to prevent any future water damage to the slab.

Alan was astonished to see the work done. In a matter of a few hours, his driveway was completely flush with his garage slab and the eyesore of a crack was completely sealed. Alan and his wife were able to get a better evaluation on their house and the future homeowner never has to worry about a sinking driveway.

This home in Sunnyvale was built with only half of a foundation, meaning 50% of the building was supported by a foundation and the other 50% was supported by no foundation at all as you can see in the first photo; the cripple wall extends to the ground without any concrete between it. 

Because of the way this home was constructed, the part of the house that didn't have a foundation was shifting away from the rest of the building. Our experienced Concrete team was able to construct a new concrete footing, a new foundation to save the home from Differential Settlement.  

Wanting to sell his house, the owner called us because a home inspection called out a few problem areas on the interior foundation. You can clearly see in the first few photos that the foundation has a steel rebar poking out of it like a broken bone. The main cause for this situation is the oxidization of the steel rebar. Oxidization like this occurs when moisture and oxygen are present, causing the rebar to expand and eventually break through the foundation like a splinter in your finger. 

Luckily, the areas that were experiencing the oxidization were small enough that an entire foundation replacement wasn't necessary but, if the problem was left unaddressed, that could be the future cure. 

Our solution for these smaller foundation repairs is as follows:

1) Tear out the oxidized rebar, while leaving the foundation intact.

2) Replace with new rebar and patch the back area with new concrete.

3) Seal the area with Carbon Armor Patch to further reinforce the area. 

This property owner's ultimate goal was to fix up their house to make it more cost-effective and efficient. They wanted to change their power source to Solar, but they needed to make sure the foundation of their home was stable before doing so. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the floor system was unlevel. In fact, some of the posts (as you can see in the photos) weren't even attached to the floor.

Our solution was to first remove the posts that were clearly not doing their job and then secondly replace them with our SmartJack 350 system. Each new SmartJack 350 was nailed to the floor above it and bolted to the existing footing below it giving the floor much more stability than before.  

Imagine this: you've decided to move to Morgan Hill from out of state. You find a beautiful, vacant home that has a gorgeous view from the top of the city. You buy it, and everything seems like it's set up for you to start your new life. You did happen to notice that there were a few cracks on the patio and the exterior walls, but you figure that you can have someone look at it later because you want to buy your dream home now. 

You call Foundation Repair of CA out to your property and they discover that small, simple cracks aren't so simple. They discover that the cracks found on the patio concrete slab and the exterior walls have also migrated into the interior of the home. They discover that the soils beneath the home are shifting and experiencing settlement beneath a large area of the foundation. 

But, you also decide to hire Foundation Repair of CA to solve your foundation problems. Sometime after contracting with them, and engineered plan is made based on a thorough inspection of the situation, and then a crew is dispatched from Foundation Repair of CA's office and they swiftly install their Push Pier System beneath your foundation to give it more stability and to help it defend against further settlement and sinking in the future. 

This beautiful home was built in 1920. It had been over 100 years since the home had seen an update in regards to the foundation it rests on. The homeowner had noticed that there was cracking on the exterior walls and that his floors seemed to be uneven. Upon inspection, we discovered that the soils beneath the home had shifted significantly enough to make a few of the wooden posts within the crawl space come close to tipping over. The entire home was experiencing settlement so it would require a large number of push piers to solve the problem. In total, we installed 25 push piers along the perimeter of the foundation, giving the home more stability and the homeowner peace of mind. 

A place where the sun wasn't suppose to shine. The foundation of this home was in such disarray that it was more of a window than a foundation. There were other sections that had completely broken off from the foundation. The homeowner had gone into buying the home knowing completely well that the foundation would need to be fixed. She called us out to evaluate the problem and then fix it. Our concrete crew removed the old, cracked concrete and replaced it with a newly poured foundation. 

Problem solved!

This was a foundation underpinning an in-law unit in the backyard of the main residence. The only part of the foundation that was experiencing settlement was on the right side. Our crew came to the site and installed 6 push piers, lifting the building back to level and stabilizing it against the future movement in that direction. 

The crawl space of any home is one of the most neglected areas. Things could be heading South and you wouldn't necessarily know it until you started noticing that your floors were slanted, your doors couldn't shut properly. It's like going to the dentist and discovering that after not going for 5 years, you had 10 cavities and you needed a few root canals even though everything had felt fine according to your mind. In this case, we were the dentist. We inspected the crawl space of this home and found out that the concrete footings that supported the wooden posts that held the floor together were crumbling very much like a damaged tooth losing enamel. Even the wooden posts were showing signs of rot, more than likely due to water intrusion for a long, indeterminate amount of time. 

Our solution was to completely replace the damaged wood posts and concrete footings with our SmartJack Adjustable Steel Post System and newly poured concrete cast-in-place footings. Now the homeowner can go to bed at night with a smile on their face, teeth intact and healthy. 

Our salesman Brian Lotz was in Campbell visiting another home that was experiencing foundation issues when one of the neighbors came to stand by his van until he was done so she could tell him about the issues she was dealing. When she got his attention, she had told him that her family had recently removed a large fish tank from their living room. After they got the fish tank out of the house, they had noticed that the area of the floor that had support the tank was significantly lower than the rest. Brian did his own investigation of the home and discovered that it wasn't necessarily the fish tank's fault; the home was showing other signs of foundation issues that were indicative of foundation settlement. 

J. had wanted to find a solution to fix her bedroom door. The door would stick, making it difficult (and annoying) to open. The root of the issue was the wood posts that were beneath the floor of the door. The posts were still great pieces of wood, but a great piece of wood is no match for the shifting soils beneath it. To cure this, we removed the wood posts and replaced them with our SmartJack Adjustable Steel Post System. The SmartJack is capable of adjusting to the conditions of the soil, up or down. With the SmartJack System, we were able to bring the floor back to a level that allowed J.'s bedroom door to close and open without sticking. 

For this home, we also installed earthquake retrofit brackets to help the foundation and the floor system defend against the structural issues that they can cause. 

Retrofitting your home for earthquakes is always a good idea. In this case, the project was a gift from the father of the woman who owned the home with her husband. Her father wanted to make sure that their home was prepared to fend off earthquakes so his daughter and his son-in-law could make sure that their lives weren't eventually thrown off balance by the damage that earthquakes can cause. Within the course of a day, our crew retrofitted the interior foundation walls with URFP10 brackets, connecting the mudsill to the stem wall, as well as L70s to connect the mudsill to the floor framing. 

Mr. K had called us up because he had two problems: he had cracks in his drywall and his floors were sagging. When we did our inspection, it was clear that the root of the problem was within the crawl space. The soil directly beneath the home had shifted, causing the floor to settle--the settlement of the floor caused the wood posts that were supporting it to sink, and once the wood posts of any home starts to sink, the areas directly above sink too (The Domino Effect). The walls were breaking apart like a continent from Pangea. 

With the installation of our SmartJack Adjustable Steel Post System, we were able to lift and stabilize the floor, fixing the roof of the issue. The SmartJack acts like a spotter at the gym, jumping in when you need to lift something heavy.  

Wood posts don't handle change well. When the soil shifts, the wood post stays the same. The SmartJack Adjustable Steel Post is better suited to go with the flow. If after installation the soil continues to sink, the SmartJack can be adjusted to counter the shift. 

Have you ever had that one area of your home that isn't perfect? The hard-to-open door that makes you wonder why the heck it's so hard to open? That was what was driving the owner of this home insane. He would commute to work, finish his shift, and then drive home with a clear mind, but when he would park his car in his garage after his long day, the back door of his garage would leer at him, reminding him that while his home may be Pretty in Pink, there was some issue making his door stick that he couldn't see. 

So he finally decided to do something about it. He called us out to inspect what was going on. Our Structural Consultant discovered that the foundation in that specific area was settling, causing the structure to sink, causing the door to stick. Our solution was to lift the foundation with our Push Pier 288 System. We were able to lift the structure and bring the home to a level that allowed the door to open smoothly again. 

Mr. K prefers to do things himself. For years he had to adjust the jacks that were supporting his floors. He'd have to get on his hands and knees to enter the crawlspace at least once a year. But the problem was never going to get better on it's own. We love hearing about people who can fix their own houses, but when it comes to certain kinds of projects, the expertise of a professional is required, and Mr. K knew that it was time to call one, which is where we came in. 

Our initial inspection found that all 25 jacks that were supposed to support Mr. K's floor had rusted; some of the jacks had even broken in half because of how rusty they had become. The cause of this, more than likely, was either rain water flooding the crawlspace or even moisture-filled air that entered through vents. 

None of the 25 jacks were salvageable so all of them needed to be removed and replaced. In their place, we installed 25 new SmartJack Adjustable Steel Posts. Now Mr. K can take the weight of having to repair his own floor each year off of his shoulders and on to ours. 

If you see cracks in the walls...if you find it difficult to open your doors or windows because they are sticking, it's more than likely true that the wooden posts or jacks within your crawlspace aren't doing their job anymore. 

In the case of this home, every single wooden post needed to be replaced. The reason for this was because each wooden post was showing separation from the concrete footing that was directly beneath it, which was causing the floor of the home to sag and the walls to crack. This separation was caused by the long term movement of the soils that the structure of the house rested on. SmartJack Adjustable Steel Posts were the best option for replacing the wooden posts because, even though the soils had caused the concrete footings to sink, the SmartJacks can be adjusted to counteract the movement caused by the soils.  

Situations like these are very much like teeth. You find a cavity in one of your teeth. You hate going to the dentist, so you don't prioritize getting the cavity repaired. The cavity gets bigger and you keep putting the dentist off. Then the cavity gets so bad that instead of getting it filled, it is now in need of a root canal--a procedure that is more painful and more costly.  This homeowner was smart and fixed the cause of the cavities before it got any worse. 

Having just moved into their new home, Mr. and Mrs. C were worried that the interior foundation crack that was discovered during an inspection was going to get worse. Our Structural Consultant, Brett went to their home to see how severe the problem was. He determined that their foundation was generally in good shape, but the area where the crack was visible was eventually going to cause problems if it wasn't addressed soon. 

The cause of the crack in the foundation was a stick of rebar that had oxidized, meaning that moisture had infiltrated it and caused it to expand and crack the foundation like a splinter trying to exit your skin. 

The solution was to chip out the area where the oxidized rebar had cracked. We then removed the oxidized rebar and replaced it with a new stick of synthetic fiberglass rebar, which was doweled into the adjacent concrete to overlap it with the existing rebar that was still in good shape. We then sealed the area with new concrete and a Carbon Armor patch. Now Mr. and Mrs. C can rest assured that they're new life in their new home won't be ruined by foundation issues. 

Mr. H's floors were sloping which caused him to be concerned. He found our company through a Google search and decided to give us a call. Our Structural Consultant, Steve Mack came to inspect his home and discovered the cause of Mr. H's sloped floors: the support posts within the crawlspace had sunk, leaving the floor system to become uneven due to lack of support.

When the soils beneath a home shift, problems like this are almost certain to occur. Wooden posts don't handle change very well. But we do have a product that can adjust well to such conditions: The SmartJack Adjustable Steel Post. We can't stop the Earth from moving, but we can provide the SmartJack that can deal with such movement. After installation, Mr. H could tell right away that his floors were no longer sloping, they were level. Mr. H also joined our Care Club which guarantees him an annual check-up to see if any of his SmartJacks need to be adjusted. 

Mr. K was ready to remodel his kitchen and his bathroom, but he needed to make sure that his foundation and floor were in stable condition before committing to such a large, costly project. 

Finding us through a Google search, he called us to schedule a FREE evaluation. Our Structural Consultant, Steve Heaton, performed the evaluation, taking elevations of the first floor and checking the quality of the framing system within the crawlspace. He found that the North-East section of the home was lower than the rest of the home by a little more than an inch. 

To help Mr. K fix his foundation, our crew installed 11 push piers to lift and stabilize the North-East section of the foundation. They also installed 9 SmartJack Adjustable Steel Posts within the crawlspace to support the existing framing system. Now Mr. K can remodel his kitchen and bathroom without worrying about his foundation ruining his plans. 

There is almost nothing easy about coming to grips with the fact that your life is nearing its end.

This home is currently owned by a couple going through the late stage of their lives. They have children and grandchildren that they would like to pass the home down to. 

It was Christmas dinner, 2021, that Mrs. S remembers hearing a "loud pop and jolt" in her floor. She was worried that her home was falling apart. She found us through an internet search, called, and scheduled a free evaluation/inspection with our Structural Consultant, Steve Heaton. Steve performed the inspection by taking elevation readings of her floor to determine if there were any sections that were uneven; much to the chagrin of Mrs. S, a large portion of her floor was uneven according to Steve's readings. Steve wrote a quote that included a drawing with a proposed solution. Mrs. S talked it over with her husband and they decided to choose us to do the work. 

Our crew, lead by Foreman Alberto Chavez, performed the work quickly and effectively. The reason that Mrs. S' floor was uneven was because every single steel jack that supported it had rusted, which is a sign that 1) the jacks had been there for a long time, and 2) the jacks had been effected by long-term moisture exposure, causing the jacks to weaken and allow the floor to sink. In total, Alberto and his team removed 19 existing jacks and replaced them with our SmartJack Adjustable Steel Posts, lifting and leveling the floor. Now Mrs. S can rest easier knowing that her home is not falling apart. 

Mr. and Mrs. W recently bought their home with the knowledge that the garage had foundation issues. 

Our Structural Consultant, Steve Mack, provided a free inspection and came up with a solution that involved installing Push Piers to lift and stabilize the foundation. Our normal process involves installing the Push Piers from the exterior of the home. But in this case, Mr. and Mrs. W didn't want to damage the decorative concrete walkway that was attached to the exterior of the garage because it would be difficult to find a company who could copy it. To accommodate their preferences, Steve drew up a plan to install the Push Piers from the interior of the garage, where the concrete we would need to cut into was more simple and easy to replicate. 

Our crew, lead by Foreman Robert Pagan, installed 5 Push Piers on the interior of the garage. Now Mr. and Mrs. W can rest assured that their biggest investment (their home) is repaired and protected. 

At Foundation Repair of Ca, we encountered a homeowner in San Jose who was faced with a continually nagging issue—his sidewalk was lopsided and becoming a tripping hazard. He wanted a real, no-fuss solution that would not only correct the unfriendly slant but ensure it wouldn’t become a problem again any time soon. 

Upon contacting our dedicated Customer Care team, we worked out a convenient time and sent over one of our System Design Specialists. This friendly visit was all about getting to the root of the sidewalk’s issue. 

After a thorough examination, it was clear: PolyLevel and NexusPro were the answers. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill fixes. PolyLevel tackles the unevenness by getting underneath and raising the concrete to its original level, leaving behind a virtually undetectable repair. Meanwhile, NexusPro seals the deal—quite literally—by sealing up joints and cracks, ensuring longevity and resilience against the elements.  

The beautiful thing about using PolyLevel and NexusPro is how quick, efficient, and non-disruptive the process is; it doesn’t require a major upheaval of your existing landscape or concrete. Once done, the sidewalk will look like new—sitting pretty and level, with no indication of its once inclined state. Sidewalks can be saved from a costly and messy replacement job, restoring peace of mind and safety to your residential oasis. At Foundation Repair of Ca, bringing such resolutions home is not just our job but our pleasure.

Background

In San Jose, CA, a homeowner faced a significant issue with their foundation. The back corner of the house had sunk by 3 inches, leading to noticeable cracks in the foundation and interior walls. This settlement issue not only compromised the structural integrity of the home but also affected the homeowner's peace of mind. They turned to Foundation Repair of CA for a permanent solution to their problem.

Problem

The primary issue was the settlement of the home's foundation, particularly in the back corner, which had sunk 3 inches. This caused:

• Cracks in the foundation.
• Cracks in the interior walls.
• Potential long-term structural damage if left unaddressed.

Solution

Foundation Repair of CA proposed and implemented a comprehensive solution to address the foundation settlement and restore stability to the home. The following scope of work was carried out:

1. Excavate for and Install Push Piers
• Excavation: Soil was excavated up to 3 feet deep to prepare for the installation of the push piers. This excavation was necessary to access the foundation and provide a stable base for the piers.
• Push Piers Installation: Low profile brackets were used to install push piers, specifically designed for structures on flat land. The piers were driven to a depth of 80 feet to reach stable soil or bedrock, providing a secure foundation for the home.
• Annual Service Maintenance: It was recommended that the homeowner enroll in our annual service maintenance program (Care Club Membership) to ensure the longevity and effectiveness of the installed system.
2. Remove and Replace Concrete Sections
• Concrete Removal: Concrete sections were removed as needed to facilitate the pier installation. The removal was minimal, approximately a 3' x 3' section per pier area, ensuring that the work was as non-invasive as possible.
• Concrete Replacement: After the piers were installed, the removed concrete sections were replaced, restoring the area to its original condition.
3. Install Hydraulic Lift System
• Hydraulic Lift System: A hydraulic lift system was connected to the installed piers. This system was used in an attempt to lift the foundation back to its original position. However, it was noted that the ability to lift the foundation was subject to field conditions and that restoring the floor elevations to their original position could not be guaranteed.
4. Inject Simpson Strong-Tie Crack-Kit Epoxy
• Epoxy Injection: To secure the vertical cracks in the foundation, Simpson Strong-Tie Crack-Kit Epoxy was injected into the cracks. This epoxy provides a durable solution to seal the cracks and prevent further damage.

Outcome

The implementation of the above scope of work resulted in the following outcomes:

• Stabilized Foundation: The installation of push piers stabilized the foundation, preventing further settlement.
• Improved Structural Integrity: The hydraulic lift system improved the overall structural integrity of the home, addressing the immediate settlement issue.
• Crack Repair: The epoxy injection effectively sealed the cracks in the foundation, preventing further water ingress and damage.
• Restored Peace of Mind: The homeowner's concerns were alleviated, knowing that their home was secure and supported by a robust foundation system.

Conclusion

Foundation Repair of CA successfully addressed the homeowner's foundation settlement issue in San Jose, CA. By implementing a thorough and effective solution, the home's foundation was stabilized, structural integrity was improved, and the homeowner's peace of mind was restored. This case study exemplifies the commitment of Foundation Repair of CA to providing quality solutions and excellent customer service.