Foundation guides you can watch.
Short video walkthroughs of the foundation maintenance jobs every San Diego homeowner should know. Each guide comes with step-by-step instructions and a clear line on when to call a pro.
What foundation maintenance can you do yourself?
Measure your floor slope yourself
You don't need a Zip Level to know if your floor is sloping. A 4-foot level and a tape measure will get you 80% of the way there.
Monitor a foundation crack
Cracks tell you what they're doing if you watch them long enough. Here's how to track movement at home.
Improve drainage around your foundation
Three drainage interventions you can do this weekend that will protect your foundation for years.
Prep your home for a foundation inspection
Five things you can do the day before our inspection that will make the inspection 30 minutes faster and the report more accurate.
When should you stop and call a professional?
Six signs that the problem is past DIY. Turn the system off and pick up the phone — running a system with these issues turns cheap repairs into expensive replacements.
- A foundation crack wider than 1/16 inch
Past the cosmetic threshold. Width over a credit card edge means the crack is structural-suspect and needs evaluation.
- Vertical offset on either side of a crack
One side higher than the other = settlement, not shrinkage. Always structural.
- Active water seeping through a foundation crack
The crack is open through the full thickness. Hydrophobic polyurethane injection plus drainage source identification.
- Doors that stuck this year and didn't last year (3+ on same side)
A pattern across one side of the house = foundation movement on that side. Diagnose now while options are cheap.
- Visible lean on a retaining wall
Walls fail slowly, then all at once. Catch the lean early and you can repair; catch it late and you rebuild.
- New floor slope or sudden change in an existing slope
Sudden change indicates active settlement. Likely a plumbing leak, fill failure, or recent storm impact. Inspect now.
What foundation rebates and resources are available?
Earthquake Brace + Bolt Program
California state grant program for seismic retrofit on pre-1980 raised-foundation homes — up to $3,000.
County of San DiegoSan Diego County Building Permits
Permit lookup, application, and inspection scheduling for unincorporated county areas.
City of San DiegoCity of San Diego Development Services
Permits and inspections for foundation work in city of San Diego limits.
CSLBCA Contractors State License Board
Verify any foundation contractor's license, bond, insurance, and complaint history.
Still stuck? Call a real technician.
If the guide did not solve it, we probably can. Free onsite inspection across San Diego County.