Foundation raising in Redondo Beach CA - a lift planned around your house
Floors that have settled out of level, or a house sitting too low? We look the house over first, then plan the lift and any bracing it needs.
Foundation raising done in the right order
Foundation raising means lifting, lowering or underpinning a house along with its foundation. Owners in Redondo Beach usually call us when floors have settled out of level or they'd like the house sitting higher, and the first thing we want to know is whether the house is ready to be lifted.
What it costs and how long it takes depend mostly on how the house is built, what shape the sills and framing are in, how much bracing it needs and what the permit path asks for. Your estimate is where you'll see what your job involves.
What foundation raising involves
The work starts with the house's condition, well before any jack goes under, and ends when the concrete around it meets the new height.
Check first
One equipment maker advises having a qualified structural mover or engineer look at the building before the lift plan is final, so you learn early whether it needs bracing first.
Repairs first
That maker also notes that rotted sills, failing framing or severe settlement can call for real reinforcement before any jack goes under, which adds a step to the plan.
Jacks and cribbing
Crews jack the house a short way at a time from under its carrying beams, moving the weight onto a fresh layer of cribbing, which is stacked timber supports, after each rise.
Tie-ins after
At the new height, walks and steps that met the old one may need concrete cutting and a fresh pour, or even a new driveway.
Tell us about your house
Tell us if the house is wood frame or brick and about any rotted sills or settling. We reply within one business day to set up a free, no-obligation estimate.
(424) 275-6479How we plan foundation raising
I'd rather find a house's weak spots before a jack goes under it than in the middle of a lift, so our planning starts with the house itself.
- I come out myself. I look the house over and write the estimate myself, and our crew does the forming, pouring and finishing with me on the job.
- Engineer or mover first. Before any lift we want the house looked at closely, and on some homes that means a structural engineer or house mover weighs in first.
- Sill and framing work, up front. If the sills or framing need work, I tell you at the start so it's part of the plan and not a surprise later.
- Licensed and insured. We're licensed and insured, and I'm glad to answer any question about who handles each part of a lift on your house.
- In business since 2020. Side jobs for neighbors turned into this business in 2020, and six years on, careful prep is still what people know us for.
Where Essential Redondo Beach Concrete works
Essential Redondo Beach Concrete is based in Redondo Beach and works in the cities around it across the South Bay, including Torrance and Hermosa Beach. If your city isn't listed, please give us a call.
From first call to walk-through
I explain each step before I ask anything of you, and I tell you what we've learned about your house and the permits before any work starts.
The visit
You call or send a note, and we set a time to come out. I look the house over, ask what you want from the lift and note anything, like soft sills, that changes the plan.
The plan
I write up the estimate so you can see the prep, any bracing or repair steps and what's included. We find out which office covers your address, handle the permit paperwork when the job needs one and tell you what we learned first.
The work
Once you're ready, the work goes in the order the plan sets, and our crew preps, pours and finishes the concrete with me on site. Before we leave, I go over the finished job with you.
Foundation raising questions in Redondo Beach
Can a brick or stone house be raised in Redondo Beach?
Yes, brick, stone and other masonry houses can be lifted, though one equipment maker says wood-framed homes suit it best. Masonry cracks easily when it moves unevenly, so it calls for more support points, careful planning of the load and often bracing inside the house.
What license does a contractor need to raise a house in California?
In California, the state's C-21 Building Moving/Demolition class covers raising, lowering, cribbing and underpinning a house, foundation included. That class doesn't cover remodeling or repairing the parts of the house that stay in place, so if you're planning a remodel along with the lift, ask how that part is licensed.
How do I know if raising my house in Redondo Beach needs a coastal permit?
Coastal development permits are generally needed before building in the coastal zone, and the California Coastal Commission or the local government issues them. Redondo Beach has its own Local Coastal Program, and where the Commission has certified a program like that, most permit review moves to the city. It's one of the first things we check for your address.
What goes into a Redondo Beach plan check submittal for a house lift?
A Redondo Beach plan check submittal starts with a sign-off from the city's planning staff and includes structural calculations and a soils report when the project calls for them. If your lot sits in a state-mapped liquefaction zone, permitting may also ask you to study and address that earthquake risk. Questions go to buildingredondo@redondo.org or 310-318-0636, and the details are on the city's plan check page.
How do I get a price for foundation raising in Redondo Beach?
The only honest price comes from looking at the house, because the cost turns on whether it's wood frame or masonry, the shape of the sills and framing, how much bracing or reinforcement comes first and what the permits ask for. An engineer's review or a soils report adds to it when your job needs one.
Plan your Redondo Beach home's lift
Call (424) 275-6479 or use the form, mention any remodel you're planning alongside the lift, and we'll set a time to come look.