Foundation repair in Oxnard CA - the repair your house needs, and nothing it doesn't
Cracks in the slab, a door that sticks or a floor that's dropped? We find out why it moved and fix what actually needs fixing.
Does a cracked foundation always need piers?
Foundation repair in Oxnard starts with finding out why part of your house moved. Then we put it back on solid support, usually with steel piers under the footing or by lifting a sunken slab, and fix whatever let it move.
Most calls start with a crack someone just noticed, or one that looks longer than it did last year, or a door that's started to stick. Concrete cracks as it shrinks and cures, so a crack on its own doesn't tell us much. What tells us whether the house is moving is the crack's pattern and whether it's changing.
What you pay depends on what we find. That includes how many piers the house needs and which kind, whether a slab can be lifted instead, and whether there's a water problem around the house to fix as well. The schedule turns on the same things plus any permit, and permit rules depend on your city or county, so we check with that office before work starts. The written quote I give you lists what's included.
How foundation repair works on your house
Most foundation repair comes down to two things, how heavy your house is and what's in the ground under it. Those decide which method fits and what the job involves.
Finding why it moved
Before we talk about piers, we look at how heavy the house is, how the cracks have changed, and where the gutters, downspouts and grading send water. If water is the cause, the repair has to deal with it or the house keeps moving.
Piers under the footing
A common repair puts a bracket on the footing, the base your walls sit on, and a hydraulic ram drives a steel tube called a push pier down under it. The house's own weight is what pushes the pier into the ground.
Lifting a sunken slab
When a slab has dropped but nothing above it needs support, it can usually be raised instead. That's done by pumping a cement mix, called mudjacking, or polyurethane foam underneath it.
Fixing the damage after
Once the house is steady, we repair what the movement broke, from tuckpointing the mortar joints that cracked to chimney repair where a chimney pulled away. We leave sound mortar alone.
Foundation repair questions we hear
Which type of foundation pier is right for my house?
Push piers usually fit a heavy house, and helical piers usually fit a lighter one. Single-story and slab-on-grade homes, porches, additions and chimneys often aren't heavy enough to drive a push pier until it's firmly set, but a helical pier gets its force from the machine that turns it in. On a heavy house push piers usually cost less per pier in the same soil, and cobbles, boulders or dense gravel can stop a helical pier's screw-shaped blades.
What causes cracks in a house foundation?
Foundation cracks come from concrete shrinking as it cures, heat and cold, soil settling, expansive clay, poor drainage, trees or the load the walls carry. Curing and shrinkage cracks are normal in concrete. A crack that's widening, walls or floors that have shifted, water getting in, or anything that worries you about safety should be looked at by a professional.
How long does a lifted slab take before I can walk or drive on it?
One equipment maker says polyurethane foam is ready for traffic in about 15 minutes, while mudjacking needs 24 to 48 hours to cure. If you need a driveway or walkway back in use the same day, that difference is worth weighing when we pick the method.
Who issues building permits for foundation repair in Oxnard?
Oxnard Building & Engineering issues building permits in Oxnard. Its list of work that needs no permit names things like cabinets, fences and sheds, not foundation repair, so we check with the city about your job and handle the paperwork and inspections if a permit is needed. California only lets someone without a license take on work under $1,000 when it needs no permit and they employ no one on it.
How much does foundation repair cost in Oxnard?
I can't give you an honest number until I've seen the house, because the cost comes from what's causing the movement and how much of the house needs support. Lifting a slab or fixing drainage usually costs less than piering, more piers cost more, and the pier type and the soil change the price too. Your written quote lists each item, so you can see where the money goes.
How do I find out if my Oxnard home is in a liquefaction zone?
Ventura County publishes a Seismic Hazard Zone Map that shows the areas where liquefaction and landslides may happen in a strong earthquake. Liquefaction is wet soil losing its strength when the ground shakes. The map won't tell you what's wrong with your foundation today, but it's worth knowing when we plan a repair.
Why Oxnard homeowners call Blockworks Oxnard Concrete and Masonry for foundation repair
You get a straight answer on what your foundation needs and what it doesn't, in writing, before anyone starts work. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
I write your estimate myself
I come out and write the quote, and I check on the job while our crew works under a lead mason.
In business since 2013
I wrote masonry quotes for a supplier and learned the trade on crews before starting this business in 2013.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured, and you're welcome to ask about either before we start.
The quote matches the work
Your quote lists each item and why, and I want the finished job to match it line for line.
Oxnard and nearby cities
We're based in Oxnard and work in many cities around it, so call (805) 342-2830 or send us the form if yours isn't listed.
Send us a photo of your crack
If you put a ruler in the shot and tell us whether the crack changes with the seasons, I'll know a lot more before I come out.
What happens when you call about foundation repair in Oxnard?
We plan the job around your house and your schedule. It starts with a look at what's moved and why, and nothing starts until you've seen it all in writing.
Call or send the form
Call (805) 342-2830 or use the form to tell us what you've noticed, and we'll get back to you to set a time.
I look at the house
I come out, walk the house with you, ask what's been going on, and look at what's moved and what's causing it.
Your written quote
I write the quote line by line, with what we'd do and why, so you know exactly what you're paying for.
The work and walkthrough
If you go ahead, we sort out any permit with the right office and the crew does the work. Then I walk the finished job with you.