If there's one phrase that makes any homeowner, buyer, or seller cringe, it's "foundation issues." Totally understandable — it sounds scary and expensive. But in the Bay Area, it's more common than you'd think. Our homes are older, the soil expands and contracts, and time takes its toll. I recently went through foundation repair on my own home and wanted to share a few lessons.
Settling is normal. Almost every home settles over time. Small cracks or doors that don't close perfectly are usually just part of aging. The key is knowing whether the movement is old and stable or still shifting.
Home inspections matter. One corner of our house was six inches off from level! The initial inspector gave a wide range of possibilities, from a simple shim to full underpinning.
Get multiple opinions. We got six quotes — one was three times higher than the others. Experience matters; while estimators aren't engineers, some of them have seen so many foundation issues and they have a good idea of the repairs needed.
Our scope of work. We did 20+ push piers (steel pipes pushed deep into the ground to lift/support the foundation) and 10+ helical tiebacks (angled steel screws to hold walls in place and prevent sideways movement). Obviously every house, location will require different solutions.
Patience pays off. Contract signed in January, engineering/permitting through April, construction took 1.5 months.
Don't remodel before. We waited until after the foundation was done — new cracks formed after lifting, so remodeling first would've been wasted.
Watch drainage. Poor drainage can often lead to foundation issues (we see this a lot in properties we tour). With rainy season coming, check for standing water, clogged gutters, or downspouts dumping near the house.
Bottom line: Foundation issues deserve attention but aren't the end of the world. Having proper expectations is key!
For sellers, addressing foundation concerns proactively adds value and eases buyer worries. For buyers, foundation issues aren't necessarily deal-breakers — with due diligence, you can still find a great home.
Here's a clip of how they lifted my house. Fascinating to watch!