Continuous footings and stem walls
Perimeter concrete footings with a short wall that lifts a raised wood floor above grade. Depth, width, reinforcement and anchorage come from the engineer's plan.
Foundation Repair / Construction
Foundation construction for additions, ADUs and rebuilds
A new foundation is the first thing built and the hardest thing to change later. KB Remodeling builds footings, stem walls and slabs to the structural engineer's design and the permit issued for the address, and coordinates how new work meets what is already there.
Discuss a new foundationOverview
What a foundation looks like is decided by the design, the soil and the building authority — not by the contractor's preference. Our job is to build exactly what the approved drawings show, in the order the inspections require, and to raise questions early when the drawings and the site disagree.
Most of the difficult decisions happen where new meets existing: an addition that ties into an older raised floor, an ADU near property lines or trees, or a rebuild that reuses part of an old foundation. Those interfaces are where we spend the most planning time.
Who this helps
- Owners adding rooms or a second-story-supporting addition that needs new foundation
- Owners building a detached or attached ADU
- Owners rebuilding after demolition or a fire, with new engineered drawings
- Architects and designers who need a builder to coordinate foundation work with the rest of the project
01
What the work can include
Actual scope and methods depend on the site evaluation and the approved design.
Slab-on-grade
A concrete floor placed on prepared ground, often with thickened edges as footings. Base material, vapor retarder, reinforcement and under-slab plumbing are design decisions made before the pour.
Interior pads and post supports
Isolated footings under posts or beams in a raised floor, located from the framing plan.
Connections to existing foundations
Dowels, new footings beside old ones and transitions between raised and slab floors, detailed by the engineer for the specific condition.
Hardware and embedded items
Anchor bolts, hold-downs, sleeves for utilities and drainage set before concrete so they are in the positions the plans require.
Common triggers
- The approved addition or ADU drawings include a new foundation plan
- A soils report sets bearing and depth recommendations the design must follow
- A rebuild requires removing an old foundation that cannot be reused
- A new floor level must meet an existing raised or slab floor
Options
- Raised floor or slab
- A raised floor keeps a crawl space for utility access and matches many older Los Angeles houses; a slab is lower to the ground and changes how plumbing is run. The designer and engineer choose; we explain the construction consequences of each.
- Matching the existing house
- An addition can match the existing floor height on a new stem wall or step down to a slab. Matching floor heights is a design decision with cost and accessibility consequences.
- Deeper foundations
- Where soil or slope calls for it, the engineer may specify deeper footings, grade beams or piers. Some of those systems are installed by specialty firms; we say so when that applies.
Limits and what this is not
- We do not design foundations or choose depths, reinforcement or soil treatment — the engineer of record does.
- A soils report, survey or setback check may be required before the foundation can be drawn.
- Nothing is formed or poured before the permit is issued and the required inspections are scheduled.
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Contractor, engineer and city inspector
| Aspect | Contractor evaluation (KB) | Licensed engineer | City or county inspection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Question answered | What is visible and what practical next step fits | What is causing it and what the design should be | Does permitted work match the approved plans |
| When | Before anything is decided | When movement, capacity, soil or design is in question | At permit stages during construction |
| Relied on for | Planning and pricing a defined scope | Professional engineering judgment and drawings | Code compliance of the inspected work |
On this project
The structural engineer designs the foundation and may observe parts of construction; a geotechnical (soils) engineer may set the design recommendations and observe excavations. The building authority for the address reviews the plans and inspects at the stages it requires, typically before concrete is placed. KB builds to the approved plans and keeps those parties informed when field conditions differ.
Permits →03
Typical sequence
- 01
Plan review
We read the foundation plan, soils report and survey together and list questions before pricing.
- 02
Layout and excavation
Lines and levels are set from the survey and plans; excavation follows, with spoils and access planned in advance.
- 03
Forms, steel and embeds
Forms, reinforcement, anchor bolts and sleeves are placed and checked against the plans.
- 04
Inspection, then concrete
Concrete is placed after the required inspection; curing and protection follow before framing starts.
Access and disruption questions
- Where can an excavator or concrete pump reach, and what has to be protected on the way?
- Where will excavated soil go, and for how long?
- Which trees, fences, neighbors' walls or utilities sit close to the new footing lines?
- Can the household keep using the yard, driveway and parking while concrete work is underway?
Questions homeowners ask
Can you start the foundation before the drawings are final?
No. The foundation depends on the final structural design and the issued permit. Starting early risks building something that must be removed.
Do I need a soils report for an addition or ADU?
Sometimes. It depends on the building authority, the site and the engineer. Some hazard zones and slopes require one; your engineer and the authority decide.
Can a new addition sit on the old foundation?
Only if the engineer confirms the existing foundation can carry it and details the connection. Often new footings are needed alongside.
Is a slab cheaper than a raised floor?
Not as a rule. Soil, slope, plumbing layout, floor-height matching and access all change the comparison. We price the design actually drawn.
KB Remodeling · CSLB #1066105
Discuss a new foundation
Tell us what you are seeing and the city. No street address is needed to start.