Exterior foundation
Visible concrete, cracks and their pattern, spalling, exposed reinforcement, and how the house meets the ground.
Foundation Repair / Inspection
Foundation inspection: a contractor's site evaluation
When something looks wrong — a crack that seems new, a floor that slopes, a door that sticks — the first step is to look carefully and record what is there. KB Remodeling's foundation inspection is a contractor's site evaluation: what we can see, what it might mean, and who should look next.
Request a foundation evaluationOverview
Three different things are often called a "foundation inspection". A contractor's evaluation looks at visible conditions and practical repair options. A licensed structural or geotechnical engineer's evaluation diagnoses causes and designs solutions, and can be relied on as professional judgment. A city or county building inspection checks permitted work against approved plans. They answer different questions, and one does not replace another.
Our evaluation is the first of these. It is useful for deciding whether something is maintenance, a contained repair, a retrofit opportunity, or a reason to bring in an engineer before anything else.
Who this helps
- Owners who noticed cracks, sloping floors, sticking doors or gaps around trim
- Owners planning a remodel, addition or ADU who want to know what they are building on
- Buyers or sellers who want a contractor's view alongside their own inspection reports
- Owners after a moderate earthquake, heavy rain or a plumbing leak who want visible conditions recorded
01
What the work can include
Actual scope and methods depend on the site evaluation and the approved design.
Crawl space, when accessible
Sill and post condition, moisture, visible anchorage, cripple walls, debris and signs of past repairs.
Interior signs
Floor slope noted with simple tools, door and window operation, drywall or plaster cracks and where they cluster.
Site water
Grading toward or away from the house, downspout discharge, ponding, and irrigation close to the foundation.
Written notes
What we observed, photos, and a recommended next step — maintenance, repair scope, retrofit, or engineer referral.
Common triggers
- A crack that is new, widening, or offset (one side higher than the other)
- Doors or windows that begin to stick or stop latching
- Noticeable floor slope or bounce
- Water in the crawl space or standing water near the house
- Planning structural work and wanting a baseline
Options
- Monitor
- Some conditions are best measured over time — date-marked crack ends and photos — before any work is decided.
- Repair or retrofit scope
- Where the cause is clear and contained, we can describe a repair or retrofit scope for pricing, subject to plans and permit.
- Engineer referral
- Where movement, structural adequacy or soil is in question, we recommend an independent licensed engineer before any construction.
Limits and what this is not
- It is not an engineering report, certification or warranty of the structure.
- It is not a soils or geotechnical investigation; we do not drill, test or calculate.
- It is not a home inspection for a real-estate transaction or a municipal inspection.
- Hidden conditions behind finishes or under slabs are not visible and are not assessed.
02
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
If an engineer is needed, you engage them directly so their judgment is independent of the contractor who may do the work; we share our notes and photos with them. A city or county inspector becomes involved only once permitted work begins, and inspects that work against the approved plans.
Permits →03
Typical sequence
- 01
Your description
What you noticed, when, and whether it has changed. Photos help.
- 02
Site visit
Exterior, accessible crawl space, interior signs and site water.
- 03
Notes and next step
Observations, photos and a recommended next step, with clear limits.
- 04
If work follows
Engineering where needed, then permit and construction under the separate pages for each service.
Access and disruption questions
- Is the crawl-space hatch reachable, and is the space clear enough to enter safely?
- Can we see the foundation outside, or is it covered by planting, decks or stored items?
- Are there prior reports, permits or repair records we can read first?
- Please do not open walls or dig before the visit; we evaluate what is reachable as found.
Questions homeowners ask
Which foundation evaluation do I need: contractor, engineer or city inspector?
Start with the question you need answered. KB's contractor evaluation records accessible conditions and practical next steps. A licensed structural or geotechnical engineer investigates causes, capacity and the repair design when those are in question. A city or county inspector checks permitted construction against approved plans. Contractor notes do not replace either an engineering opinion or a required permit inspection.
Will you tell me if I need a new foundation?
We will say what we see and whether it points toward repair, retrofit or an engineer. Whether replacement is required is an engineering judgment.
Can I use your notes for a home sale?
You can share them, but they are a contractor's observations, not a licensed engineering opinion or a real-estate inspection report.
Do you need to go under the house?
If there is a crawl space and it is safely accessible, yes — most of the useful information is there.
KB Remodeling · CSLB #1066105
Request a foundation evaluation
Tell us what you are seeing and the city. No street address is needed to start.