Building Bay Area foundations since 1989 · CA License 527433 · 4.6 stars on Google

Cracks in the walls, doors that stick, or a basement you want to make livable? Talk to an estimator: (415) 457-5658 · Weekdays 7 AM to 4 PM. Or request a free site visit.

Signs your foundation needs attention

• Cracks in walls, foundations or around doors and windows

• Doors and windows that jam or won't latch

• Floors that slope, sag or feel uneven

• Water in the crawlspace or basement after rain

Foundation repairs we do

• Underpinning. We extend your foundation down to firm ground with reinforced concrete piers, driven steel minipiles, helical piles, push piles or hand-dug pits.

• Foundation replacement. We replace failed foundations in sections while the house stays standing.

• Pier and grade beam and spread footings. New foundations engineered for Bay Area soils and slopes.

• Crack repair. Structural repair of cracked foundations.

• Drainage. Foundation and crawlspace drainage to keep water away from the footings.

• Tight access. Compact equipment and hand work for crawlspaces, narrow side yards and steep lots.

Lowering a basement floor in San Francisco

Many San Francisco homes sit over a low basement or garage with too little headroom to use. Lowering the floor can turn that space into a room, an in-law unit or a taller garage. Digging below the existing footings means the foundation must be underpinned first, usually in sections, so the house stays supported throughout. It takes a structural engineer's plans and a permit from the city. We do the underpinning, excavation, hauling and new concrete, often through a single garage door or a narrow side yard.

Why foundations fail around here

Many older Bay Area foundations were never taken down to firm ground. Water softens the soil underneath, fill that was never compacted settles, and clay soils swell and shrink with the seasons. The fix depends on the cause: deepen the foundation, drain the water away, or strengthen or replace the foundation itself.

What drives the cost

• How deep firm ground is below your house

• The size and weight of the house, and how many piers it needs

• Access: crawlspace height, side yards, slope

• Drainage work needed

• Engineering, soil reports and permits

The fastest way to a real number: call (415) 457-5658. We'll ask a few questions and set up a free site visit.

What our customers say: 4.6 stars from 30 Google reviews

"My cottage is more than 100 years old. Its foundation was crumbling because of old concrete and drainage issues. The RWR crew was knowledgeable, prompt, reliable, skilled and hard-working. Their work is beautifully done—probably not the cheapest, but worth any extra cost." — Lynne C.

"We had to do a complicated foundation repair in San Francisco. RWR Construction Inc. delivered everything we looked for in a contractor to do the job. And they did so exceptionally well -- every step of the way." — Nil M., San Francisco

"We've had three projects with RWR at our house to shore up rotting beams/foundations. Really major-league work, jacking up whole walls to access dry rot underneath… Everything was explained thoroughly -- very important in a house with loads of hidden defects!" — Jonathan T.

Common questions

How do I know if it's serious? Hairline cracks are common and often harmless. Cracks that widen, doors that start sticking, or floors that keep sloping more over time mean the foundation is moving. A site visit tells you which you have.

What is underpinning? Extending your existing foundation down to soil or rock that can carry the house without settling. It's how we fix settling foundations, and it's the first step in lowering a basement floor.

Do I need an engineer and a permit? For underpinning, foundation replacement and basement lowering, yes. We work with your engineer, or can recommend one, and coordinate the permit.

Can you work under my house? Yes. Crawlspaces, basements and tight-access sites are a large part of what we do.

Ready to fix your foundation, or make that basement livable?

Call (415) 457-5658, weekdays 7 AM to 4 PM, or request a free site visit.