Concrete footings in Monrovia CA - a solid base on ground that's been checked
Adding a room, garage or wall and wondering what it'll sit on? We start with the soil and the inspection, so it holds.
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What goes into a concrete footing job in Monrovia?
Concrete footings are the wide base of concrete under a wall, addition or other structure that spreads its weight into the ground, and in Monrovia, CA, we dig, set steel and pour them so what you build on top stays put.
Most people call us because they're adding a room, a garage, a block wall or a concrete retaining wall, and the plans show footings they've never had to think about. The price turns on how much digging, steel and concrete the plans call for, how easy it is to get the crew and the truck to the spot, and whether the soil needs work first. The schedule depends less on us than on the paperwork, because the permit, any plan review and the inspection all have to line up before we pour. When I come out, I measure the job and write down what's included, like removal and hauling, so you can see what the price covers.
How we build concrete footings
Good footings start with the ground, so before we dig I ask whether you have a soil report and whether the lot sits in an earthquake hazard zone, because either one can change the plan. Then we lay out the lines, dig the trenches to what the plans show and clean the loose dirt off the bottom, since a footing poured on loose fill settles right along with it. If water gets into an open trench, we pump it out and clean the bottom again before going further. We set rebar, the steel bars that hold the concrete together when the ground pushes or pulls on it, and keep it up off the dirt so the concrete wraps all the way around. Before any concrete goes in, we call for the inspection. Once it passes, we pour, work the concrete into every corner and keep it damp while it cures, which is the slow hardening that gives it strength, then we backfill and clean up. Nobody sees a footing once the walls go up, and that's exactly why it's the last place I'd cut to save money.
Footing work often runs into other work. If part of the house is already sinking on old footings, we look at foundation raising to get it back level before anything new ties into it. When a new footing has to pass through a driveway, patio or garage slab, we use concrete cutting to saw a straight opening instead of breaking out more than the job needs.
Permits and inspections for concrete footings in Monrovia
Whether your footing job needs a permit is the city's call, and Monrovia Building & Safety staff meet with applicants to decide if the plans need a review first. We check with the city or county office that covers your address before we set a date, and if the job needs a permit, we sort out who pulls it and have it in hand before we dig. For retaining and crib walls, the city's grading rules call for notice to the city engineer at least 24 hours ahead once the excavation is done, and that inspection checks that the steel is in place before any concrete is poured. We plan the pour around that visit, so the trench stays open and clean until it passes.
We're based in Monrovia and work across the San Gabriel Valley, and lots up toward the foothills often mean a sloped yard where a wall or addition needs its footings stepped down the grade. We see the same thing on jobs in Sierra Madre and Arcadia, and we handle it the same way, with the ground and the plans settled before anyone digs.
Footing work, dig to pour
Get a footing estimate for your property
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out, walk the job and measure it. The estimate is free, done at your property, and there's no pressure to book.
(626) 879-0614Questions about footings in Monrovia
What kind of footing does a house addition or garage usually need?
Most buildings sit on continuous strip footings or spread footings, because a building doesn't put much load on the ground and those footings spread it out enough for the soil to carry. That's how engineering guidance describes it, and we build the footing your plans call for.
Should I have my soil checked before pouring footings?
Yes, the soil should be checked early, before the footing plan is set. Engineering guidance says expansive soil, the kind that swells and shrinks as it gets wet and dries out, should be investigated under footings, because lightly loaded footings can be damaged as it moves. When it needs fixing, the first option to look at is removing and replacing it or treating it in place, and that can change the size of the job, so it's better to know before you get a price.
How do I find out if my Monrovia lot is in an earthquake hazard zone?
Type your address into the state's EQ Zapp tool, which shows whether the property lies in a mapped earthquake hazard zone and tells you if the state hasn't evaluated that area yet. The state's geological survey says a lot in a mapped Seismic Hazard Zone likely has weak soil or rock under it that can fail in an earthquake and damage structures unless the right precautions are taken during grading and construction. Single family frame homes up to two stories that aren't part of a development of four or more units are exempt from the state requirements, but local agencies can be stricter than the state.
Who can pour concrete footings in California?
Footings fall under the state licensing board's concrete contractor classification, which covers contractors who form, pour, place, finish and install concrete. The state's minor work exemption is $1,000, and it applies only when the job needs no permit and the unlicensed person employs no one on the project.
How much do concrete footings cost in Monrovia?
Footing cost comes down to how much digging, steel and concrete your plans call for, plus anything extra the soil or the site needs. A spot that's hard to reach or soil that has to be dug out and replaced adds work, while a clear, open site keeps it down. I'll give you a written price once I've walked the job and measured it.
How long does it take to get a footing inspection in Monrovia?
Monrovia's Building & Safety staff aim for a next-day inspection when the request goes in by 3:00 p.m. the day before and lists all the areas of work. Normal inspection hours are Monday through Thursday, so a trench finished late in the week may wait until the next week. We time the dig to the inspector's days so an open trench isn't sitting around.
Talk through your Monrovia footing job
Call (626) 879-0614 with your address and a short description of the job, and run that same address through EQ Zapp first so we both know what the ground might ask for.