Concrete Footings in San Rafael CA - a solid base sized for what it holds up
Building a wall, addition or deck and unsure what goes under it? We match the footing to the load and the soil.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What do concrete footings involve in San Rafael?
Concrete footings are the wider base at the bottom of a foundation, and in San Rafael we pour them to spread the weight of a wall, pier or post into the soil so the structure above stays where you built it.
Most footing calls I get are for an addition, a wall or a deck, and some are for an old footing that's sunk and pulled a corner of the house down with it. The price moves with what the footing holds up, how wide the soil makes it and how hard the dig is, and the schedule usually turns on the permit and whether an engineer has to draw it first. The written estimate after I measure lays out each step for your job.
How we build concrete footings
We start with what the footing holds up, a wall or a single post, because that decides its shape and its price, and I'll say so when I think an engineer should look at it before we dig. Then we mark the layout, dig down to firm soil instead of leveling off loose fill, and check where the water runs so it heads away from the footing and not into the trench. Our crew sets the forms and the rebar, the steel that holds the concrete together when it wants to crack apart, then pours and finishes the top so whatever goes on it sits level.
When a new footing has to go through a patio, driveway or garage slab, we use concrete cutting to open a clean trench instead of breaking out more than we need. If the house above an old footing has already dropped, foundation raising usually comes first, because a new footing next to a sunken one won't fix what's leaning.
Continuous footings under walls
These run the full length under a wall, so they suit additions, garages and retaining walls. They cost more to put in than pads because there's a lot more trench and concrete.
Pad footings under posts and piers
A pad sits under one concentrated load, like a deck post, porch column or pier. It's the less expensive choice when the weight comes down at points instead of along a line.
If a wall is cracking or a deck post has started to lean, call before you add anything to it, so I can see why it moved first.
What happens when you call about footings in San Rafael?
Here's how a footing job runs with us, from your first call to the day the concrete is ready to build on. I'm the one who comes out, and I'm there when we pour.
Call or send a message
Call (628) 234-2042 or use the form and tell us what's going on top of the footing and where. Photos of the spot and any plans you already have save time at the visit.
I measure and write it up
I come out myself, measure, and ask what the footing has to carry and what sits on it. You get a written estimate that lays out each step, so you can see what drives the price before you decide anything.
We settle permits and layout
Before the pour we settle the permit if your job needs one, the layout and where the water goes. San Rafael lists 2 to 6 weeks for residential building permits, so set your start date with that wait in mind.
Our crew forms and pours
Our own crew digs, sets the forms and steel and pours, and I'm on site with them from the forms to the finish. Once the concrete has cured, the footings are ready for whatever your framer or mason builds next.
Get a written estimate for your footing project
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out, measure and send a free written estimate, with no pressure to book.
(628) 234-2042Concrete footings and San Rafael's permit rules
The City of San Rafael issues general building permits, and its list names new structures, remodels, additions, repairs, pools and decks but not footings on their own, so the list alone doesn't settle whether your footing needs one. I check with the office that covers your address, and when a permit is needed we handle the application. If your lot is a hillside, which the city generally treats as a residential parcel with an average slope over 25%, new development and additions there also go through design review, which is another step before we can start. Skipping the permit isn't worth it, since the city adds fees for work done without one and a permit pulled later doesn't approve work that falls short of code.
A lot of the footings we pour around here go under decks and additions on sloped yards, where one end of the trench is much deeper than the other and getting the forms level takes more care than the pour itself. We work the same way on jobs in San Anselmo and Mill Valley, and in many cities around San Rafael, from Petaluma down to Berkeley.
Concrete footing questions from San Rafael homeowners
How much do concrete footings cost in San Rafael?
Concrete foundation work in the San Francisco metro area usually costs about $9 to $15 per square foot, and that's the going range for the market, not our price. Wider and larger footings cost more, and weak soil calls for wider ones, so your own number comes from the written estimate after I measure.
Do I need a structural engineer for the footings on my project?
You might if the soil is weak and the building above it is heavy, because that's when a structural engineer may need to weigh in on the footing design. I'll tell you at the visit if I think that's your case, so you can plan for that step and its cost early instead of finding out halfway.
What causes concrete footings to heave or settle in clay soil?
A change in soil moisture is the main cause, because expansive clay swells when it's wet, which can lift a footing, and shrinks when it dries, which lets it settle. Keeping the moisture around a footing steady matters on clay ground, and I can't tell you what's under your yard until I've seen it.
How do I stop water from moving my footings after they're built?
Plan the yard drainage together with the footings, because on clay ground, poor drainage after construction and ground that's covered over and can't dry out both change the moisture under a structure. We look at where the water runs before we pour, and that's the time to sort out downspouts and the slope of the yard around the new work.
How long does it take before you can build on new concrete footings?
You wait until the concrete has cured, the slow stretch where it gains strength, before framing or a wall goes on it. How long that takes depends on the weather and what you're building, so I'll tell you what to plan around once I know the job.
Who should I hire to pour concrete footings in California?
Hire a licensed contractor who does concrete work, because the state licensing board's concrete contractor class covers forming, pouring, placing, finishing and installing concrete, which is exactly what a footing takes. We're licensed and insured, and since 2017 I've come out to every job myself while our own crew does the work.
Related concrete work for footing projects
If part of your house has already dropped or a floor slopes, lifting it back first means any new footing ties into a structure that's level again.
Need a trench through a patio, driveway or garage slab for a new footing? Clean saw cuts open just the strip we need and leave the rest intact.
Tell me what your footing has to carry
Call Premier San Rafael Concrete Company at (628) 234-2042 or use the estimate form with your project type, whether the lot slopes and any past soil or drainage trouble, so I come out knowing what to look for.