Concrete footings in Redondo Beach CA - a solid base sized to your load and soil
Need footings for an addition, wall or deck? We size them to your plans and soil, so the weight has a firm base.
What do concrete footings do, and what will mine need?
Concrete footings are the wider base poured under a foundation, a wall, a pier or a column, and they spread that weight into the soil so it doesn't press down on one narrow strip of ground. In Redondo Beach we pour footings for additions, garages, walls, decks and patio covers, sized to the plans and to what the ground can carry.
Most people call us with plans in hand or a project in mind and one question, which is how big the footings have to be. That comes down to the load and the ground, and it's also what moves the price, because a wider, bigger footing takes more digging, more steel and more concrete. The schedule mostly turns on what has to happen before we dig: a soil report if you need one, the plans, and a permit if the city requires one. When I come out, I walk the job, measure it and write down what's included, so you see your own figure on paper. If the footings are part of a new slab foundation, we usually plan the two together.
How we build concrete footings
I start by asking for any soil report and the plans, because footing size comes down to the load and the ground, and I'd rather size the work to the plans than guess. Then we mark the layout, dig the trenches or pad holes to the depth and width the plans call for, and clean out loose dirt so the concrete sits on firm ground. We set the forms and the rebar, the steel bars inside that help the concrete carry bending and hold together, then pour and let it cure, which is the wait while the concrete gains strength before anything heavy goes on top. When a budget gets tight, people look at what they'll see, but I'd trim a finish upstairs before I'd shrink a footing, because you can redo a finish and you can't easily redo what's under a wall.
Footing work often ties into other jobs. If a house or a post has already settled on an old footing, foundation raising can bring it back toward level before new support goes in. When a new footing has to go where a garage floor or patio already sits, we use concrete cutting to open a clean section of slab instead of breaking out more than we need.
Continuous footings
A continuous footing runs the full length under a wall or foundation, so the load spreads along a line instead of landing at points. It suits additions, garages and block or retaining walls, anything where the weight comes down all the way along.
Pad footings
A pad footing is a single block of concrete under one post, pier or column, where the weight comes down in one spot. It suits decks, patio covers, porch posts and carports, where the load sits on a few points rather than a whole wall.
Building concrete footings in Redondo Beach
Whether your footings need a permit is up to the city's Building Division, which issues permits for work on private property, so we check with them before we start. If your job needs one, we tell you up front and take care of the paperwork. Near the coast there's usually another step, because development in the coastal zone generally waits for a coastal development permit, and the city manages that work through its own Local Coastal Program. Digging has a rule too, since state law requires a DigAlert ID number, from a call to 800-422-4133, before a permit to excavate is valid, and we get that number before anyone opens a trench.
The state maps Seismic Hazard Zones where weak soil or rock is likely under a property and can fail in an earthquake, and proper precautions during grading and construction keep that ground from damaging what's built on it. If your lot is in one, the soil report and the plans should spell out how the footings handle it, and that's what we build to. We're based in Redondo Beach and work across the South Bay, and the same soil and permit questions come up on footing jobs in Torrance and Hermosa Beach.
Footings and foundation work
Why call us for footings
I walk your site myself
I come out to look at the job myself, and I work alongside our crew when we dig and pour. The person who read your plans is the one standing at the trench before the concrete goes in.
Public works training, here since 2023
I learned concrete on a city public works crew, pouring sidewalks, curbs and driveway aprons and cutting out slabs that had cracked or lifted, then started this business in Redondo Beach in 2023. Seeing what failed under those old slabs is why we spend our time on the ground before we pour.
Licensed and insured for this work
We're licensed and insured, which matters on footings because the work sits under something you'll live with for years. Ask to see our paperwork when I come out to walk the job.
On footings, the part that counts ends up in the ground, so have the property address, what you're planning to build and any soil report ready, then call (424) 402-3940 or send us the form.
(424) 402-3940Get a written estimate for your footings
We reply within one business day, and I come out to walk the site, measure it and write down what the footings include. The estimate is free, done at your property and comes with no obligation to go ahead.
Concrete footing questions in Redondo Beach
How much do concrete footings cost in Redondo Beach?
The price comes down mostly to the type and size of footing your structure needs. Continuous footings under a whole wall cost more to install than pad footings under single posts, and the wider and bigger a footing gets, the more it costs. When I come out, I measure the job and write down what's included so you have your own figure.
Do I need a soil test before pouring footings for an addition?
It's usually worth getting one, because a soil test shows how much weight the ground can carry and how to make up for any weakness before the footings go in. Weaker soil needs wider footings, which cost more, so the result also helps you set a realistic budget. If you already have a soil report, send it with your request, since we size the work from it.
What causes cracked floors and walls in a house on footings?
A common cause is shrink-swell soil, which heaves when it gets wet and settles as it dries. That movement is uneven and often goes past what a house can handle, so floors and walls crack. It's why it pays to learn how the soil behaves before the footings are designed, not after.
How do I know if my footings need a structural engineer?
The clearest sign is weak soil under a heavier build, which is when a structural engineer most often weighs in. A second story or a masonry wall on soft ground is the kind of job where that review earns its keep. If your plans come with engineered footing details, we build to them.
Where do I apply for a building permit in Redondo Beach?
You apply online through the city's Iworq permit portal, and the Building Division issues the permit from that application. For permit records or questions, the division's number is (310) 318-0636. If your footing job needs a permit, we handle that paperwork for you.
What kind of contractor does concrete footing work in California?
A licensed concrete contractor. California's contractor licensing board defines one as a contractor who forms, pours, places, finishes and installs concrete work, and footings are that kind of work. Ask any contractor you're considering to show you their license before the job starts.
Plan your footings and foundation work with a local crew
Getting the footings settled early keeps your framer, your permit and your pour on the same schedule, so call (424) 402-3940 or send the form.
