FOUNDATION REPAIR ENGINEERING · DESIGN ONLY
Foundation Repair Engineering and Permit-Ready Repair Plans
When a foundation inspection finds settlement, cracking, missing footings, or deteriorated supports, the next step is a defined repair design. Our California-licensed structural engineers turn inspection findings into a repair scope, structural calculations, and permit drawings that contractors can bid on and the building department can review. We are a design-only firm: we do not perform or sell repair construction.
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When It Applies
When You Need Foundation Repair Engineering
An engineered repair plan is appropriate when the problem affects how the house carries load, or when the building department will review the work.
An inspection report recommends structural repair.
Our own report, or one from another engineer, identifies settlement, failed footings, or support defects that need a designed fix.
Contractor proposals disagree.
Two bids recommend different pier counts, depths, or methods, and you need an independent scope to compare them on equal terms.
The building department asks for plans or calculations.
Structural repair work generally requires a permit application with construction documents.
Work is part of a larger project.
An addition, second story, ADU, or wall removal will add load to an existing foundation that needs to be checked and possibly upgraded.
A sale, insurance claim, or lender requires documentation.
A defined repair scope gives buyers, sellers, and adjusters a common basis for decisions.
Earlier repairs were undocumented.
Unpermitted foundation work discovered during a sale or remodel may need engineering to legalize or correct it.
Deliverables
What's in a Foundation Repair Plan
The package is sized to the problem. A localized footing repair needs less than full foundation replacement, but every package defines what is built, where, and why.
Repair scope and basis of design
- Summary of the observed conditions the repair addresses, tied to the inspection report
- Repair approach and the reasoning for it (for example, localized replacement versus underpinning versus monitoring)
- Assumptions and items the contractor must verify in the field
- Whether a geotechnical (soils) report is needed for the design, and coordination with the geotechnical engineer when it is
Structural calculations
- Load path from the house down to the new or repaired foundation elements
- Sizing of footings, piers, grade beams, posts, and connections
- Lateral and anchorage checks where the scope includes sill bolting or cripple-wall bracing
General notes and specifications
- Materials, concrete strength, reinforcement, and hardware specifications
- Special inspection or observation items, if the jurisdiction or design requires them
- Drainage corrections that are part of the structural solution (for example, redirecting downspouts away from a settling corner)
Permit drawings by repair type
| Repair type | What the drawings typically show |
|---|---|
| Underpinning | Extent of underpinning, footing dimensions and reinforcement, sequencing to keep the structure supported during excavation |
| Piers (helical, push, or drilled) | Pier layout, bracket and connection details, design capacities, installation and field-verification notes for the pier contractor |
| Slab-on-grade repair | Limits of slab removal and replacement, reinforcement, connections to existing slab and footings, moisture and subgrade notes |
| Crawl-space / raised foundation | Post and pier replacement, girder and beam supports, new or replaced footings, sill-plate anchorage and cripple-wall bracing where included |
| Stem wall or perimeter footing replacement | Phased replacement layout, temporary shoring notes, reinforcement and anchorage details |
Bidding
How Contractors Bid from the Plan
One scope for every bidder.
Each foundation contractor prices the same pier count, footing size, and details, so bids are directly comparable.
Fewer change orders.
Field-verification items are called out in advance rather than discovered mid-project.
Questions go to the engineer of record.
During bidding and construction we answer contractor RFIs and review proposed substitutions against the design.
Construction-phase support.
If field conditions differ from the drawings, we issue revised details. We can provide site observation when the jurisdiction or the design calls for it.
Permits
Permit Process for Foundation Repairs
- 1
Confirm jurisdiction. Requirements differ between cities and counties, so the local building department controls submittal format and review.
- 2
Prepare construction documents. Drawings and calculations are submitted with the permit application, in paper sets or a digital format where the building official allows it.
- 3
Plan review and corrections. The building department reviews the package; we respond to structural plan-check comments and revise drawings.
- 4
Permit issuance. The permit is generally obtained by the owner or the contractor performing the work; we provide the stamped documents.
- 5
Construction and inspections. The licensed contractor builds to the approved plans and schedules the required building department inspections.
Our building permit service can coordinate submittal and corrections. City-specific notes: Oakland foundation inspection, Los Angeles foundation inspection, Danville foundation inspection, Stockton foundation inspection, San Jose foundation inspection.
Design Only
What We Don't Do
We are a design and engineering firm. We do not:
- Perform excavation, underpinning, pier installation, concrete, or framing work
- Sell, install, or receive commissions on pier systems or repair products
- Act as a general contractor, foundation contractor, or construction manager
- Refer you to a single preferred contractor in exchange for compensation
Repair construction must be performed by an appropriately licensed contractor; CSLB provides a public license lookup and guidance on selecting the right contractor classification.
Related Services and Case Studies
Case studies: Oakland foundation inspection, Castro Valley hillside foundation inspection, Fremont foundation inspection, Dublin foundation inspection.
Licensed Engineering for Foundation Repair Engineering
Is Your Foundation Repair Engineering Team Backed by a Licensed Engineer?
Too many California homeowners lose weeks or months on foundation repair engineering projects when engineering is incomplete or plans are not coordinated for City review. Unreviewed structural details can also create costly rework and real safety risks. Make sure a licensed Professional Engineer stands behind every structural decision.
Led by Lei Zheng, a California-licensed Professional Engineer since 2006, Cecilia Home identifies structural risks for foundation repair engineering projects, prepares permit-ready calculations and drawings, and coordinates City plan-check responses—helping avoid preventable corrections, rework, and delays.
- 20 years of engineering experience
- Thousands of homeowners served
Official DCA License Record
Lei Zheng
California Professional Engineer
Founder & CEO, Cecilia Home
- License
- C-69809
- Issued
- March 17, 2006
- DCA status
- CLEAR
Status verified July 17, 2026.
FAQ
Foundation Repair Engineering Questions
What repair engineering covers, and what it does not.
Haven't found what you're looking for?
No. We are a design-only engineering firm. We inspect, diagnose, and prepare repair engineering and permit drawings. A licensed contractor of your choosing performs the construction, which keeps our recommendations independent of repair sales.
It depends on the scope and the local building department. Structural repairs generally require a permit application with construction documents, and many departments require plans and calculations from a licensed professional for structural work. Minor cosmetic crack sealing may not. We confirm what your jurisdiction expects before starting design.
Yes, but we verify key conditions on site first. A repair plan carries our engineering responsibility, so we confirm the observations that the design depends on.
The inspection report documents conditions, likely causes, and recommended priorities. The repair plan is the design: scope, calculations, and drawings detailed enough for contractors to price and for the building department to review.
Plans can specify a performance requirement rather than one proprietary product, so different qualified pier systems can be bid. Substitutions are submitted for engineer review before installation.
Sometimes. Hillside sites, expansive or soft soils, significant settlement, and deep pier designs often need geotechnical input, and some jurisdictions require it. We tell you early whether your repair needs one and coordinate with the geotechnical engineer.
Sources:
- California Residential Code 2022, Chapter 1 (R105.1, R105.2, R106.1)
- CSLB: Building Permit Requirements
- CSLB: Hire a Contractor
Verified October 14, 2026
Turn Your Inspection Findings into a Repair Plan
Send us the property address, any inspection report or contractor proposal, and photos of the problem. We will tell you what engineering the repair needs before any construction is priced.