Concrete footings in Temple City CA - support that's checked before it's buried
Need a footing under a new addition, post or wall? We dig, form and pour it to your plans, and check everything before it's covered.
What does a concrete footing do, and what goes into one in Temple City?
A concrete footing is the buried concrete that carries the weight of a wall, a post or an addition down into the soil. In Temple City we dig, form, reinforce and pour footings for homeowners and small property owners who are building something that has to stay put.
Most calls start with a plan in hand, like a room addition, a patio cover or a garden wall, and a question about what goes under it. A pad footing is a single block of concrete under one post or column, and a strip footing runs in a line under a wall. The price mostly moves with how many feet of footing your plans show, how big each one is, how much steel goes in and how easy the ground is to reach and dig. It goes up when old concrete has to be cut out first.
The schedule depends less on our dig and pour than on the city's review and inspections, which the steps below lay out. The state licensing board has a concrete contractor class that covers forming, pouring and finishing concrete, so check any contractor's license before you hire. We're fully licensed and insured.
- Footings for room additions, patio covers, garden walls, carports and other new structures.
- Our own small crew digs, forms and sets the steel, and I run the pours myself.
- Work planned around the city's review and inspection days so the trench isn't left waiting.
What happens after you call us about footings in Temple City?
I come out to every estimate myself, and our own small crew does the work. Here's how a footing job usually runs, from your first call to the walkthrough after the pour.
Call or send the form
Call (323) 471-6288 or fill out the form with your address and what you're building, and have your plans handy if you've got them. We get back to you by phone or email and set a time for me to come out.
I measure and write it up
I measure, take photos and give you a written estimate that spells out the work and what the price includes, so you can compare it line by line. California's contractor board caps the down payment on a home improvement contract at $1,000 or ten percent of the price, whichever is less, so know that limit before you sign anything.
Clear review, then dig
We find out which office covers your address before we pick a start, because most Temple City projects go through plan check, the city's review of your plans, which averages two weeks. Once it's cleared, our crew digs, forms and sets the steel, timed around the city's Monday to Thursday inspection days.
Pour, then walk it together
On pour day I check the forms one more time before the truck arrives, and I run the pour myself. When we're done I walk the job with you and go over how to care for it.
Concrete work from trenches and forms to the finished pour
These photos show concrete work at different stages, from dug trenches and set forms to finished pours. Most of a footing ends up underground, so the trench and the steel are the parts worth studying before the truck comes.
New straight concrete sidewalk leads from the street to a house entrance, passing a mailbox and fresh soil beds.
Stamped concrete driveway in mottled tan tones leading to a two-car garage, bordered by lawn and trees.
New concrete driveway and sidewalk between two houses, with a wide gray slab and straight joints.
Wide concrete patio and steps beside a tan house, with a pergola and outdoor seating in the background.
Concrete pool deck beneath a black screened enclosure, with landscaping and a blue swimming pool.
New concrete patio of large rectangular slabs extends along the back of a brick house.
Get a written estimate for your footing
Tell us your address and what you're building, and we'll reply within one business day by phone or email. I'll come out for a free on-site estimate, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
(323) 471-6288Questions about concrete footings in Temple City
These are the questions owners usually ask before a footing goes in. If yours isn't here, call and I'll answer it straight, or tell you when it's one for an engineer or the city.
How much does a concrete footing cost?
An installed residential strip footing usually costs about $5 to $19 per linear foot across the US, covering concrete, labor, excavation and forms. That's a national figure, not a Temple City price, so the written estimate after I measure is where you'll get your own number.
How do I get a permit for a footing in Temple City?
You apply through Temple City's Building & Safety division, which reviews plans and issues permits for all types of construction, and the city requires all plans to be submitted electronically. The city's Planning Division approves the project before building plan review, and some minor improvements can get over-the-counter plan check, a review done right at the counter. We help you put together what the office asks for.
How do I know if my property is in an earthquake zone?
Type your address into the California Geological Survey's EQ Zapp tool, and it shows whether the property lies in a mapped earthquake hazard zone. State maps also show liquefaction zones, where soil may act like a liquid in a strong earthquake, and building on a property in a seismic hazard zone may require investigating and reducing that hazard during permitting. Run it before you call, so we both know early whether extra steps may come up.
What causes problems with a house's footings over time?
Investigations of damaged buildings point to drainage failures and leaking water or sewer lines as primary causes of structural damage. That's why I usually tell people at the walkthrough to keep gutters and downspouts sending water away from the house and to get any leak near the foundation fixed quickly.
Is it normal for a new concrete footing to crack?
A few fine cracks in new concrete are normal, and the steel we set inside helps keep them tight instead of letting them open up. A crack that keeps widening or a footing that drops isn't normal, and that usually traces back to the trench or to water, which is why we check the trench before anything is poured.
What should I ask a concrete contractor before hiring them for footings?
Ask for their California license number, because where a city requires a permit, a licensed contractor signs a statement giving that number and saying the license is in full force and effect. Then ask what the written estimate includes and who will be on site for the pour. With us, that's our own crew, with me running it.
Concrete footings in Temple City and nearby cities
Temple City decides if your footing needs a permit, and a lot in a mapped earthquake zone may need that hazard looked into, so we ask the city before setting a start. We also work in Arcadia, San Gabriel and the cities below.