Foundation Repair in Seattle
Foundation crack repair, drainage, basement waterproofing and seismic retrofits, with the permit your city requires.
- We look for what is causing the crack or the water before we price a repair.
- When the repair is structural, a licensed engineer designs it where the city requires one.
- You approve a written, itemized scope before any work starts.
By appointment. Limited start dates.
- Over 200 projects
- 4.9 on Google
- 20+ years building
- WA license VOLCABI792C6
Foundation crack repair, basement waterproofing or a seismic retrofit?
Foundation calls usually start with one of three worries.
A crack you keep checking
A crack in a foundation wall, a slab or the brick above it can be old and stable or a sign the house is still moving. The first job is finding out which.
Water where it should not be
Damp block walls, a musty crawl space or a puddle after heavy rain usually lead back to the grade, the gutters or a failing foundation drain. Where the water comes from decides the fix.
A house that was never tied down
Seattle's building department says most earthquake damage to single family homes comes from the house jumping off its foundation or a weak pony wall collapsing. A seismic retrofit anchors, braces and connects exactly those parts.
Foundation repair in Seattle: the work we take on
One team inspects, brings in a licensed engineer when the work is structural, files the permit and builds.
Foundation crack repair
We measure and photograph each crack, note whether it lets water in, and tell you whether it points to movement. A structural crack gets an engineered repair where the city requires one.
Settling and structural repair
Sloping floors, sticking doors, sagging beams and dropped posts are traced to the soil, the framing or water. You see what we found, and any engineered design, before you approve the work.
Basement waterproofing
We check the grade, the downspouts, the foundation drain and the walls, then scope the drainage, dampproofing or waterproofing the problem calls for, starting outside when the water comes from outside.
Crawl space repair
Wet ground, blocked vents and damaged posts or beams under the floor. Seattle requires a 6 mil black polyethylene ground cover there; we check for it and list each fix in your scope.
Seismic retrofit
We check whether your house fits Seattle's prescriptive plan set for earthquake retrofits or needs plans from a structural engineer, then build the anchoring, bracing and connections to the permitted plans.
New foundations for additions
A new room or a second story puts new load on the ground. Footings and foundation walls are built to the permitted plans and inspected before framing.
Foundation work often comes up inside a bigger project: see Basement Remodeling in Seattle and Home Additions in Seattle, or every service on Residential Remodeling Services in Seattle.
Homeowners on how we run a job
Just completed my inital meeting with Volcano Builders about my bathroom remodels and couldn't be happier with the interaction. On time, professional and extremely knowledge. Highly recommend you invite them out to see your next home improvement project!
We were nervous about hiring a contractor because we were first-time homeowners, but Volcano Builders made it easy to understand. They made everything clear and helped us stick to our budget. I'm very happy with how everything turned out.
Volcano did a master bath remodel for us. The project was completed efficiently and on time. All of their workman were courteous and hard working. When we had a couple of material delivery delays they kindly adjusted their schedules. Their pricing was fine and the terms of the contract were fulfilled. We highly recommend Volcano Building.
Bar and the team at Volcano Builders did a great job! Professional service, great communication throughout the whole process, and everything was done with care and attention to detail. Highly recommend!
Gad an amazing experience with Volcano Builders on my kitchen project. Bar my project manager was friendly. He make sure to keep me updated during the whole project. Also is team is very nice.
How our foundation contractors run the job
Three steps, one team, and a written price before anyone picks up a tool.
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Inspection
We walk the outside and the basement or crawl space, map cracks and damp spots, and check the grade and downspouts.
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Engineering and permit
When the repair is structural, a licensed engineer designs it where the city requires one. We file the permit and book the inspections.
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Repair and walkthrough
One project manager runs the repair, the drainage or waterproofing the scope calls for and the cleanup, then walks the finished work with you.
What sets the cost of foundation repair
Four things drive most of a foundation quote. Your written estimate prices each one on its own line.
The cause behind the crack
A crack that has stopped moving and stays dry is a small job. A crack from settling soil or water pushing on the wall means fixing the cause as well, and that is where most of the cost sits.
Engineering and permits
Structural repairs and seismic retrofits need a permit, and many need a design by a licensed engineer. Each shows as its own line.
Getting to the foundation
A low crawl space, a finished basement wall that has to be opened, or a foundation behind a deck or a driveway adds labor before the repair begins.
How much drainage the water needs
Regrading, extending downspouts, a new foundation drain or exterior waterproofing each change the price. We scope only what the water calls for.
Not sure a crack matters? Ask us to look at it at the first visit. What we find decides between a seal, a drainage fix and a structural repair.
Seattle and Bellevue Remodeling Cost Guide
Financing is available: Home Renovation Financing in Seattle.
Permits and local rules for foundation work
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The Seattle rule
Water has to drain away from the foundation
The Seattle Residential Code requires the ground to fall at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet from foundation walls, with drains or swales where there is no room for that fall. Basement walls that hold back earth need a drain at or below the top of the footing, and dampproofing, or waterproofing where the water table is high.
What we doWe check the grade, downspouts and drain before suggesting work on the wall.
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The Seattle rule
A seismic retrofit follows a plan set or an engineer
SDCI issues an Earthquake Home Retrofit Permit. Light wood frame homes up to three stories, on a sound concrete or reinforced masonry foundation and a fairly level lot, can generally use the city's prescriptive plan set. Other homes need plans from an architect or structural engineer.
What we doWe go through the checklist with you, bring in an engineer when the house does not qualify, and build to the permitted plans.
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The Bellevue rule
Retaining walls over four feet
Bellevue requires a permit for a retaining wall over four feet from the bottom of the footing to the top, or any wall holding up a surcharge load, and walls over four feet need an engineered design with calculations. In the Critical Areas Overlay District a permit may be needed at any height.
What we doWe confirm the wall height and whether your lot is in a critical area before we design or price the wall.
Washington's Department of Labor and Industries tells homeowners to verify that a contractor has an active license and is bonded and insured. Our license number is at the end of this page.
Homeowners on camera
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Linda, Part 2
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Clifford Harris
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Yoshio Inoue
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Mrs. Sergeant
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Teresa
Foundation repair across Greater Seattle
Our main office is in Bellevue, and we take on foundation work in Seattle, across the Eastside in Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish and Issaquah, and in the cities around them.
Permits come from the city the house is in: the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections in Seattle, Development Services in Bellevue. We check the rule for your address and file when one is needed.
Planning more work on the house? See our remodeling pages for Seattle and Bellevue, or all 132+ cities we serve.
Foundation repair questions
How do I know if a foundation crack is serious?
Treat a crack as serious when it is wider at one end, keeps growing, lets water in, or shows up with sticking doors and sloping floors. A thin, dry crack that stays the same width may only need sealing; an inspection tells them apart.
Do I need a permit for foundation repair in Seattle?
Usually, yes. The Seattle Residential Code requires a building permit to repair a building (R105.1), and plans by a Washington licensed architect or structural engineer unless the building official allows an exception (R105.6.1), both in the Seattle Residential Code, chapter 1. We file the permit; see Permit and Project Management in Seattle, WA.
What does a seismic retrofit do?
It anchors the house to its foundation, braces the short wall between the foundation and the first floor, and connects that wall to the floor framing, the ABCs on SDCI's Earthquake Home Retrofit Permit page.
How do you keep water out of a basement?
Start outside the wall. In Seattle the ground must fall at least 6 inches in the first 10 feet from the foundation, and basement walls that hold back earth generally need a drain and dampproofing. We check both before we scope any basement waterproofing. Finishing the space afterward? See Basement Remodeling in Seattle.
Do foundation contractors need an engineer?
For structural repairs, often yes. We are a licensed contractor, not an engineering firm: when the repair is structural, a licensed engineer designs it where the city requires one, and we build to the permitted plans.
How do I get a price for foundation repair?
Book a consultation. We inspect the foundation and the drainage, then send a written, itemized scope and price, with engineering and permit lines shown on their own. Adding a room at the same time? See Home Additions in Seattle.
I'm Bar, founder of Volcano Builders. I have been building for 20+ years, and our main office is in Bellevue. Most remodeling problems start before any work does: a vague price, a missed permit step, nobody answering the phone. So every project we take on gets a written, itemized price before work starts, a design and permit plan built around your city's rules, and one project manager you can actually reach.
Bar UngerFounder, Volcano Builders
Licensed, bonded and insured · CC VOLCABI792C6 · UBI 604-700-955
Book your foundation consultation
Tell us about your project, investment range, and timeline. We’ll review the details and reach out to discuss your project and see if we’re the right fit.