Foundation Block Wall Installation in Lincoln CA - footings set on firm ground
Adding a room or a crawlspace on a sloped lot? We build the block wall on firm ground so it holds back the soil.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What goes into a block foundation wall in Lincoln?
At Excel Lincoln Masonry and Concrete, foundation block wall installation in Lincoln, CA means building a concrete block wall on footings so it carries the house above it and holds back the soil packed against it, called backfill.
Most people call us when they're planning an addition, a raised floor or a lower level on a lot that slopes, and they want to know what the wall will take. The price mostly turns on what's under the footings, because soft ground has to be dug out and filled, and on how much soil the wall holds back, because that decides whether it needs steel. Length, height and whether the outside gets a damp-proof coating add to it. The schedule depends more on the city's permit review and inspections than on laying block. I look at the site in person and go over what the wall needs before I put a number on it. We're licensed and insured. If what you've really got is an old foundation with cracks, that may be a foundation repair job and not a new wall, and I'll tell you which.
How we handle foundation block wall installation
I start where the wall will go, because a block foundation wall is only as good as what it sits on. Our crew digs the footing trenches, and wherever we hit a soft spot we keep digging until we're down to firm, undisturbed soil, then fill back with compacted gravel or concrete before any footing goes in. We set the forms and steel, pour the footings, and lay the block course by course, grouting the cores that carry steel. We hold off on backfill until the wall has the support it's built to lean on, then put the soil back and clean up.
A new foundation often brings work around it. If the addition opens onto the yard, the same footing and block work goes into an outdoor kitchen base, and once the soil has settled, a new walkway can tie the new door to the rest of the yard.
Block wall without steel
Block foundation walls can be built without reinforcing steel, and that usually works when there isn't much soil behind them. It keeps the build simpler, so we only go this way when the soil load allows it.
Reinforced block wall
Walls holding back a lot of soil may need steel set in grouted cores. On a sloped lot or a deep crawlspace, how much backfill sits behind the wall tells us which one you need.
If you've seen standing water or soft ground where the wall will go, call before anyone digs, so we can plan for it in the estimate.
What happens after you call about a foundation wall in Lincoln?
Here's how a block foundation wall goes from a phone call to a finished wall, and who handles each step. I'm there from the first look to the last walk-through.
Call or send the form
Call (916) 587-8582 or send the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. Pick whatever time works for you, since we keep long hours every day of the week.
I look over the site
I come out myself, check the ground where the wall goes, and tell you what it needs and what can wait. You get a price built on what I actually saw, with any soft-ground digging and steel spelled out.
We handle the permit
If you go ahead, we pull the permit with the city and tell you where it stands before work starts. Some Lincoln projects need a plan check, a city review of the drawings, that can take 2 to 6 weeks depending on size, so plan your start date around it.
We build and walk it
I run the job on site with our crew and set up the city inspections along the way. When it's done, I walk the finished wall with you.
Get a free on-site estimate for your foundation wall
We reply within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at where the wall will go and give you a free estimate, with no obligation to book.
(916) 587-8582Foundation block wall installation in Lincoln and what the city checks
The City of Lincoln issues building permits and requires one whenever a structure is built, added onto, altered or repaired, so plan on one for a new foundation wall. We pull it, set up the inspections and tell you where it stands before we start. The city lists Lincoln in Seismic Design Category D, an earthquake design rating, and at the footing and foundation inspection it wants the trenches dug out and clean, with the forms, steel and seismic hardware already in place. That's why we have all of it set before a footing is poured. If you have questions about what your wall needs, the city's building permits page is the place to check.
Most foundation walls we build around here go under additions and raised floors, often on lots that drop off toward the back. We're based in Lincoln and work across the cities around it, building the same way on jobs in Rocklin and Roseville, and farther out when the job fits.
Foundation block wall questions from Lincoln homeowners
How much does a block foundation wall cost in Lincoln, CA?
Installing a concrete block wall usually costs about $16 to $19 per square foot across the US, and that's a national market figure, not our price. What your wall costs comes down to the ground, the soil it holds back and its size, so I give you your number after I've walked the site.
Does a contractor need a license to build a foundation wall in California?
Yes. The state licensing board requires a contractor license for any work that needs a permit, even if the job is under $1,000, and a new foundation wall falls under Lincoln's permit rules. We're licensed and insured.
What causes a new block foundation wall to crack?
Putting the soil back too soon is a common cause. Some walls are designed to be held at the top, and they should be braced or have the first floor in place before backfill, or they can crack or even fail. Footings on soft ground cause trouble too, which is why we dig those spots out first.
Who schedules the inspection before a block wall is grouted in Lincoln?
The person doing the work schedules it, because Lincoln requires an inspection before concrete or grout goes into masonry. On our jobs that's us, and it's worth asking any contractor you're comparing who will book it.
How do I keep moisture out of a block foundation wall?
A damp-proof coating on the outside is the usual step, and concrete block needs a smooth coat of mortar called parging before that coating can go on. So when your wall is getting damp-proofed, the parging is part of the job and part of the estimate.
Do I need to call 811 before digging a foundation in Lincoln?
Yes. The city tells anyone digging to contact Underground Service Alert by calling 811 first, so buried lines get marked. When we're doing the digging, we make that call before the trench goes in.
Masonry work that often goes with a new foundation
A grill island or counter is heavy, and a solid block base on footings keeps it level, so it's worth planning while our crew is already on site.
New rooms need a way in, and a walkway built once the soil has settled gives you a firm path along the new wall instead of mud.
Call about your foundation block wall
Have the wall's location, its rough length and any soft or wet ground you've noticed handy when you call (916) 587-8582, so the site visit starts with the right questions.