Hillside Foundation Repair and Seismic Retrofit, Silver Lake
A 1926 hillside home that had settled several inches was underpinned with new caissons and grade beams, then bolted and braced to current standards.

- Final cost
- $178,000
- Duration
- 4 months
- Size
- 1,600 sq ft home on a steep downslope lot
- Permits
- LADBS, engineered plans, permitted and inspected
SCOPE OF WORK
- Geotechnical investigation and structural engineering
- New caissons and grade beams under the downhill side
- Foundation bolting and cripple wall bracing
- Hold-downs and shear transfer connections
- Re-leveling of the floor framing above
- New drainage to move water away from the slope
WHAT WE RAN INTO
There was no equipment access to the downhill side of the property. All the drilling was done from inside the crawl space with limited-access equipment, and every yard of concrete was pumped from the street.
THE RESULT
Floors are level, the doors close, and the house is now anchored to engineered foundations rather than sitting on unreinforced 1920s footings.
DISCUSS YOUR PROJECT WITH 1 SMART BUILD
Licensed, bonded and insured design-build general contractor serving Los Angeles County and Southern California. Tell us about your property and goals, and we'll walk you through feasibility, permitting and a clear plan.
More Projects

800 sq ft Detached ADU in Encino
A rear-yard detached ADU built for the owners' parents, with its own address, separate electrical sub-panel and a private entry off the side yard.

Kitchen Remodel with Load-Bearing Wall Removal, Sherman Oaks
A closed-off 1954 kitchen opened into the dining and living rooms with an engineered beam, a 10 ft island and relocated plumbing and gas.

Primary Bath Suite in a 1912 Pasadena Craftsman
A gut renovation of an original bathroom in a historic Craftsman, with a curbless shower, heated floors and period-appropriate fixtures.