Foundation assessment.
Whether your old foundation is salvageable can change your rebuild budget by seventy five thousand dollars.
Whether your old foundation is salvageable can change your rebuild budget by seventy five thousand dollars.
Your existing foundation may or may not have survived the Eaton Fire. An engineering assessment from a licensed California structural engineer is the only reliable answer. Visual inspection is not enough. Fire exposes foundations to thermal shock and calcium degradation that is not always visible.
A reusable foundation can save $60k to $120k on your rebuild budget. A foundation that looks salvageable but actually is not becomes a much more expensive problem six months into construction when it fails inspection or develops cracks.
The assessment typically includes a visual inspection, a Schmidt hammer test for concrete strength, rebar exposure checks at sample locations, and sometimes core samples for lab testing. Cost of the assessment is $1,500 to $4,500 depending on scope. We coordinate this work with a structural engineer we trust.
When a fire reached temperatures over 1,400 degrees at the ground level (common in the Eaton Fire), concrete degrades in ways that are not always visible. The cement paste loses bonding strength, embedded rebar can expand and exit the concrete, and moisture migration paths develop.
A qualified engineering assessment will examine: concrete strength via Schmidt hammer at sample points, exposed rebar for loss of section, any visible spalling or cracking, moisture readings, and comparison of any surviving original engineering records against current code.
Outcome of the assessment: either a pass (foundation usable as is), a pass with remediation (usable after specific repairs), or a fail (demolition recommended). We have seen the mix run about 40 percent pass, 35 percent pass with remediation, 25 percent fail across Altadena assessments to date.
Our role on Altadena rebuild projects covers design, permit documentation, and construction administration. David Foote, Associate AIA, draws every project personally. No junior designer intermediaries. Forty years of California residential design, 1,532 completed homes.
We accept new Eaton Fire rebuild clients on a limited basis to preserve project quality. If your rebuild lot is in Altadena and you want to explore working with us, the next step is a free 90 minute consultation. Call (805) 444 1230 or email dcfoote@dcfoote.com. We respond within one business day.
Published hourly rate $350. Most rebuild projects quoted as fixed fee or percent of construction cost after initial scope is clear. Insurance often reimburses the design fee as a covered claim expense.
On site inspection takes 2 to 4 hours. Engineering report follows within 5 to 10 business days. Cost $1,500 to $4,500 depending on scope.
You or your insurance, depending on your policy. Most policies cover engineering fees as part of the claim. Keep the engineer's invoice for submission.
Options: rebuild on the existing foundation with remediation (cheaper but with some risk), partial demolition and replacement of specific areas, or full demolition. The engineer will recommend based on condition.
Only if the existing foundation was engineered for the additional load. Most 1960s through 1990s foundations were designed for exactly the original loading and cannot accept significant expansion without reinforcement.
Ninety minute consultation, no fee. We meet at our Camarillo office, your temporary housing, or your Altadena lot. From there, we decide together whether we are the right match for your rebuild.
David C. Foote, Principal Designer, Associate AIA. 40 years practicing residential design. 1,532 completed homes since 1986.