Foundation repair in Santa Fe NM - a repair that starts with the ground under it
Cracks in the slab or doors that stick? We find out why the ground moved, fix that, then level or replace what settled.
What fixes a cracked, settling foundation in Santa Fe?
Foundation repair in Santa Fe means leveling a settled slab, replacing it, or keeping the ground around your house drier with sloped ground, longer downspouts and drains at the base of the foundation. Done right, it fixes the soil and water under your home, not just the concrete on top.
Most calls start with a crack that keeps getting longer, a door that won't latch or a gap opening where the floor meets the wall. The price depends on what's behind it, because regrading and longer downspouts usually cost less than lifting or replacing a slab, and on how big the slab is, how much digging it takes and whether the soil needs testing. The schedule turns mostly on the permit for your address and any soil tests, not on our days on site. Once the ground is steady, cracked brick on the walls above often needs brick repair too, and my written estimate lays out what I'd do and why so you can see where the money goes before you decide.
How we handle foundation repair
Before we lift or replace anything, I want to know why it moved, so the first thing I do is walk the outside of the house and look at where the water goes. If drainage is the problem, we fix that first by sloping the ground away from the wall, carrying downspout water well away and cutting down splash-back onto the foundation, because a slab sitting on wet ground keeps moving however level we set it. Digging out along the foundation, coating it against damp and adding a footing drain at its base come after those simpler fixes, not before. Only then do we decide whether to level the slab or tear it out and pour a new one, and that call depends on what the soil underneath is doing.
When a house settles, cracks often run up into the chimney, and we take care of that chimney repair once the ground stops moving so the new work isn't pulled apart. Cracked mortar joints in brick walls get tuckpointing, new mortar packed into the joints, but only after the movement has stopped, since a wall that's still shifting just cracks again.
Soil, drainage and permits for foundation work in Santa Fe
A lot of ground in New Mexico is collapsible soil, dirt that holds up fine while it's dry and then compacts and drops once it gets wet, and housing developments from Velarde to Las Cruces have run into it. That's why I pay close attention to water near the foundation on jobs here, and where a lot turns out to have this soil, the advice is to keep as much water out of the ground as you can, with low-water landscaping near the house and downspouts that move runoff away fast. We see the same dry ground that gives way once it's soaked on jobs in Eldorado at Santa Fe and Española.
Who issues the permit depends on where your house sits. Inside city limits, the City of Santa Fe Land Use Department issues building permits, which the city requires for most construction work, and outside the cities of Santa Fe, Edgewood and Española, Santa Fe County requires a county development permit for all building and development, except on Pueblo lands. Either way, I check what the office for your address asks for before we plan the work.
How foundation repair works
Call or send us a message
Call (505) 303-0434 or use the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. Mention the cracks you've seen and roughly when you first noticed them.
I inspect the house myself
I come out, measure, and look at the slab, the cracks and where the water goes around the house. You get a written estimate that says what I'd do, why, and what's driving the cost.
We file for the permits
Once you say go, we file for the permits and approvals the job needs. The work waits until they're in hand.
We do the work, then walk it
My crew and I do the job with me on site, starting with any drainage fixes. When we're done, I walk it with you before we pack up.
Get a written estimate for your foundation and drainage
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free, done on site and in writing, and there's no obligation.
What homeowners ask about foundation repair
Will slabjacking fix my foundation for good?
Not by itself, because slabjacking raises a settled slab but leaves whatever poor soil caused the settling right where it was. That's why the soil should be checked before you choose this method, and why I look at what's under the slab before I'd recommend it.
Is it better to lift my slab or replace it?
If the soil underneath is still settling, replacing the slab is worth weighing, since a lifted slab may have to be lifted again. The right choice depends on how badly it's cracked now and how much more movement we expect, and I'll tell you which way I'd go and why in the estimate.
What is the best way to repair a foundation on collapsible soil?
Use supports that rest on solid ground below, because slurry jacking, pumping a mix under the slab to raise it, fails in this soil, and so do support posts that stop short of firm ground. If I suspect this kind of soil under your house, I'll tell you before we settle on a method.
How much does foundation repair cost in Santa Fe?
The cost comes down to what's making the house move and how much has to be fixed, so I can only give you a real figure after I've seen it. Drainage fixes like regrading and extending downspouts usually sit at the lower end, while lifting or replacing a slab, digging along the foundation or adding drains costs more. Tests for collapsible soil are expensive for one homeowner, so it helps to plan for them early in your budget.
What causes adobe walls to sag or bulge?
Usually moisture climbing up into the wall from the ground, called rising damp, or a roof putting too much weight on it. There's often more than one cause at work, so a trained professional should find them all and stop the damage before anyone talks about restoring the wall.
How do I tell if drainage is causing my foundation problems?
Walk around the house during or right after a storm and look for water pooling against the wall, downspouts dumping at the foundation and mud splashed up the base. If you see that near your cracks, drainage is likely part of the problem, and fixing it is usually the cheapest step that actually helps.
Why Santa Fe homeowners call Sterling Santa Fe Concrete & Masonry for foundation repair
I come out and stay on site
I look at your house myself, write the estimate, and I'm there with the crew while we do the work. The person who told you what the job needs is the one making sure it gets done that way.
Masonry since 2013, learned young
I learned the trade mixing mortar on my father's jobs and started this business in 2013, so we've been at it 13 years. Most of our work is repairing older brick and stone, which teaches you to chase the water before you trust a patch.
Licensed and insured in New Mexico
New Mexico requires anyone doing work in a Construction Industries Division license classification to hold a license or certificate from that division, and we're fully licensed and insured. Ask to see it before anyone starts digging around your foundation.
On a foundation, finding out why it moved matters more than how fast it gets lifted. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job, so call or send us a message and I'll come out to look.
Other masonry work that often follows foundation repair
Chimney repair
A chimney can shift or crack when the house under it settles, so it's worth a close look once the foundation work is done and the ground is steady.
Tuckpointing
If settling left your brick walls with cracked or crumbling joints, repointing them keeps rain out of the wall and stops small cracks from slowly growing wider.
Get your foundation and drainage looked at
Call (505) 303-0434 or use the form with your address, whether the house is adobe and a few photos of the cracks, so I know what to check before I arrive.
