Concrete footings in San Leandro CA - a footing planned for what it carries
Planning an addition, a deck or a wall and need concrete under it? We start from your plans and pour footings ready for inspection.
What is a concrete footing, and what goes into one?
Concrete footings are rebar-reinforced concrete, usually poured in a trench, that a foundation, wall or post sits on so it's less likely to settle. In San Leandro, we plan them from your drawings as permitted, inspected work.
Most footing calls start with something new going up, like an addition, a deck, a retaining wall or a carport post, and the question of what goes under it. We're based in San Leandro and work across the cities around it. The price moves with what the footing carries, the type and size your plans call for, how many feet of trench or how many footings there are, and how easy the ground is to dig and reach. The schedule mostly turns on the permit, because plans get reviewed before anyone digs. We check early which city or county office covers your address, and when the job needs a permit, we handle the application and set up the inspections with you. Your written estimate lays out the options and what each one means.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Footings, foundations and concrete cutting
How we build concrete footings
We start from your plans and from what the footing has to carry, because a footing gets buried and built on, and there's no fixing it from the top later. Before we dig, we get the underground lines marked. Then we dig the trench or holes and set the forms, the boards that hold wet concrete to shape. Next we tie in the rebar, the steel that helps the concrete hold together under load, and I run the pour with our crew. A footing has no pretty finish to distract anyone. The whole job is the prep nobody sees, and that's how I'd judge any concrete anyway.
Footings often come up alongside other work. If an older foundation has already dropped, foundation raising may need to happen before new footings tie into it. When a new footing has to go under an existing slab, concrete cutting opens a clean section so we aren't breaking out more than we need to.
Why San Leandro homeowners call Complete San Leandro Concrete for footings
I estimate and run the job
I come out to every job myself to write the estimate, and I'm on site with our crew when the footing goes in. You won't hear one plan from a salesperson and then see a different one in the trench.
A framer's eye on footings
I framed houses for years, then learned concrete on a crew forming and finishing slabs, and I started this business in 2023. I've built the walls that sit on footings, so I think about what's going on top before I think about the concrete.
Licensed and insured for permitted work
We're fully licensed and insured. San Leandro only issues building permits to a California-licensed contractor or the property owner, so ask every bidder who will take out the permit, because that tells you who answers to the city.
A footing only has to be right once, because nobody sees it again after the framing goes up. Request your estimate or call (510) 766-7334, and have ready what the footing will hold up and roughly how long it runs or how many you need. Our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Get a written estimate for your footings
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set up a free visit at your property. I'll measure, look at your plans and write up your options, with no obligation.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What happens after you call about footings in San Leandro?
Call or send the form
Tell us what you're building, and we'll set a time to come out. If you have plans or drawings, keep them handy for the visit.
I walk the site with you
I come out myself, look over your plans and the ground, and ask what's going on top. You get a written estimate that names the footing type we're proposing and explains each option and why it matters.
We handle the permit wait
Once you choose, we put the permit application together. The city tells applicants to allow 15 to 20 business days for its first plan review, depending on how complex the project is, so we count that wait before any digging gets booked.
We dig, pour and inspect
Our crew digs and sets the forms and rebar, and I run the pour. The city inspects all permitted work to check it against the codes, and after that I walk you through what we built before it's covered.
Concrete footing questions
How much do concrete footings cost in San Leandro?
A residential strip footing across the US usually costs about $5 to $19 per linear foot, installed. That's a national figure, not our price. Installed usually covers the concrete, labor, digging and forms, so check that every quote you get includes the same items. Your own number comes from the written estimate after I've seen the site.
Do I need a permit for concrete footings in San Leandro?
Usually yes. San Leandro's Building Official requires a permit to build, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building or structure, and a footing is part of the structure. The city's list of work that doesn't need a permit does include some retaining walls up to 4 feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall. We check your project against that list before anyone counts on skipping the permit.
Why do footings in San Leandro need plans or a soils report?
The city's building codes have been changed for local conditions, including earthquake design standards, and the city says it typically requires plans, specifications and soils reports for new construction. Some properties also sit in a state-mapped liquefaction zone, which is ground that can lose its strength in a strong earthquake. A property in one of those zones may need that hazard looked into and addressed during permitting. We ask early which of these your job needs, so a missing report doesn't hold up the review.
Does my contractor need a California license to pour footings?
Yes, in most cases. California requires a Contractors State License Board license to build or alter a structure when the job needs a building permit, uses any other workers, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. A permitted footing job meets that test on the first point alone, so ask for the license before you sign.
How do I compare concrete footing quotes from different contractors?
First, check that each bid names the same footing type, because spread or pad footings, strip or wall footings and pier footings aren't the same job. A pad sits under a single post or column, a strip runs under a wall, and a pier goes down like a column. I name the type we're proposing in the estimate and explain why, so you can line it up against the other bids.
What is the best way to get ready to dig for footings?
Call 811 first so the utilities can mark their lines, which is the first step in one trade group's deck-building guide. The same guide says to keep footings clear of septic systems, leach fields, utility lines and enclosed meters. If you know where any of those are on your property, tell us at the visit.
Work that goes with concrete footings
Foundation raising
When an existing foundation has settled and pulled doors or floors out of line, raising it back up usually comes before new footings tie into it.
Concrete cutting
If a new footing goes under an existing patio or slab, a clean saw cut opens only the strip we need instead of the whole thing.