Structural Work for Older Marina del Rey Houses
We test drill the footing of an older Marina del Rey house before pricing a retrofit, because weak concrete changes the anchors and the scope.
Before pricing any retrofit on an older Marina del Rey house, we drill a test hole into the stem wall at a spot where an anchor would go. The dust and the feel of the bit say a lot. Hard gray concrete takes an adhesive anchor well. Sandy material that crumbles at the rim of the hole may need a different anchor or a new footing section, and that reshapes the quote.
Reading the concrete
One hole rarely tells the whole story, so a few go in along different walls, each clear of cracks and corners. Spalled faces, rust stains at old bolts and a stem wall that sounds hollow when tapped with a hammer are noted beside the drill results. Where the concrete looks weak throughout, the engineer may ask for a pull test on a trial anchor before the design is settled. Each test hole is packed with grout afterward. All of it goes into the written scope with photos, so the price reflects the foundation that is actually there.
Which office reviews it
Lots in the unincorporated part of Marina del Rey are permitted through the building and safety division of Los Angeles County Public Works. Some addresses that carry the name sit inside the City of Los Angeles, where LADBS takes the application. We check the parcel record to see which office applies before plans are drawn, and either one inspects the anchors and plywood before the crawlspace is closed. Gas and water lines running along the stem wall are located before drilling, so the bit stays clear of them. A coastal permit question, if one arises, is settled at intake.
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Structural Work in Marina del Rey: common questions
Start with the foundation you can see from outside. Cracks that run through the concrete, flaking faces with rust showing and old bolts missing their nuts are worth a look. Inside, floors that slope toward one wall and doors that rub at the head suggest movement. A test hole and a crawl underneath tell how sound the concrete really is.
Yes to the permit, from the county or LADBS depending on the parcel. Bolting and bracing on sound concrete can follow a prescriptive retrofit plan without calculations. Weak concrete changes that. The engineer then designs anchors for the strength found, or a new footing section, and stamps the sheets for the reviewer.
Yes, in most houses. Test holes, anchors and bracing are all drilled and fastened from the crawlspace, with dust pulled off by a vacuum shroud on the drill. If a footing section must be replaced, the wall over it is shored from underneath while the new concrete cures, and the rooms upstairs stay closed and furnished.
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Talk to us about your house in Marina del Rey
Send the details and we will set up a walk-through and a written scope.