If you're a homeowner in Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Moraga, El Cerrito, Kensington, Oakland, Orinda, Piedmont, and San Leandro, CA looking for a foundation, structural repair, drainage, or retaining wall contractor, Jim Gardner Construction will help you get the job done right the first time.Jim Gardner Construction specializes in residential structural repair work, including foundation repair and replacement, basement digouts, drainage systems (French drains and downspout and site drainage), replacing and repairing entry stairs and porches, earthquake / seismic retrofitting repairs and upgrades, and retaining walls.
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I moved to the Bay Area from Pasadena (LA) in 1976 to attend UC Berkeley and study Anthropology (go Bears!). After graduation I worked as a river rafting guide, seasonal firefighter, lifeguard, swimming instructor, and scuba diving instructor at UC, teaching scientific diving to students who wanted to do underwater research in Biology.
Foundations Repairs
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Foundation Replacement- Older foundations often require repair or replacement. They typically lack rebar, and are often cracked and settled. Their dimensions are smaller, and they are often not deep enough into the adjacent soil to be stable. Due to drainage issues and moisture in the soil, the concrete may be deteriorated, and is often in poor condition and crumbling.
BasementDigouts
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The first step in the digout project is to support the building in place so the foundations can be removed and digging can occur. It can be done with large steel beams that support the entire length of the building, or smaller beams to support portions of the house. We prefer to do our own shoring with smaller beams because it puts less stress on the house, minimizing cracking above which would require additional repairs in finished spaces. When the basement is accessible to the street we can use our Bobcat or Excavator to speed up the dirt removal process.
Earthquake Retrofitting
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Basic seismic upgrades should be installed in the basement and crawlspaces of most older homes. When bolts are absent they should be installed, or additional bolts added when they are not sufficient for current engineering standards. Plywood sheerwalls should be installed along with clips, holdowns for cripple walls taller than 4 feet, and post-beam hardware added for pier supports if they are present.
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