01Roles
Who does what
| Professional | Role | You need one when |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation contractor | Repairs, re-supports, underpinning, new footings | Any foundation repair |
| Seismic retrofit contractor | Sill bolting, cripple-wall bracing, hold-downs | Pre-1980 raised-foundation retrofit; Brace + Bolt |
| Structural engineer | Diagnosis, reports, repair and retrofit design | Active movement, underpinning, non-standard retrofits, sales |
| Geotechnical engineer | Soil and slope investigation, pier depths | Hillside lots, expansive clay, landslide concerns |
02Licenses and permits
Licenses, permits and inspections
- License: a CSLB license is required for any job over $1,000 or any job that needs a permit. Look up the number, classification, bond and workers' comp at the CSLB. Brace + Bolt contractors need an A or B license and must be in CRMP's directory (CRMP FAQ).
- Walnut Creek: city building permits and inspections through Walnut Creek's permit system.
- Danville: Town of Danville Permit Center.
- Lafayette, Alamo, Blackhawk, Diablo, Moraga, Clayton: plan check and inspection through Contra Costa County; Lafayette handles zoning itself (City of Lafayette).
03Quote checklist
What a complete quote includes
- Cause of the problem, in writing, and whether an engineer's letter or design is included
- Scope drawing or description: where bolts, panels, posts or piers go
- Method (shims and posts, push, helical or drilled piers) and pier count and target depth
- What happens, and what it costs, if firm soil is deeper than expected
- Permit, inspection and engineering fees included or listed
- Drainage work included, excluded or referred
- Warranty terms, transferability, and what voids them
- Deposit and payment schedule tied to progress, and start and finish dates
04Red flags
Red flags
- Offers to skip the permit "to save money"
- Pressure to sign today, or a price that only holds for this visit
- Diagnosing structural movement without going into the crawlspace or reading an engineer's report
- Very large deposits up front
- License number missing, inactive or in a different name
- Claims that a retrofit makes a house "earthquake proof"
05Questions
Hiring questions
What license does a foundation contractor need in California?
Any job over $1,000, or any job that needs a building permit, requires a CSLB license. Foundation and retrofit work is commonly done by B (General Building) contractors; concrete specialists may hold a C-8 (Concrete) license. Brace + Bolt work requires an A or B license (CRMP FAQ). Check any license at the CSLB.
Who pulls the permit?
Normally the contractor. Make it a line in the contract, and keep the permit card and the final inspection sign-off.
Should I hire the engineer or should the contractor?
Hiring the engineer yourself keeps the diagnosis independent of the company selling the repair. Contractor-arranged engineering is common for standard retrofits and can be fine; ask who the engineer works for.
Sources · read October 4, 2026